In love with Amsterdam

 Amsterdam is really surprising to me. Going in, I assumed that how I felt about Copenhagen would be how I feel about Amsterdam, and vice versa. However, I am truly enjoying the chaos. The Netherlands has a way of cycling that focuses much more on flow and the individual, which makes a lot of sense to me. I think biking in the Netherlands feels quite similar to driving in America, waiting for a gap to turn, adapting to problems when it comes to construction, quick stops, but more convenient due to the movement of bikes and people over cars. It took me a while to feel fully comfortable biking in Copenhagen, and that there was a lot less room for error, however, biking in Amsterdam is much different. Even when I have made mistakes, they have just been met with a ringing bell or simple comment (in Dutch), and the person continues on their way, adapting. 

    Biking in Amsterdam feels like there are no rules, which was intimidating at first, but in reality, it just makes sense. Instead of a strict set of rules that everyone follows, and a hierarchy system of bikes over peds or cars, cyclists are very aware of everyone around them and themselves, they go when they can and stop when they need to do, and overall it seems like a much more efficient system and convenient for the individual.

    Other than bike infrastructure, Amsterdam is stealing my heart. I heard some disappointing comments from other tourists that had visited Amsterdam before I came, mentioning that the city is very dirty with trash everywhere, full of tourists and lacking some culture, busy and annoying to get around. These are all things I was expecting from Amsterdam, and although these are true to some degree, the beauty and feeling of Amsterdam outweigh them all. There is so much green space throughout the city, providing nonstop gorgeous views. Along with immense history, art, and different cultures. I have never been to an urban environment that I wholeheartedly enjoyed, I normally really dislike urban environments, but I absolutely love Amsterdam. 

    I think that I have this view because to me, this space doesn’t feel urban, or it doesn’t contain the overwhelming aspects of urban areas that I dislike. This city was built for humans, not cars or industry. Amsterdam has very few skyscrapers and big buildings. Many of the residential buildings throughout the city were built in the 17th century and have a look to them that is just gorgeous. The bike infrastructure has made the city accessible by two wheels, and inconvenient by four, limiting the amount of cars and traffic constantly moving throughout the city. The canals also play a role in this, allowing for easy access by foot across bridges and down narrow streets. Several streets are pedestrian and bike-only, which reclaims these locations and stores for people, public space, and enjoyment.

    We experienced the worst summer storm in Dutch history during our first few days in Amsterdam. This storm brought lots of rain and wind, and resulted in several fallen trees and debris everywhere, along with a couple crushed and damaged cars. While this was unfortunate in some ways, experiencing this storm at the beginning of our time in Amsterdam truly made me realize how much I love this place, because even though the terrible weather did not cause me to have a negative experience, I still loved every second of biking through Amsterdam, rain and all.