#14: Amsterdam

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The unfortunate circumstance of Amsterdam is that a lot of folks think that the city is a one-trick pony...well, two-trick pony: prostitution and weed. It's impossible to deny that is true. Amsterdam has legal prostitutes and legal weed. "Cafes" are many and near in between and there's definitely no shortage of coital entertainment. The upside is obvious...duh. But, the downside is that a lot of people tend to miss other beauties and offers of Amsterdam or even skip the fabulous city altogether because of the mispreconception (yes, I made that word up) of rampant blazed hooligans and strippers galore burning innocent eyes everywhere you turn. That I dare say is a travesty.

My absolute favorite place in Amsterdam was Museumplein. There I sat by the pond and dipped my feet in the calming water. It was a welcoming slowdown from all the walking of London and Paris. Also, there I found the infamous "I Amsterdam." If you don't know what it is, Google, my friend. The park was just absolutely relaxing and chill. The Dutch really know how to just unwind and sit back at the end of the day. Not the snobby sit back and do nothing French. Rather, picnics, pick up football games, bike riding, beer drinking in the pool . They have fun together, and it's this jovial bonding that makes the Dutch so so so so likeable.

However, there's a drawback to Amsterdam for me. No matter how hard I tried or what I did, I always got lost in the city. The streets aren't laid out straight, but instead flow in concentric circles. Thus, it was extremely difficult to know if I was walking in a straight line or if the street has curved in a different direction.

Wandering through the Red Light District was...interesting. The area was too...cliche and over the top. Yeah, we all know about the prostitution, but to make it that tacky takes away the charm and beauty of the area, the city, and the culture. The asking prices were fair, unlike a particular someone who demands $1.5 million ;0P

I'll honestly say that I did not enjoy the resources of Amsterdam. I wasn't blazed and no lap dances. Sad face, I know. I felt that I couldn't dignify myself to enjoy the wonderful like that. There was so much more to Amsterdam. The Dutch folks were fun and friendly, albeit a little nuts and probably drunk. The architecture and winding canals were gorgeous and surreal. It was like hopping from one island to the next.

I Amsterdamed! Going way yonder east to Berlin!

Question
What's the most charming city you've been to?