Amsterdam

Photo by me

Amsterdam is somewhere I would absolutely take a weekend trip to while I am in London next year. Amsterdam is about a 4 hour train ride from London, or just a quick 45 minute flight. It is not located very far from London geographically speaking, but the city of Amsterdam is very different from London in many ways. From the hundreds of canals and bridges, to the skinny Dutch row homes which Amsterdam is know for, it is a stark contrast to the always on the go aspect of London. While being the capital of the Netherlands, and still a major city I feel that it is much more relaxed than London. Perhaps it's the beauty of all of the canals and water throughout the city, but Amsterdam has a relaxed peace and calm about it that allows you to take in the scenery of what Amsterdam is known for in relative peace and quiet.

I was fortunate enough to visit Amsterdam four years ago on my very first trip to Europe. To be honest, I was so excited about London I had completely overlooked Amsterdam and was so focused on London. I was sad to leave London, but was pleasantly surprised by the beauty of Amsterdam that I had not been expecting. As I look back on my time there, I am so glad I visited, for now, 4 years later I know Amsterdam would definitely be on my travel bucket list and I would be itching to go as soon as I could.

People think of Amsterdam as a dirty or unkept city simply based on the legalization of marijuana and the legalization of prostitution and the Red Light District. I can tell you that this assumption is absolutely not the case. The Red Light District and coffee shops selling drugs are a part of Amsterdam, yes but they are not all that Amsterdam is. Amsterdam is an incredibly beautiful city with an immense history involving one of the most famous books of the 20th century, as well as one of the most famous artists of all time. If you do not wish to interact with or expose yourself to some of Amsterdam's more controversial aspects, as a traveler you are absolutely able to do so. Though I believe one of the best parts of traveling is sometimes exposing yourself to some of the more uncomfortable parts of a country's culture, so I gladly took a walk through the Red Light District and found myself going into a coffee shop or two while I was there.

To me the best time to visit Amsterdam is April or May simply for the tulips that have bloomed there. Hopefully a long weekend visit in Spring awaits me, with a day visit to the incredibly Keukenhof Gardens.