Amsterdam: The Most Fun Place on Earth
As soon as you enter the city of Amsterdam, you are fully aware that you have entered a surreal and hedonistic place. As beautiful and full of history as Amsterdam is, it is also known for its acceptance and tolerance of pretty much any behavior and social substance. Combined with an eclectic mix of people, it is easy to understand why Amsterdam has gained its notoriety and popularity with backpackers, travelers, and partiers alike.
During my two week stay in Amsterdam, I found it easy to lose myself within the city’s rich and colorful atmosphere. The city never sleeps, and I often found my days running into nights and nights running into days. As soon as I knew it, my time was up and I couldn’t clearly recollect any list of events without some haze. Amsterdam did not disappoint. I had come to the city expecting to have a great fun and wild time as that is what the city’s known for, and that is exactly what I got.
Knowing how wild and hedonistic the city was known to be, I was a bit hesitant about taking to the streets of Amsterdam for a full night of partying in a strange city. Although I started out a bit worried about my safety in a city whose reputation preceded it, I quickly came to realize that I had nothing to worry about. For a city with a night scene like Amsterdam, it is actually quite safe. That being said though, I didn’t wander off alone or head down any extremely sketchy looking side streets. The people I was surrounded by were very friendly and were just looking to have fun, so I found myself feeling quite safe as long as I proceeded with a bit of caution – much like I would in any city.
Although the wild nightlife is a large part of Amsterdam’s attraction, so too are its cultural heritage, world class museums, and historical sites. Amsterdam is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited so during the days, when I had somewhat recovered from the previous night, I made a point to visit as many attractions and see as much of the city as I possibly could. I discovered that the best way to travel the city was by bike. You can rent bikes for a day quite cheaply and they make great transportation as biking is a very popular mode of transportation in the city.
Amsterdam is known for its many great, world-renowned museums and so I made a point of visiting several of them. My favorite by far was the Ann Frank house. I loved the book as a child and so getting to see it in person was a very special experience. The house is situated right along the famous canals of the city, and the interior of the house is filled with information and interesting exhibits about the family and the war.
Although Amsterdam is now popular for its nightlife and partying reputation, it has so much to offer every type of traveler. My favorite part about Amsterdam was that it was essentially two cities wrapped into one. It was on one hand a party and fun-loving city, while on the other hand a beautiful, culturally and historically rich city that had much to offer the tourist in me.
The world has opened up to cheap international travel. Gone are the days of being limited to monolithic packages with a handful of travel agents, with all-inclusive hotel accommodation and a holiday camp regime of fixed mealtimes and round-the-clock, often crass entertainment.
