Monday, March 18, 2013

Amsterdam

Don't believe everything you hear about Amsterdam. Yes, this Netherlands city takes a lax look at women beckoning business in the Red Light District and "coffeeshops" selling an unorthodox type of herb to a toking clientele, but these descriptions only scratch the surface. At some point, during an excellent Indonesian meal, a twilight canal-side rambling or a shopping excursion through the boutiques of Nine Streets, you'll realize -- as many travelers have before you -- that there's much more to Amsterdam than you might've thought.

And although the city's loose laws on vice seem to attract a college-age, male-dominant crowd, Amsterdam is also ideal as a romantic getaway for two or an educational excursion with the kids. With attractions that range from biking or meandering a maze of canals to remembering the Holocaust through the eyes of Anne Frank; from exploring the swirling Expressionism of Van Gogh to lazing in the expansive Vondelpark, Amsterdam suits a variety of traveler tastes.