“Some tourists think
Amsterdam is a city of sin, but in truth it is a city of freedom. And in
freedom, most people find sin.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
This morning I said
goodbye to the city I called home for 3 months. All good things must come to an
end. I arrived in Amsterdam and kicked off my 48 hours in Amsterdam like a
typical tourist by indulging at a Burger King in Schiphol Airport. The airport
is conveniently situated above the train station and for less than five euros;
I’m transported to Centraal Station in the city center of Amsterdam. Pot and
prostitution. Yes, Amsterdam's got it. But don’t let the image of girls in
windows in the Red Light District and the pungent aromas of marijuana
overshadow the beauty of Amsterdam. The people there were very nice. On
two occasions, someone helped carry my absurdly heavy suitcase.
I checked into the
hostel I was staying at and set out to explore the city. I walked down what I
think was a Christmas Market and bought mini Dutch pancakes covered in nutella.
And once I figured out how the tram worked, I went to Dam Square. The numerous
lights that lined the streets set a very Christmas-y mood. Having run low on
euros, and desperate to conserve my money, I ate a chicken burger out of a
FEBO, a fusion between fast food and vending machines. How has the US not
caught onto this concept yet? I walked around hopelessly getting lost in all
the streets, which names I couldn't even pronounce if I tried.
It was with great
fortune that my trip coincided with the Amsterdam Light Festival. I took a
canal cruise through the most gorgeous pieces of illuminating 3-D art that I
have ever seen. Photos do not do it justice. Especially when you have a cheap
camera, which takes worse photos than an iPhone. For my first day in Amsterdam,
I would say that it definitely isn't as glamorous as I thought it would be.
Nonetheless, it is a great city with its own quirkiness.
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