Trip to Amsterdam, Netherlands

I recently went on a business trip to Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Facts:

For those who are foggy about the geography, the Netherlands is bordered to the north and west by the North Sea, by Belgium to the south, and by Germany to the east. The Netherlands is often referred to as "Holland" but this is formally incorrect since North and South Holland are only two of the country's 12 provinces. However, some Dutch people use the name Holland when referring to their country since it is in such widespread use.

The Netherlands is a densely populated, low lying country popularly known for its windmills, wooden shoes, Delftware, tulips, cheese, Gouda pottery, dikes, and storm surge barriers. While the official language is Dutch, over 70% of the population have a good working knowledge of English.

The Trip

I left Portland for Chicago at 7:30 AM. After a two-hour layover in Chicago, we boarded the Boeing 767, headed across the pond to Europe. I had a liter of wine hoping to induce some sleep. After watching a couple of shows on my iPhone I finally drifted off for a bit. Eight hours later we crossed the coastline and the aircraft banked on short final into Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport.

I had not been to the Netherlands since I was a young child and I was anxious to see if the things I remembered still looked the same. Some things looked identical to my childhood memories but there was a whole new look to the countryside and city – modern infrastructure. Highway systems, flood control systems, and tunnels all seemed to work rather well and got us around with little delay.

Our team stayed at the Dorint Hotel near the airport. This place had the feeling that you were in IKEA store on steroids. The rooms were very modern European; well designed with no wasted frivolities. Controls were very different than what we were used to but also very intuitive. The one interesting twist was that your room key card had to be left in a slot on the wall for the room’s electrical system to stay activated. Check out the heated mirror!

While driving to downtown Amsterdam, the first thing that hits you is the different look of the cars. While there are cars from some manufacturers we recognize (mostly German), there are very few models we recognize from America. The popular manufacturers are Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen, and Citroen. Not once did I see a Japanese, American, or Korean car, nor did I see one single pick up truck.

Downtown was very much as I expected having been to Western Europe before. The shopping district is mixed in with everything else. The Dutch have shopping malls downtown but they are outfitted into very old buildings so they are not an eyesore on the landscape. You would never know from looking at the outside that there were modern shops within. One interesting discovery in the shopping district is that “Sissy Boy” is a clothing line.

Of course you can’t go to Amsterdam without visiting its famous Red Light District. De Wallen is the largest and best known of the red light districts in Amsterdam and is a popular tourist attraction. It’s located in the oldest part of Amsterdam and is crossed by several canals. Besides the obvious prostitution and sex businesses, the area is home to a good number of fine restaurants and clubs. And of course, there are the famous “coffee shops”. Walking by the entrances leave no doubt as to what is being smoked within. Contrary to popular belief, pot is not legal in the Netherlands, but it is condoned. The cops don’t hassle anyone who keeps their wits about them. Whatever your bent, it is an interesting place to watch life go by.

It was a very interesting week and I thoroughly enjoyed the Dutch people, their customs, and their landscape. After an 18-hour travel day (due to bucking the westerly winds and a three hour delay in Chicago for eight inches of snow) I arrived back home, tired but glad to be amongst my own stuff again. No matter what adventure you’ve been on, there’s no place like home.