I Feel Amsterdamaged.doc

Admittedly, I've been saving that wonderful play on words for the final Amsterdam mobility post. Yes, the Netherlands has legalized marijuana use and prostitution, but those aren't the reasons that make the city great. There is so much more to experience here. I now present the top ten things I'll miss about living in the city:

10. Stroopwafels - No other tasty treat has ever scored so well with its "across the board" appeal. No one in our mobility group could pass them up, all the friends I introduced them to were in favour, and they've even made splash in Canada. The stroopwafel spoke to us during the first visit with Emily and Steve, and it continued to be a welcome friend in my apartment. If only I could fill my suitcase with them.

9. Amsterdam-only experiences - So yes, there are some things that can be legally done no where else in the world but Amsterdam. While the "coffeeshops" and the red-light district were never a routine social activity, it proved to be an interesting aspect of the city that contributes to its reputation. Most notably was the really neat tour of the Red-Light District where I learned all kinds of interesting facts and figures.

8. Queen's Day - The Dutch know how to party. The Q Night and Q Day combo may have been one of the most hectic twosomes in Europe thus far: I went to a party under a bridge, slept for two hours, hosted a breakfast, and spent the day lounging in the city. I thought the screaming orange clothing would be much too overwhelming, but the display of national spirit was contagious.

7. Markets - If I move home to Europe after the course here, I'll miss the accessibility of the markets. Amsterdam especially seems to have an abundance of them - there are over ten in the city that I know of. They are the type of places you go if you're looking for an obscure item, cheap produce, or just to people watch. Give me markets, or give me death.

6. Cultural Centre - The number of arts events in the city are staggering. They are a number of world class arts venues offering an overwhelming amount of interesting content. I saw some wonderful pieces (Needcompany's The Deer House ranks at the top) and some not so wonderful (see two posts ago) and was able to take advantage of three months of free lunch time concerts at the Concertgebouw. The highlight of the cultural schooling was seeing Lang Lang play piano unexpectedly with Graham and Leslie.

5. Living in a Foreign Country - The UK felt pretty comfortable back in Warwick. I mean, it's not the same as Canada but one can adjust to the differences. Living in the Netherlands was a challenge like none I've ever had. I would continually have to try and decipher train schedules, grocery products, emails, and snail mail all written in Dutch. Luckily, Google Translate was an invaluable tool, but so was my Dutch-English dictionary. I think we grow the most when we're placed out of our comfort zone, and even though the majority of people in Amsterdam speak English, it was still a challenge to live in a country where the official language isn't my own.

4. Hip Vibe - I might not exactly know myself what this means but Amsterdam just has a hip vibe that I can't seem to describe adequately. I guess to come close I would take one of my favourite bars The Neighbour for instance. It's not the type of bar you'd find in Toronto - it's tiny, dark, plays hip music, and pretty much everything is allowed inside. This is Amsterdam hip - it doesn't care who else plays in the sandbox alongside...it's content just being itself. There is a quiet dignity in the city and its people that I really like.

3. Liberal Social Welfare State - After the collapse of the world's economy, more and more I'm thinking the Dutch and the Scandinavians have something right with the Social Welfare State. They may pay more taxes than most other nations, but the benefits from the state, and the UMBRELLA of protection this creates for the rest of the population pays dividends. These are a happy people, and they have a genuine zest for life you don't necessarily feel taking the TTC or the London tube to work or school. I'm thankful Canada places these values in its own constitution. The Netherlands is also one of the most inclusive and liberal nations in the world - again, I've seen the ways in which this creates a really positive nation.

2. A City of Canals - How come nobody told me about the canals before coming? Sure I haven't seen the ones in Venice yet, but I don't know if it will match the sense of awe I have biking home and seeing the canals lit with pretty white bulbs. There were about a dozen moments of epiphany (inspired by these wondrous canals) where I was reminded what a beautiful and historic city I was living in. Add to this the fact that they are the best way of navigating the city, and the boats continually traveling through, and I think it's the most underrated aspect of the city.

1. Biking - In Amsterdam, biking isn't just a mode of transport, it's a way of life. Anyone who follows the blog knows how much I mention the biking I've done. It honestly changed my relationship with the city. The moment I became a biker I went from tourist to citizen. As with the "hip vibe" I just can't explain how much biking is a part of the city: families do it together, young and old crowd the bike lanes, there is a shared sense of community, less pollution, and a beautiful chorus of bike bells dinging throughout the city. It's the thing I'll miss most about Amsterdam.

I'm sitting in the hostel in London about to try and catch 12 - 14 hours of sleep so I can ward off jet lag for the busy festivities planned in Canada. I am eager to see all of you tomorrow! Until then, catch ya on the other side of the pond.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: London, Paris, Berlin, Rome. These may be the Europe "must-sees" but believe me, Amsterdam is a seductive mistress. Make sure you visit this wonderful place.