Four Days in Amsterdam

I have just returned from spending four fantastic days in Amsterdam over half term break. It was a great change of scenery, and we were away for a long enough time to feel comfortable in the city. Our accommodation left a lot to be desired, but it was cheap, in a good location, and they had a sandwich grill to make delicious grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast.

One thing that I immediately noticed about the city was the buildings.  They are all relatively narrow, and all attached to each other.  The reason they're so narrow is because when the city was being developed, there was a 'width tax' on houses.  The buildings are all relatively similar looking as well, with large windows and similar brick work. Our tour guide mentioned that Amsterdam has not been destroyed in either of the wars, giving it a real 'old world' feel. I've put pictures up on my Facebook page, so feel free to check them out.

Another thing that I noticed when walking around the city is what a difference a lack of cars makes. It's much quieter and calmer when people are on bikes instead of cars, making it much more livable.  Although you really do need to get out of the way when you hear a bike bell - we saw a biker collide with a pedestrian and it looked painful. We didn't rent bikes because it was pretty cold and wet, but definitely will on my next visit.

I really like the tolerant attitude that Amsterdammers have towards all of these issues that other cities have such a tough time dealing with. 'Live and let live' is a sentence our tour guide kept saying when talking about legalizing prostitution and the drug culture.  It's definitely a city that I'm glad I was able to spend some time in, and will definitely look into visiting again when the weather is warmer.