Amsterdam－whose name means"dam
on the Amstel River"－started as a village of
herring fishermen in the 12th century. But
its inhabitants began using their boats for
trading instead of fishing, and Amsterdam
soon grew into a thriving port city. As a result
of innovations like the world's first stock
exchange and the multinational corporation,
Amsterdam became the world's richest city during
the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century.
The city's role as the center of a global
trading empire stretching from New
Amsterdam (now New York) to the Dutch East
Indies (now Indonesia) made Amsterdam a
very open and tolerant place—a quality it
retains to this day. This 8)tolerance is evident
in the Medieval Center, where the Oude Kerk—
Amsterdam's oldest church—stands right next
to the city's red-light district, where half-naked
*********** stand behind windows offering
their services. This is also where tourists flock
to Amsterdam's coffee shops, which sell
******** rather than coffee.
Surrounding the Medieval Center is
Amsterdam's Canal Belt, a ring of beautiful
canals lined with 17th century houses and
mansions. Most visitors experience the
canals, which have earned Amsterdam the
nickname of Venice of the North, by taking a
canal cruise. Or you can make like a local by
renting a bike and pedaling along the canals.
South of the Canal Belt in the Oud-Zuid district
you'll find Museumplein, home to Amsterdam's
top museums. Visit the Rijksmuseum for works
by Golden Age masters like Rembrandt and
Vermeer, the Van Gogh Museum for the world's
largest Van Gogh collection, and the Stedelijk
Museum for modern and contemporary art.
While Holland may not be famous for its
food, it's worth visiting Albert Cuypmarkt for
Dutch specialties like pickled herring and
stroopwafel. And at a bruin café, so called because
the walls are stained with tobacco smoke, you
can try excellent local beer and jenever—Dutch
gin. Finally, if you do decide to visit a coffee shop,
remember that m******** isn't actually legal
here, just"tolerated."
