The past 4 or 5 days were spent with my cousin Maggie exploring the wonderland called Amsterdam. I don't want to make this entry too long, particularly because we basically did exactly what everyone does when they go to Amsterdam, which, believe it or not, is NOT code for "We got stoned the entire time." There are plenty of other things to do, and we did our best to check them out.
We did some of the main sights. We took photos of the "I AMsterdam" sign. We visited the Van Gogh Museum, which was filled with incredible works (though, annoyingly, not any of the notorious masterpieces that I might have recognized). We visted the Anne Frank House, which was somber and interesting (as expected). Beyond that, it never got old just walking around the canal, with its quaint bridges and lovely architecture on both sides. Here are some photos:
We also explored the obvious vices of Amsterdam. I don't want this entry to dwell on that ("I got stoned, then we went to this other coffee shop and smoked more, and then..."). That would be annoying to read.
HOWEVER, the legal vices in Amsterdam is something to behold. From the complete strangeness of prostitute-lined windows in the Red Light District to the nonchalant selling of Magic Mushrooms, this city does not shy away from indulgant tourists (though I hear that's scheduled to change soon). The whole attitude of the city is infected with the drug and sex trade, both of which are booming legitimate industries in Amsterdam. That was probably the strangest and most interesting part about being there. Anywhere else in the world (that I know of), you have to at least pay lip service to the law. In Thailand, prostitution is rampant but still technically illegal. In India, all the hippie pilgrims smoke plenty of hash, but it's still not "allowed." In Amsterdam's tourist districts, these types of things raise no eyebrows. Rather, they are downright encouraged. In the United States, smoking pot isn't abnormal, but it is illegal and generally looked down upon. Consequently, marijuana has been relegated to private homes and a few exceptions (concerts, camping trips... California). Even in Bloomington, certain unofficially designated areas exist (in a private basement, say, as opposed to the cafe in Ballentine Hall). In Amsterdam, these boundaries change and blur. It's hard to describe the sensation of sitting in a coffee shop ordering marijuana off a menu. Regardless of how you feel about marijuana, it's interesting to see how culturally influenced these types of imaginary boundaries are. Whether it's the circumvented War on Drugs in the US, the regulated chaos on Thai beaches, the ruthless drug laws in Singapore, or the total acceptance in Amsterdam, it's clear that these distinctions are at least somewhat arbitrary, certainly not intrinsic to the objects themselves. People's opinions about "sin" and "vice" clearly shift along social and cultural lines, and this fact stares you in the face when you walk around Amsterdam.
In many ways, I cannot help but compare Amsterdam to Bangkok. I know this analogy seems jarring at first, but there is one clear similarity that I could not get out of my head: both of these places are party-going tourist Meccas, and both of them have a beautiful side that often goes unexplored. In Bangkok, you can point out the sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll tourists from a mile away. They are everywhere, much like in Amsterdam. In Bangkok, there are plenty of "real" things to do as well--the Grand Palace, the Reclining Buddha, the monasteries, Wat Arun, the off-Khao San bars, etc. (see my 3rd or 4th blog post about this). Amsterdam is like this, too. It struggles between its universally recognized virtues and the accepted vices. The canals in Amsterdam are beautiful; the architecture is wonderful; the museums and parks are world class. So, yes, I definitely partook in the coffee shops (though not the mushrooms and prostitutes). I enjoyed this side of Amsterdam immensley. Again, I'm being a hypocrite if I pretend like I didn't indulge for a significant portion of our time there. But there's another layer to Amsterdam. As anyone who visits this city (pothead or otherwise) can tell you, there is a whole wealth of amazement to be discovered just outside the coffee shops.
"Be well, do good work, and keep in touch."
.
We did some of the main sights. We took photos of the "I AMsterdam" sign. We visited the Van Gogh Museum, which was filled with incredible works (though, annoyingly, not any of the notorious masterpieces that I might have recognized). We visted the Anne Frank House, which was somber and interesting (as expected). Beyond that, it never got old just walking around the canal, with its quaint bridges and lovely architecture on both sides. Here are some photos:
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| Canal. |
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| Cool architecture of Amsterdam. |
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| Anne Frank House... no photos inside. |
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| Bicycles are a huge presence in Amsterdam. |
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| Van Gogh Museum. And me. |
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| "I AMsterdam" sign. |
HOWEVER, the legal vices in Amsterdam is something to behold. From the complete strangeness of prostitute-lined windows in the Red Light District to the nonchalant selling of Magic Mushrooms, this city does not shy away from indulgant tourists (though I hear that's scheduled to change soon). The whole attitude of the city is infected with the drug and sex trade, both of which are booming legitimate industries in Amsterdam. That was probably the strangest and most interesting part about being there. Anywhere else in the world (that I know of), you have to at least pay lip service to the law. In Thailand, prostitution is rampant but still technically illegal. In India, all the hippie pilgrims smoke plenty of hash, but it's still not "allowed." In Amsterdam's tourist districts, these types of things raise no eyebrows. Rather, they are downright encouraged. In the United States, smoking pot isn't abnormal, but it is illegal and generally looked down upon. Consequently, marijuana has been relegated to private homes and a few exceptions (concerts, camping trips... California). Even in Bloomington, certain unofficially designated areas exist (in a private basement, say, as opposed to the cafe in Ballentine Hall). In Amsterdam, these boundaries change and blur. It's hard to describe the sensation of sitting in a coffee shop ordering marijuana off a menu. Regardless of how you feel about marijuana, it's interesting to see how culturally influenced these types of imaginary boundaries are. Whether it's the circumvented War on Drugs in the US, the regulated chaos on Thai beaches, the ruthless drug laws in Singapore, or the total acceptance in Amsterdam, it's clear that these distinctions are at least somewhat arbitrary, certainly not intrinsic to the objects themselves. People's opinions about "sin" and "vice" clearly shift along social and cultural lines, and this fact stares you in the face when you walk around Amsterdam.
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| Condom store... sorry, no photos allowed in the Red Light District. |
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| Coffee Shop near the Red Light District. |
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| B-Boys in Amsterdam! (I guess this isn't a vice except in Footloose, but it was cool) |
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| Tourist street lined with coffee shops and bars. |
"Be well, do good work, and keep in touch."
.
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