6 reasons why I love Amsterdam

Amsterdam. I am smitten. Let me tell you why. 1)- It's the Venice of the North. We arrived at night. We were greeted by the light from the old fashioned street lamps reflecting off the water of the canals. It doesn't get much more romantic. 2)-It's a perfect combination of old and new. The old cobble stone streets are lined with 17th century row houses with huge ground floor windows showcasing chic modern apartments, shops and businesses. (It's like Greenwich village everywhere, except better) 3)- It's quiet. We kept wondering why it was so quiet. It is capital city of The Netherlands and it has over 700,000 inhabitants. And finally, we realized. No traffic. No car traffic. Everyone rides bikes. I thought Berliners rode a lot. But, the Dutch take it to another level. I have never seen so many bikes on the road. And, at the train station, there is a multi-level bike parking garage. (see pic) 4)- Culture abounds. I absolutely thrive on culture and diversity. Coffeehouses, galleries, boutiques, restaurants, museums. Amsterdam is filled with them. It's famous for the Rijks Museum, The Van Gogh Musuem, The Stedlijk Museum (modern art) and many more. 5)-Amsterdam's residents represent 177 different nationalities, making Amsterdam the most multicultural city in the world!!
6)- Liberal attitude. Last, but certainly not least. This is what Amsterdam is infamous for among Americans. Most Dutch operate on the ideology that people should be free to do what they want as long as it doesn't hurt themselves or others. And in their opinion, prostitution and certain natural drugs are not harmful. They are especially not harmful when regulated by the government (in the same way that the U.S. regulates alcohol and tobacco). And this idea has been successful for the Dutch thus far. (Sex fiends and drug addicts have not taken over the city!) Everyone certainly does not partake in the aforementioned activities, but it is safely available to those who are interested. This liberal attitude is embodied in the well-rounded, prevailing attitudes of its residents, government and businesses and greatly contributes to the many positive things I have listed above.
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