Amsterdam - Let's just say it was interesting

Guest article by: Parul Gupta

Okay, so last weekend Varun and I jumped on a bus to Amsterdam for a weekend of sightseeing. I was excited. I'd seen photos of Amsterdam with its gorgeous architecture and stunning canals and houseboats. I expected to love it. I mean really love it. Instead, I'd have to say I found it interesting. It was crowded, vibrant, always open, and a little seedy. Amsterdam was a party. And not just any party. It was more like a bachelor party in Las Vegas. It's been quite sometime since I've been exposed to that much beer and weed. Really.

Coffee shops in Amsterdam don't sell coffee. Seriously. Did you know that?

The city center is called Damrak or Dam Square. More like Times Square. It's a large, open square, surrounded by shopping, restaurants and bars crisscrossed by myriad of trains, trams and buses and sprinkled with a gorgeous old church, a Madame Tussaud's, a Royal Palace and this guy.

Neptune at Amsterdam's Dam Square - it's certainly one  of a kind

I think I experienced a sensory overload standing in Dam Square. I'm not joking when I say there were "coffee shops" all around us. For those who haven't heard, a coffee shop in Amsterdam is a place to purchase and smoke marijuana. It's not legal, mind you, it's just tolerated. If you want that machiatto or latte, you'd better ask for a cafe. As for the weed, you don't really need to buy it to enjoy it. I think I inhaled enough second-hand smoke around town to enjoy an unintentional two day contact high. No wonder I was craving McDonald's. Especially the fries. And pancakes!

Amsterdam's canals and neighbourhoods are lovely

Once you get away from Dam Square, you find peaceful neighbourhoods with stunning canals, traditional architecture, street markets and fabulous museums. Food is a big draw. Waffles are a popular sweet treat here. And they cover them in everything known to man....chocolate, nuts, fruit, whipped cream, candy coatings...I could go on and on. There were so many awesome vendors. I'll let the photos tell the story.

Waffles...oh, sweet waffles. You are so delicious.

From clothes to antiques to cheese and produce, you can find just about anything in a street market here. It's a great shopping city. Here's a peak at some of the market vendors we loved, and a look at Amsterdam's famous flower market.

A woman on TV once said that good cheese "smells like a feet of angels". Ewww

I can't identify some of the mushrooms here, so I'll just call them delicious.

There's something for everyone at Amsterdam's street markets

An example of a flower stall in Amsterdam's Bloemen Market

Amaryllis for sale at Amsterdam's flower market - gorgeous!

And now you know how to say DON'T TOUCH in five different languages!

Cyclamen--these are stunning!

Amsterdam is one of the most bike friendly cities in the world but I had no idea just how many bikes there would be. Look at this bike parking around the train station--it's bigger than a parking garage!

Many staircases in public places had tracks for your bike, so you could easily push it up. Genius!

If there's one thing in particular that Amsterdam is famous for, it has to be their canal system. And there are so many of them--more than Venice! It's what keeps the city humming. Boats are everywhere, from sightseeing boats to delivery boats, houseboats to floating museums and bed-and-breakfasts. Water and controlling it are vital to Amsterdam's existence. It also makes for some beautiful real estate (and vacation) photos. Take a look:

Four main canals ring the city of Amsterdam

A gridwork of bridges cross the canals to connect each ring

A charming collections of houseboats line each canal

And a handful of tour boat companies ferry visitors around the city

And now, here's a little collection of various photos I took from around Amsterdam. They don't fit any specific category, but they are still worth sharing:

I just can't get enough of the architectural style. So very charming.

A cheese cave? Holy crap! It's a cheese cave!

Walk these streets and you'll call them hobblestones, too!

Yup. That's a public urinal and men really use them

Oude Church, Amsterdam. My winner for best organ pipes. Ever.

The Bulldog bills itself as Amsterdam's original coffee shop. Coffee shop=no coffee

I never thought the words "beautiful" and "train station" went together until now

And finally, a click from the famed Red Light District that I literally stole.

Men window shopping at Amsterdam's Red Light District, De Wallen

Since our trip was so short, we decided to treat it as if we were, more or less, living in Amsterdam. Just walked around, explored the streets and shops, ate and drank. We didn't go to many of the tourist attractions, other than visiting the tulip gardens and the powerfully affecting, Anne Frank House, which was incredibly moving. I would have loved to include photos from Anne Frank House but they don't allow any photos to be taken. I did get to see the Secret Annex where Anne Frank and her family went into hiding during the German persecution of Jews in Netherlands. The tulips are here of course!

Okay, kids. That's it for Amsterdam. Thanks for reading along. Coming up next will be my holiday dream trip to the Scottish Highlands (thank you Varun, for making it come true). Stay tuned!