The Good and the Bad

16 September 2010 By Vera Ciria 0 In Life outside Barcelona

Packaged in pretty much the same style as Barcelona, Amsterdam is all about the hype. Once the first layer is unwrapped, there’s not all that much that immediately meets the eye, so it is necessary to really dig around for those darling corners and secrets that the city has to offer. There are some very big pros and cons to be compared with Barcelona and I’m going to present just a few that really drew my attention.

Pro: Bicycles

Amsterdam is rampant with bicycles. Is there possibly another city that has so many per square meter? People whizzing around, bikes parked in every available corner and some abandoned that are gradually being eaten up by vegetation and becoming part of the landscape. Cars, motorcycles, trams, buses and pedestrians share the street with little or no problem. Barcelona, on the other hand, has the Bicing system, but there is practically zero tolerance towards this mode of transportation. That said, there is much more safety awareness here. No one in Amsterdam wears a helmet when driving their motorbikes.

Con: Markets

Do not be confused into wasting time checking out all the different markets in Amsterdam. There are only two that are really worth a visit. The Bloemenmarkt, which is the only floating flower market in the world, located on the Singel Canal. A riot of colour, be prepared to make battle with the tourists. The other market is the Nieuwmarkt, a proper flea market located right beside De Wallen, the red light district. A jumbled mix of clothes, toys, furniture, books and weird odds and ends make for the perfect morning stroll. There is an amazing lack of tourists and the locals are very friendly. Unfortunately, the other markets leave much to be desired, with very trashy souvenirs, fake Messi t-shirts and other paraphernalia that can be found right here in Barcelona.

Pro: Libraries

Some may think it is slightly strange to visit a library when on holiday, but this is no ordinary library. Being absolutely necessary, just like in Barcelona, to really strike away from the obvious tourist attractions, the Open Bibliotheek Amsterdam is a treasure waiting to be discovered. This modern building houses the most extraordinary educational and leisure facilities possible. Dotted around the immense open spaces are round structures, filled on the outside with DVDs, CDs or books. Housed inside each structure is a calm reading room, filled with low, rounded seats. Bars of light slowly change colour, heightening the experience.

Floor to ceiling windows flood the spaces with magnificent light and the views are spectacular. Little space-age study modules are dotted around for study purposes and there are Internet connections, plugs and Macs galore. This is truly the epitome of study heaven. The library boasts a rooftop café, La Place, which is healthy and delicious. Barcelona is definitely far from this perfect ideal. Some buildings are beautiful but it is practically impossible to enter without the necessary Catalan library cards.

Con: De Wallen – Red Light District

For those looking to spend some time in the Red Light District just out of curiosity, which seems to be the vast majority of people, be prepared for a serious disappointment. After reading John Irving’s books, where many of his prostitutes both in Vienna and Amsterdam are top-notch, classy and elegant, the De Wallen is completely opposite. Expecting lovely girls with fur coats, corsets, jewels and impeccable make-up, the reality is fluorescent lighting, ultraviolet lights to pick out the girls white underwear, girls chewing gum, talking on their mobiles, watching TV or eating. This is like a visit to Hospitalet on a Friday evening when the young teenage girls are loose on the street before going out a club. Trailer trash is the word that most quickly comes to mind. Cellulite abounds and the offering is similar to what anyone could find on Las Ramblas late at night. I suppose that it makes no difference for men and sex, but a bit more class could be in order…

Pro: Parks and Vegetation.

Amsterdam is awash with an endless parade of greens. The parks are abundant, lush and enormous. The Dutch seem to be very active, playing sports, cycling and running in their parks. Every house, every boat, restaurant and café is filled with flowers and plants. The effect is magnified by the beautiful light that changes subtly throughout the day. This is one other area where Barcelona could learn a few lessons. More parks are definitely in order here.

Con: The Food!

Amsterdam is seriously losing its’ Dutch cuisine, making way for all sorts of Asian proposals and fast food restaurants. This is one area that Barcelona cannot be matched as there are so many culinary experiences to be enjoyed, all within Spanish cuisine.

Two different cities, many similarities, much to be learned one from another. Both have to contend with enormous masses of tourists that make life just that tiny bit more difficult.

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amsterdam, Barcelona, bicycles, bloemenmarkt, catalan, cuisine, de wallen, dutch, flea markets, floating flower market, john irving, library, mac, messi, nieuwmarkt, oba, red light district, singel canal, tourists