If New York City is the big apple, Amsterdam is the giant tree that apple fell from. I’ve only been to about six different cities while studying abroad but, no offense to the rest of Eastern Europe, Amsterdam is taking the lead as one of my favorite places on this side of the continent. I spent five eventful days in the capital of the Netherlands and I’m positive I’ll do it again in the near future. I was fortunate enough to have free accommodation since one of my Aussie mates, Tilly, has a relative who resides right in the center of it all. Thank’s to my friend’s grandmother’s cousin, Heather, we were able to stay on a comfortable sofa bed right in front of a canal.

As Tilly and I climbed up the steep swivel staircase that led to Heather’s living room, we gave each other a look that said, no way did we get this lucky. Heather, a professor working in the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, was working on a paper which had her up nights. She essentially told us that as long as we don’t wake her in the morning, we are welcome to do as we please. She made us feel right at home, giving us fresh sheets and towels, offering coffee, and of course giving us her WiFi password. For lack of a better word, Heather’s apartment was mind-blowing! I finally understand how Oprah feels when she checks into a penthouse suite at The St. Regis. Okay, so the apartment wasn’t a five star hotel, but it was better than my dorm back in Prague!

I couldn’t get over the decor which was notably from different parts of Asia, Heather’s main focus of study. In the spaces that didn’t have striking works of art were books. Piles and piles of books. It was a bit intimidating seeing as the last thing I read was a Nicholas Sparks romance novel. I felt like I was in a small version of The Met, with ancient artifacts and classical paintings representing different parts of the world alongside an immense library. I complimented Heather’s interior design and she gave me a smile, shrugged and humbly responded, “it’s not much of a design, more just random stuff that’s accumulated over time”. Although she was quiet, and focused on her writing most of the time, Heather’s small remarks like that made our stay exceptionally comfortable. Not to mention it was free! Intellectual and charitable, what more could we have asked for in a host?

We had an early morning flight so we desperately needed food to enjoy the rest of our day. As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, living in Prague makes you feel like a kid in a candy store considering how affordable everything is. So, we were on the hunt for restaurants in our traveling-college-student price range. I was expecting to find local spots serving traditional Dutch cuisine. But, as we walked down the brick roads, I noticed many restaurants offered a foreign atmosphere. It was clear that along with the variety of international foods Amsterdam had to offer, the city welcomed people from all parts of the world. It was nice seeing people make Amsterdam their new home where they could share their recipes, music, and traditions. That’s one of the things I appreciated most about Amsterdam, how much of a melting pot it was.

After some well-deserved Chinese take out, we roamed around the city and watched day turn to night. You would think that means the city would calm down, but that’s not how things work in Amsterdam. The day was mainly filled with the ringing of bicycle bells and then it shifted into an animated scene from Alice in Wonderland. The city was illuminated with bright lights that served as signs for ‘coffee’ shops and bars. Conversations sparked at outdoor dinner tables that were accompanied by pitchers of wine. Lines formed outside of night clubs with attendants dressed to the nines as they waited to be let in. It was such a change of pace for me. When quiet hours in Prague hit at 10 PM, the pregames in Amsterdam are only just beginning. I was in the heart of it all, witnessing firsthand the shift in energy that burst within the city.

The cities charms were clouded by a rainstorm the following morning. Luckily, you could still enjoy the structure of the city with its buildings neatly lined up and and attached to one another. There were also the canals that gracefully flowed between streets, creating silhouettes of the city’s insides. We saw the rain as an opportunity to stay warm inside museums all morning. First on our list was the Van Gough Museum, which beautifully displayed original artwork by renowned Dutch artist, Vincent van Gough. There was also detailed insight on his personal life and on his journey as an artist. I always appreciated van Gogh’s distinctive painting style, but I never knew that his sister-in-law, Johanna Gezina van Gogh-Bonger, was fundamental to the artist’s success after his passing. The next museum we visited was the Stedeljik Museum which displayed modern and contemporary artwork. The abstract paintings intrigued us and at times we stood in awe at the evoking installations. The final and most moving museum was the Anne Frank House. There was a heavy feeling as we toured the home that served as a temporary refuge for Anne Frank and her family. It was comforting to know how much the country where they found shelter honored their memory. What touched me the most was learning that Anne Frank dreamed of being a successful writer and her father made that possible even after her passing. She was passionate about her craft and although she didn’t live to see it, her writing is now known worldwide and will remain eternally distinguished.

Later in the day a couple of our friends from Prague arrived to the Netherlands and we moved about the city taking in our beautiful surroundings. After exploring some thrift shops and splurging on handmade jewelry, we moved from bar to bar then set out to the infamous red light district. Entering the red light district was like riding a roll coaster: the anticipation builds up, you’re dumbfounded by what you’re experiencing then it leaves you in utter disbelief. At least that’s what it was like for me. The lights were cool and all but I couldn’t help but picture myself in the position of prostitutes. They were displayed behind glass windows that were floor length. The displays spread for blocks and had levels starting at basements and ending at top floors. Some were dressed how my sorority sisters and I dress during Halloween, you know, the whole naughty school girl look. Others seemed a bit more disheveled, but dressed for a party nonetheless. It made me reevaluate my costume ideas for next week.

It’s not that I think these women should be ashamed of themselves. It just baffles me how occasionally I will put in the same work as them with the hair, the makeup, and the flattering outfit. The difference is I do it because I enjoy how it feels making an effort to look presentable, whereas these women do it for the attention of men who, from what I saw, were not worth their time. It almost makes me feel guilty that I would walk through these streets watching them at work like they’re animals in a cage. Then, I get to go on with my life while they take care of drunk, sloppy strangers. I guess the guilt is just part of being a woman in a world where your sexual offerings are often commodified. I will say this though, it was like nothing I had ever experienced in my entire life.

When the shock subsided the next morning, we took advantage of the sun’s generosity and did what any Amsterdam resident would do, ride bikes! Riding a bike in Amsterdam is like seeing Times Square in New York City, if you didn’t do it you missed out on what makes the city a place worth visiting. So, we went over to a rental shop and biked through the picturesque, Vondelpark. It’s an immense park with views of towering trees, elegantly designed fountains, and lakes that are home to adorable ducks. Quite an enchanting place to bike through if you can avoid riding over the children at play. As a tourist, it was a challenge maneuvering through the crowds of people. For it’s residents, however, Amsterdam was a city that conformed to bicycles as the main mode of transportation. When looking at the city through a historical lens, I noticed what was once a canal city for merchants is now an accumulation of flat lanes for bikers. It’s as if, with time, the city adjusted to the rhythm of it’s people.

I’d been warned about the bicycle culture and how it would fascinate and simultaneously terrify me. What I mean by this is that it’s extraordinary how there seem to be more bike paths then there are sidewalks, but you’ve got to be on high alert or you’ll get the scare of your life. Nevertheless, it was kind of thrilling having to jump out of the way when I’d underestimate the amount of bike action going on. When I finally placed myself in the position of a biker, I understood why they were always so pleasant despite almost plummeting me. Riding a bike through Amsterdam will have you no other way than delighted. It’s like floating through a world filled with captivating sights at every corner.