A visitor to Amsterdam
is often astonished at the sheer extent of the canal system. Not for nothing is
Amsterdam called the Venice
of the North. So no visit to the city is complete without a leisurely boat
trip, particularly at night when the bridges and many of the houses have a
romantic illumination. Amsterdam
becomes even more picturesque from a duck's perspective. The houses look
impossibly unstable, leaning, looming and jostling on both sides of the canal.
Bridges arch over the water, some of them opening for tall water traffic. And
you get to spy on all those magnificent houseboats, ranging from restored
barges overflowing with tomato plants and cats peeking from the portholes to
sleek purpose-built floating villas with feature windows and sundecks.
Dam Square
Dam Square
was created in the 13th Century when a dam was built around the
river Amstel to prevent the Zuiderzee sea from flooding the city. It is a
bustling place, filled with tourists and locals. There are food stalls, shops,
and other attractions for every taste. The most beautiful attraction at the
square is the 17th Century Royal Palace. Though no longer the home
of the Dutch royal family, it is still used for official receptions. Also at
the square are the National Memorial statue, honoring Dutch soldiers and
resistance fighters who fell in World War II, Amsterdam’s
Madam Tussauds, and the Nieuwe Kerk or New Church.
Rijksmuseum
This museum is the
country’s finest. Along with works by old Dutch masters such as
Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals and Steen, there are dollhouses, delftware, Asiatic
art, changing displays of prints and drawings and special traveling exhibitions.
It also contains a collection of medieval religious works.