Life in the ‘Dam

Amsterdam is a unique city to Europe for a variety of reasons. Its reputation for legal drugs and prostitution aside, the city boasts a multi-cultural population and in the first few months of relocating here, I made friends from Spain, Italy, England, and Brazil.

I had a friend in Rotterdam who I’d met during a summer French studies course in Angers, nestled in the Loire Valley, and we remained in contact for many years. But otherwise, I never found many locals interested in being friends. The Dutch, particularly in Amsterdam, treat ex-pats as outsiders and it is a challenge to crack that perception.

Since moving to Amsterdam, North Holland in The Netherlands, I’ve had to adopt a new set of rules for day to day city life. Whereas in New Orleans or the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a friendly ‘good morning’ receives a reciprocal greeting, the people of northern Europe are a bit more guarded and serious. What the Dutch consider being direct and honest comes across as rudeness to this Southern boy.

The city offers some beautiful neighborhoods to discover, particularly the Jordaan area with its storybook canals and gingerbread houses like something out of a children’s book.

I learned early on that most Dutch citizens have never heard of Hans Brinker, which for most Americans is the iconic fairy tale image of the city. The frozen canals and the silver skates with the traditional windmills in the background and locals meandering around eating cheese in wooden shoes. Amsterdam prides itself on these traditions and there are definitely plenty of shops to sample amazing cheese or purchase the ubiquitous clogs.

I had had my exposure to the notorious coffee shops – where you can purchase hashish or marijuana or sample a ‘space cake’ – back in my college years. So, when I decided to actually live in the city that wasn’t top on my list of priorities. Instead, I made an effort to immerse myself in the culture and learn the language and explore. I visited the numerous museums – the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh, Stadelijk, Maritime, the Anne Frank Huis. And in the process I found that what I thought was a sprawling metropolis is actually little more than a big village where you do pass many of the same people each day.

A few things I wasn’t prepared for were the amount of traffic in the city. Amsterdam can be one of the most chaotic destinations in the world – with a mixture of bicycles (probably more bikes on the streets than people) whizzing past on the ‘fiets pad’, the trams speeding back and forth, taxis and pedestrians, you do feel you’re taking your life in your hands on a daily basis. I had a close call with a tram during my first month living here. One early morning trudging for work, I was crossing the street to get to Central Station. Before I’ve had my morning coffee I can be something of a zombie, so I admit I wasn’t my most alert. There was a large wall of construction and scaffolding blocking my view of the tram tracks, which I had to cross to make the other side and I was literally about to put my foot out when someone (I still think it must have been a guardian angel) yelled “HEY!” In a split second it registered and I stopped – just as a tram went speeding past. My heart was suddenly in my throat as I realized how close I came to death, knowing I would have been crushed like a tomato and never known what hit me. Ever since then, I use more caution and look both ways no matter where I am in the city. In addition to the trams, I’ve had more than a few run-ins with angry bicyclists who dart out from around every corner and will mow you down without hesitation.

Another adjustment I had to make was the weather. Much like Seattle, Holland gets an incredible amount of rain and while a sunny day can transform Amsterdam into an almost surreal experience of color and beauty, more often than not, it lies covered in a grey, dreary and depressing cloud cover. The rain can last days at a time, and although this weather doesn’t detract the bicyclists, it does encourage a sort of hibernation during the fall and winter months.

On a perfect spring day in Amsterdam, the colors and sights of the city are glorious and one can venture outside the city to the famous Keukenhof gardens and explore the seemingly endless fields of tulips. The flowers defy description with their brightness and vivid hues. The Dutch love flowers and in the city, a stroll through the Bloemen Markt (Flower Market) offers a memorable and comforting feeling of gezeligheid (‘coziness’).

The winters of Holland are not without their charm as well. The canals do freeze most years, and the locals take to the ice just like in the stories. While the country doesn’t get much snow, there are many cold days and it’s pleasant to wander the streets and duck into a brown café for a bowl of erwtensoep (Dutch pea soup) or boerenkool (a traditional Dutch dish of kale, mashed potatoes and bacon, often served with a meatball and gravy.

Another nice thing about The Netherlands is its proximity to the other countries of Europe. Tucked in the northwest corner of the continent, it really is a stone’s throw to just about every other famous capital you’d ever want to visit. Paris is a three-hour train ride; London a short 45 minute flight; and Spain just over two hours from Schiphol, the national airport of Holland.