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I’ve recently returned from the Venice of the North (that’s Amsterdam if you don’t know). Despite living in the UK, only 35 minutes flight away, I had never been to Amsterdam until now.
What did I know about Amsterdam before I went? What preconceptions did I have?
I’d heard of it being party central and for its renowned red light district and tolerance of cannabis in coffee shops. But I’d also heard it was beautiful, arty, relaxed, and a cool European city.
I tried to go with an open mind, choosing a hotel in a better district and booking tickets for the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk (my favourite) as well as Anne Frank House (book a month ahead). I was definitely going for culture and beauty.
A while ago I had read the book Us by David Nicholls and watched a great BBC TV adaptation with Tom Hollander (who I love as an actor) some of it was shot in Amsterdam and it looked amazing. I lodged that in my mind: Amsterdam was beautiful.
What this journey taught me
I am a planner. I am the kind of person who you will find at the airport with a folder - not unlike the main character Douglas in this novel. I do a lot of research: hotels, places to go, places to eat. But I am also keen to be spontaneous wondering around on my own, discovering new areas. It’s hard to get lost these days with a mobile phone.
Preconceptions are sometimes true, but sometimes just nonsense. Yes, Amsterdam was chill, cool, lots of bikes. I got a whiff of some dope smoking but nothing excessive. But it was far more beautiful than I had imagined, far friendlier, easier to navigate.
I like city breaks. I don’t like beaches. I want culture, art, food and interesting, curious meanderings. I want to cover my suitcase in lots of stickers from different cities like some Edwardian traveller doing the grand tour.
There is no need to take much on holiday. I have probably always overpacked in the past. Keep it simple. Bring comfortable shoes, a phone and a charger (and adaptable plug). The enforced small size of carry on luggage had unforeseen benefits.
Read about the place you are going to. Not just the guide book and for Amsterdam - I really recommend the Wallpaper guide by Phaidon - I mean something about the history and culture. I read Why the Dutch are Different by Ben Coates, which was informative and amusing. I realised how little I really new about the Netherlands and how much I thought I knew.
Try and learn a few words of language. This is really a note to myself. I am ashamed to admit I failed miserably there and fell back on the fact that most people speak really good English. But I felt ashamed not to have more of an effort.
Get up early and seize the day. Now Amsterdam is a city slow to rise and takes its time. But I love getting up early especially when there is so much to discover, I wake up with excitement and anticipation. Plus, breakfasts are the best bit of the day!
Make notes. In the back of my little orange Wallpaper City Guide it had some lovely note pages ready for me to make notes. I wrote: Amsterdam smells nice - it did the people the shops all smelled lovely! I also wrote Anne Frank kept a notebook of things she found beautiful from books she read while hiding away. she called it The Book of Beautiful Sentences. What a wonderful title. If I ever write a novel this would be be a title to live up to.
Take photos but don’t walk around looking at the world through your phone. At the Stedelijk Museum there was a man who just went around taking photos of each painting or work of art and the labels accompanying them. He didn’t stop to look at the art work, reflect on it, ponder, sit down. It’s easy to take this attitude to travel in general. Everyone captures their holiday on their phone. To some extent that’s fine of course, we want to capture memories, but don’t be like the art gallery man and miss the actual thing itself.
Notice how you feel and look at things when you get home. This is always interesting. Familiar things look different. Your house smells different, or rather we notice the smell of our house which previously we are so accustomed to we didn’t notice. You may want to eat different food, read different things. Our eyes have been opened to new experiences and our minds like it. Travelling helps us look with fresh eyes.
I hope you manage to get away to somewhere this summer and travel to somewhere you haven’t been before. I’d love to hear what you discover both about the place you visit and yourself as a traveller.
About me: I am a Western Buddhist training with the Triratna Buddhist Order and have been practising since 1986. I have a love and admiration for the simplicity and beauty of Japanese culture and aesthetics which appeals to my zen minded being.
Your trip sounds lovely, and I am sure you picked up a word or two without trying:) We are off to Rome and then India before returning to North America--2 continents in 5 weeks, and back to a third!