Category Archives: Amsterdam

Amsterdam City

The picture is somehow unrealistic – wherever you look, there are channels, bridges, water and bicycles. The buildings have sometimes their basements on the water and they are sticking to each other as birds in a storm – there is no beginning and no end – only a long line of multi colour buildings.

Amsterdam city

Amsterdam city

You can buy almost everything in Amsterdam, including drugs. If you go to a coffee shop for example, you can get stoned with the cake they offer as there is some stuff inside. Yes, it is important to know where are you going and what are you having in advance. Things are not always what they seem to be.

Amsterdam is full of museums and works of art, with real chedeuvers. One has to have at least a month in order to take a glance at them. I chose the other way – decided to go only to Van Gogh’s museum as to me he is the greatest.

Van Gogh’s museum in not very big. It has two floors with the masterpieces of the artist and in between them, on the walls, some parts of Van Gogh’s history is revealed.  On the second floor a painting is behind the glass and with some special technique one can see the different layers of the paintings which were painted one on top of the other. That is because the great master was very poor and the canvas very expensive in order to use them just once. There are so many chedeuvers that were painted in this manner over the centuries.

A place not to miss is the flower market. After I saw it I was convinced that there is no man on Earth who, after being at this market, would not become flower addict. It’s never too late for a try.

the city of Amsterdam, Netherlands

There are several reasons to visit Amsterdam – Van Gogh’s museum, flower market and the channels. I have long planned to do it and was very happy with the result.

Amsterdam city

Amsterdam city

Though Schippol airport is a well connected airport, I chose to travel by speed train. It takes only about four hours by train from Paris to Amsterdam and there are several different lines besides TGV. The travel is safe and comfortable.

The Central train station in Amsterdam is very big and full of all types of folks – some of them really lunatic. While I had to wait for my train, I had to listen to a drug addict who felt he had to reveal all his life to me and to get rid of him was not an easy task.

One thing this station is short of is places to sit. They are just missing with the exception of some information centers where, if you are lucky, you could sit for a while.

What you should know about Amsterdam is – be aware of the bicyclists – they will rush on you without warning and even knock you down if you don’t step away. And there are so many bicycles in Amsterdam is as if you are in China!