The dutch obsession...
A group of people wearing yellow capes cycle past a tourist guide. The bicycle is the number one form of transport in Amsterdam. Everyone in the city owns a Dutch bicycle. They are not put off the by the weather as there are their yellow rain capes are always close at hand. If a poor pedestrian should stray onto the cycle way, they will be greeted with a loud ring from their bicycle bells. You can walk anywhere on the footpaths or the streets but whatever you do: stay away from the cycle paths! The Dutch park their bikes everywhere in the city and most of them are the good old Dutch Bicycles.
Not just the cyclists but the way of thinking in Amsterdam seems to be a little more open.
What is so special about Amsterdam?
There are rows of coffee shops, churches that are used as exhibition halls and a salesman explains freely that the business plan his boss follows is not very feasible. A young girl in a souvenir shop reads an article from a business journal out loud facing the wall- it takes a while for the customers to notice. Without a hint of embarrassment she serves the customers with a friendly smile then carries on with her studies.
Amsterdam is different, free-thinking and a lively colourful mix of people and attractions. Those who travel in this city will experience a new impulse for their job, relationships or even thoughts- the liveliness and diversity of this city will leave no-one untouched.
The cultural sight of the city
Traditional museums, Modern Art Museums and hands-on museums for children can be found in Amsterdam. You will not be bored in this city as there are more than 50 museums to visit. Particularly worthwhile seeing is the Van Gogh Museum. Here, you will find a huge collection of works from famous painters. In the northern Holland Province of Amsterdam live approximately 800,000 inhabitants.
If you feel that car hire is not necessary in the city, it is worth considering car hire to visit the cities located in the surrounding area- as Amsterdam has an excellent infrastructure which makes travelling by car rental easy to do. In the evening sun the houses of the Prinzengracht stand peacefully next to each other – their silhouettes reflecting in the still water. It’s worthwhile to go on an evening stroll or maybe hire a pedalow as the city if full with place of places where you can hire one. The most famous house in this street is the Prinzengracht 263. This was the house of Anne Frank who has become internationally famous due to her diary. The queue to visit the museum is often long but it is well worth seeing. On several floors you can find out more from photographs, information boards, furniture and pieces of clothing about the lives of the family Frank and what it was like in hiding during the Second World War. For those of you that have not read the book can purchase a copy in the shop at the end of the tour.
A few streets further on Japanese take turns to photograph each other in groups with huge banners in all the colours of the rainbow. Around the corner begins the next little event- a group of punks are having a demonstration- what it’s all about is not so clear to the tourists but on various placards is the word “international”. Rock music is louder and the punks peacefully carry on their rounds through the inner city. This city is definitely international, maybe with the exception of the Dutch bicycle. Why not book car hire in Amsterdam and see more of the surrounding area!
