Awesome Amsterdam in the Netherlands
From the neon lights of the Red Light District to the day-glo orange that is the Dutch national identity – the word colourful has nowhere seemed more appropriate than Amsterdam. It is a city whose reputation is legendary, and so it was with great anticipation that I volunteered to help out at the Winston Hotel for a few days. In between shifts I would be fortunate enough to have ample time to explore.
For those not familiar with the Winston Hotel, it is a wonderful building set on the outskirts of the Red Light District; a number of the rooms are themed and have been designed by various artists and companies. No two themed rooms are alike and so it is certainly the place to stay for a unique experience (take a look for yourself on their interactive website, www.winston.nl).
Upon arrival I took a short walk around the hotel to familiarise myself with the area and was astounded at the sheer number of “coffee houses” and magic mushroom shops. I almost fell over with surprise when a casual glance at a window to my right revealed a lady clad in her best nylon underwear. Indeed the term “Ladies of the night” is a misnomer in Amsterdam, the inhabitants of the red-lit windows are ladies of the early morning and mid-afternoon also.
On only my second day at the Winston it was with enormous pleasure that I learned the hotel had been entirely booked out by a group of 150 gay bikers and leather fetishists. The smile on my face grew with each Village People look-alike that I checked in, yet the staff at the Winston were entirely unfazed. I was swiftly informed that for Amsterdam, the sight of 150 grown men in assorted leather and rubber outfits is nothing out of the ordinary.
A nighttime stroll through the Red Light District is obligatory; no trip to Amsterdam would be complete without taking in the atmosphere there. The area comes alive after dark, a hedonist’s paradise filled with gawping couples or prowling stag parties (and certain ear-biting boxers too, I can confirm!). Drugs are freely on offer as you walk along the streets and the prostitutes brazen - they were able to meet my gaze far longer than I was. The testosterone in the air is almost tangible, however, so I would caution any single female traveller to think twice before venturing out alone. There are plenty of women around at night, but the single female is likely to be harassed as I discovered early on. On the night in question I preferred to return to the sanctuary of the Winston where the sight of men in leather chaps was oddly reassuring. Pick pocketing is also rife, so keep a firm hand on your bag and nothing in your pockets that you are not prepared to lose.
Civic duty completed, let me reassure you that I found Amsterdam to be a truly wonderful place to stay for a few days. Once away from the Red Light District, Amsterdam is just like any other bustling European city. The locals will put you to shame with their mastery of English (even the 15 year-olds working at McDonalds are fluent). There are plenty of big-name stores in the centre where you can part with your hard-earned Euros, but it is worth taking a walk among the backstreets where you might be fortunate enough to find a street-market where home-made jewellery and antiques are the norm. As I wandered through the small cobbled streets I lost count of the number of times I tripped on the stones. Indeed, perhaps weighty clogs were invented to steady those unaccustomed to such uneven road surfaces?
As a pedestrian, navigating the streets was sometimes a nightmare – would I be fated to die by tram, car or bike perhaps, since they were all fighting for space on the roads? When people remark that “Everyone in Amsterdam rides a bike” they are not kidding; literally hundreds of bikes would cover entire Public Squares. The land level in Amsterdam is so flat and the cycle paths so clearly defined that it is simply the easiest way of getting from A to B. If you are feeling brave enough to join in (or in my case, are accompanied by a cocky male keen to prove his manliness), then hiring a bike is an absolute must. At only 6.5 Euros a day for bike hire, it is a cheap day’s entertainment and allows you to get out of the centre and explore the beautiful scenery. Cycling alongside the canals with the many houseboats moored at the side is a memory that stands out clearly from my visit. Amsterdam is a sensory overload and perhaps not a place that I would choose to stay in for a long period of time, yet it is breathtakingly beautiful at times -budding Rembrandts will find plenty in Amsterdam’s outskirts to inspire them.
