Amsterdam is wondrous.  It is a hub of 21st century human activity taking place in buildings old and new.   As the densest city in the EU, it feels remarkably spacious because of the generous amounts of public space—largely canals—and preponderance of 4 and 5 story buildings.  The interplay of buildings and canals create magical vistas every couple blocks.  It is often referred to as the “Venice of the North”, but unlike Venice, tourism is not its life blood, and in fact Amsterdammers are studying ways to reduce tourists’ impact on their daily lives, which may include ways to discourage tourists.

The only city as inextricably linked with water that I know, other than Venice, is Vancouver.  Vancouver may be the most beautiful city in the world, but Amsterdam is a more complete city—it has beauty, brains, dynamism, history and character.

For all the density and bustle, Amsterdam streets feel comfy, not crowded, and the predominance of bicycles rather than cars brings a calmness, a quietude unknown to other large modern cities.   The

Dutch disposition may play a role in this as well.  Loud conversations, shouting, and horn honking appear to be discouraged in favor of minimal gestures and a few mild words.  Drunken group singing on Friday and Saturday nights is the one exception we noted to the general quietude.

There is a multitude of sights to visit in Amsterdam, including museums, boat tours, and architectural monuments.  The thing we enjoy most, though, is just being in the street, experiencing the people and life of the city.