And
today’s blog post is dedicated to Amsterdam’s canals, for they are so
ubiquitous they need an entire article all for themselves. Article, hahaha,
more like a collection of random rants and raves while passing by these bodies
of water, I’d say! So what is there to know about this canal fascination? If you
want a history lesson, there’s always Wikipedia. All I know is that there are
more than a hundred canals in this city, and I think they were built more due
to necessity rather than preference.
If
you are coming from Schiphol and staying anywhere near the city center, you are
most probably getting off or making your transfer at Amsterdam Centraal. Along
the way, you will already see many of these canals if you happen to get a
window seat, but the first one you’ll experience for real would be the one at
Amsterdam Centraal, which I think is best seen at night. Why so? The buildings
on the other side will be brightly lit, some of them in different colors. The
reflection in the water is really pleasant to the eyes.
That
canal I was referring to would be on your left side, by the way. And yeah,
sorry for the mistake, but the first one you will actually see is the one
behind the trams, with the Victoria Hotel in the background. I feel like this
one is more tranquil than the other I mentioned, or perhaps it’s just because
it was rather late in the evening when I first saw it. In the morning, it
wouldn’t be rare at all to see people in kayaks navigating that canal. I think
it is a popular way to exercise here in Amsterdam, jogging aside.
I
stayed at Amstel so I had more canals to see, and wider ones to boot. I’m just
about to shoot myself for not being able to snap a photo of that one close to
Amstel Station. I’m not even sure if it’s a canal or an actual river. I think I
was able to capture it on video, so try to check it out. It’s a really wide
canal, one side of which has really tall skyscrapers as its background. This
means it differs from most canals you will see here, many of which have the
traditional lineup of brick houses right behind them.
That
wide canal is full of activity, mostly health-conscious Dutch citizens keeping
up their sexiness by jogging or kayaking. If you want to get really impressive
guns, you might want to move here and paddle away! I think I also saw some
benches and spots where you could linger at, but I do not recommend it in the
winter because it could get quite cold.
And
then there is a narrower canal close to where I stayed. I’ve noticed some of
the elderly congregating here in the morning, probably swapping anecdotes about
growing tulips or getting high. Sorry, I never bothered to ask because my Dutch
is non-existent. Behind them is the canal where a gaggle of geese was having an
early morning cannabis party. As they say, the early bird catches the weed. So
I gave both the elderly and the geese a polite nod and hopped on a tram to
Museumplein.
Museumplein
is museum central, as I already mentioned. This means you will get less canal
overload here. But if you really want more, you just have to take a stroll and
you’ll find lots of canals waiting for you. One of them is right across the
other side of the Rijksmuseum. Now this one is kind of special because there is
a water taxi hop-on hop-off thingy which could be really convenient if you
abhor walking. Stops include the old city and Anne Frank’s house.
I
also loved this particular canal because the buildings lined up on the other
side are all impressive and selfie-ready. This is perhaps one of the selfie
hotspots of the city, what with the daunting Rijskmuseum façade behind you and
then this canal right in front! I saw some benches there where you could have a
good time and a good view while reflecting on random shit about your life. But
then again, I suggest you do it in the warmer seasons.
Cross
that bridge and you will find more canals, some of them almost intersecting if
not divided by a narrow street or alley. Like I already said, every damn bridge
you cross will provide magnificent views on both sides. Getting that ideal
selfie here would not be that difficult at all. Beating out other tourists for
a spot can be a challenge, but this is Amsterdam, and you just don’t run out of
canals here unless you are really that picky.
What
I also noticed is that the colorful houses also contribute a lot to the view.
Otherwise, the photos would look a bit empty. The bald trees also give
something extra, like an eerie sort of vibe which gives you a melancholic kind
of feel. I could imagine that it would be a totally different experience during
spring or fall. Wow, autumn must be one hell of an awesome time to come here. I
can already visualize the vivid interplay among the many colors vying for
your attention.
Toss
in the bicycles frequently passing by, some random monument here and there, as
well as some abandoned gondolas just dancing on the mini waves and your view is
complete. Coming to Amsterdam without photo paraphernalia will be one of the
biggest mistakes you’ll ever commit in this lifetime. If you want to feel like
pro even if you’re not, then this is your chance, thanks to the picture perfect
scenery these canals have to offer.
[AMSTERDAM] So Many Canals, So Little Time
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