My cousin recently moved to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands and one of the busiest cities in Europe. Taking full advantage of a teacher's summer break, I stayed with her for a few days. I had been to Amsterdam once before, and it was the only place I'd traveled that I had no desire to revisit. I'm so glad I did return, with an open mind and a different context, because this time, Amsterdam revealed itself to be a livable, fascinating, and charming city. (The first time, I found too many Anglophone backpackers intent on partying, but I now realize that I just needed to leave the well-worn tourist track a bit.)
I knew that bicycling was popular in the Netherlands, but it wasn't until I stayed with locals that I realized how central it is to daily living. Most people have one or two bikes (one with a cargo container in the front), or maybe even a boat for the canals, but few have cars. In the most densely populated part of Europe, it's much easier to park a bike than a car! Using a dedicated bike lane is faster than sitting in traffic, and the mild weather and very flat landscape also help.
So when biking is the norm, how do parents take their kids to school? They load them up, backpack and all, in the cargo box of a bike!
A "classic" Dutch village
I took a day trip from Amsterdam to the town of Zaanse Shans, a cross between an industrial town and a tourist attraction. Stepping off the train, I thought I smelled chocolate. As I kept walking, the odor grew stronger, until I realized the town is home to a working chocolate factory! Although we think of windmills as cute symbols of Dutch culture, they're really marvels of industry, using wind power to grind spices, flours, and oils. This modern factory is a newer iteration of that tradition.
Once in the tourist area, it became clear that it was a manufactured, photo-op version of a traditional Dutch village. But I've always had a soft spot for cheesy tourist sites, and the "museums" (really gift shops) did teach me about wooden shoes, windmills, and other aspects of Dutch farms. The highlight was renting a bike and pedaling through the fields, finally joining the locals in seeing the world from two wheels.
Rijksmuseum (National Museum)
In Amsterdam I also visited the Anne Frank House and Museum. There's nothing I can say here about her tragic death or the Holocaust that can do the topic justice. But I will just share that my visit prompted many thoughts about refugees, persecution, and the need for peace and tolerance. Seeing her school portraits, especially one where she was posed at a desk, made me feel that Anne could have been my student. It's a fortunate fluke that her diary gives us insight into her spirit, voice, and robbed potential. How many other children have had their stories lost to history?
