Amsterdam-A City of Tolerance

I didn't quite know what to expect when visiting Amsterdam. It does have certain stereotypes attached to it, so I was ready to dig in deep and put them to the test.

The first thing you learn about Amsterdam is that its citizens are not necessarily open-minded, they are just tolerant. It has a history of tolerance dating back many centuries. During WWII, there was even tolerance toward Jews for much longer than other parts of Europe. Eventually history played out and the Jews faced the same fate as millions of other Jews. The Dutch are friendly and laid-back, if not blunt. I'll try not to get too graphic in this blog...just enough to get my points across.

First, marijuana. Technically it is illegal here, but the government has a "policy of tolerance" toward soft drug use. They must make it technically illegal to comply with foreign treaties, etc. You can carry and buy up to 12 grams of marijuana, hashish, etc...you know, the herbal plants. Hundreds of "coffeeshops" are spread throughout the city, where you can walk in, look at a menu, and order your choice of the day. You may even sit next to a granny and smoke it! Very recently, coffeeshops had to choose between selling pot and alcohol because it became illegal to sell the two in the same establishment. Most places actually opted for the alcohol, while other places just divided their joint (no pun intended) and had one side for alcohol and the other for, well...all the other. Hard drugs are stictly forbidden here, though. You will find many dealers trying to sell it, but police try to actively squash it...and trust me, they stay busy. Pot is as about as exciting to the Dutch as drinking beer. Surprisingly, Holland has a lower drug use rate than most other European countries, and definatley the US. It is a drug policy model that is frequently debated and has proven successful. I guess they have decided, if you can't beat'em, join'em...so they make it a public health issue, rather than a criminal issue, focusing instead on regulation and education.

The Red Light District. Now I can't say this one wasn't a shocker. The district dates back hundreds of years as the city is surrounded by canals and was once the major shipping channel in the area. Lots of sailors mean lots of...employment opportunities (no offense to any sailors out there). We only visited the area at night, but I've heard it isn't particularly subdued in the daytime either. When you turn the corner onto the main street, you see it. Red flourescent lights outlining hundreds of windows with women (and some men) sitting in chairs waiting...and tapping the glass, and yelling sweet nothings. They come in all shapes, sizes, nationalities, and ages. Some looked completely bored, while others look thrilled. Prostitution is legal here. The women are seen as entrepreneurs. They pay taxes, can go to prostitute school, and must get health exams. The Dutch decided that the oldest profession would never go away, so, once again, let's regulate it. They focus their efforts on underage and forced prostitution now. And, let's not forget the revenue! I could write loads on this topic, but I will let you research it yourself if you are interested. When the search pops up in your google history, just tell your husband/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend that Vonda told you to. There are the philosophical views toward prostitution. But I have to say, as you watched a man walk out a door...generally slightly timid with head down...while you know the woman was counting her money, it's hard to say for whom it was the most demeaning.

Anne Frank wrote her diary in a hidden room in Amsterdam. They have transformed the canalside location into a museum where you can walk in her footsteps, stand in her rooms, and gaze at her views. It is a great little museum and should be on your list if you are ever there.

In all fairness, to characterize Amsterdam as one big pot-smoking brothel would be like characterizing all of Texas as one big gun-slinging rodeo. There is so much more to the city than that for which it is prominently known. The look of the city is very reminiscient of Bruges, where we spent our anniversary. There are lots of canals, quaint houses, bicycles, and coffeeshops that actually sell coffee. It is a city for walking and we were beat at the end of the day, having walked from one end to the other. The electric street cars can easily take you around if your feet are on strike. I have to tell you that between the bicycles in the dedicated bike lanes, the street cars on slender rails of metal snaked in all different directions, and the car lanes that I never quite figured out, you have to look in a 360degree circle to make sure you won't get run over. This is a beautiful city. A lesson in tolerance, a study of contrasts, and a surreal glimpse of the past. It's no wonder it is one of Europe's most celebrated cities.