Landing in Amsterdam one cannot but notice St Andrew’s 3 crosses. XXX emblazoned on the most ubiquitous of things from city flag to food cans to dustbins. Representing truth, honour & bravery on its coat of arms, the X’s also stand for Amsterdam’s worst fears – fire, flood, plague. Or in present times – sex, drugs, LGBT. Most visitors aware of the last alone, come seeking X rated pleasures available in plenty.

Walking’s the best way of coming to know a place. Starting from St Nicholas, onwards to old fishing sites near Central station, to China town, New market, the Jewish Quarter, de Wallen, Anne Frank House.

Pubs & 2nd hand shops on Nine Streets, Jordaan’s cozy boutique – cafes, amazing shopping streets – Kalverstraat, Leidestraat, Guyp market – ending at Dam square the heart of town. All in a span of two & a half hours.

Cruising its innumerable canals & waterways further enhances the experience. It offers a grandstand view of colourful, tilting gabled houses lining the waterfront. A 24 hour ticket costs € 27.50 and allows 8 hop on-hop off stops, easy walking from all major sites.

De Wallen is Amsterdam’s red light area. Interesting architecture, touting it a tourist attraction a bit weird though. Relatively safe during the day, stoned & gawking drunks take over the alleyways at night. There are plans to renovate & beautify the space giving it a sleek modern look, retaining at the same time its core purpose & character. It will continue as den of prostitution with entertaining add-ons relevant to the trade.

Amsterdam’s three crosses I’d say are free, liberal, progressive. Let me elaborate.

Tolerant of a myriad things the Dutch have mastered the art of ignoring what they pretend not to see. An intrepid people with incredible money making skills. Noticing long queues around de Wallen, prostitution was taxed & legalised. The same with drug addiction after it threatened to become a problem. Money earned ploughed back into rehab.

Drugs in the Netherlands can neither be bought nor sold. Or cultivated either. Easily available in ‘coffee shops’ one may smoke a joint, snack on ‘substance’ but not have coffee. Simply because it isn’t available.

Where then does one go for the beverage? To a Cafe. 😁

Coffee House – Cafe. A neat & clear distinction.

There’s a silver lining to this. Forbidden fruit no more – goes Dutch logic – drugs no longer tempt or appeal to the young. Proven to be true, addiction’s a lesser problem than several other parts of Europe.

Making soft drugs legally available keeps the harmful stuff away. Laws against these being extremely harsh & stringent, thus in effect killing two birds with one stone. If Cannabis cannot be traded or cultivated where does it come from? Out of nowhere. It appears by magic. (Remember the Dutch knack of pretending not to see)

‘Our Lord in the Attic’s’ another case in point. A tourist attraction, this Roman Catholic ‘niche’ inside a private home has existed since the first days of intra Christian strife. When Catholicism was banned, its followers began worship in secret. Did the State not know or ever find out?

Amsterdam’s the cycle capital of the world, there being more bicycles than people. Canals filled with discarded bikes, infrastructure is geared towards cycling, it being everyone’s choice of transport. Most bikers travel with their bikes – on ferries, trains, buses. Getting off only to hop on & peddle away. Aggressive at times, pedestrians need to watch out, take care.

It is also the museum capital of the world, there being almost 80 in all. Visiting each a near impossibility one has to pick & choose. Book in advance also.

Anne Frank’s diary has remained a poignant childhood memory. Inability to procure tickets to the house – museum a huge disappointment I hung around nevertheless. The thought of clicking a selfie a sacrilege almost, I walked up to the front door, touched the knob & turned away.

Marketed as ‘Van Gogh – Rembrandt’ an immersive experience, works of two great artists stream inside a 16th century church both frequented during their respective lifetimes more than two hundred years apart. Sprawled on cushions randomly placed on the floor one looks up at the ceiling where masterpieces in 3D are being rolled out – accompanied by Van Gogh’s own words taken from his letters to his brother. It is mesmerising but not nearly as meaningful or soul stirring as viewing the original. Van Gogh museum’s the place for that – to experience the sense of intimacy virtual reality lacks.

Clocking ten to twenty thousand steps a day the weather was glorious. Bright, sunny & warm right into the third week of September. “It’s the last good week of summer” was the constant refrain. An excuse for the entire city to spill out into the open. Beer, fries, barbecue, swimming, soaking in the sun.

Visiting for three days only, an extended summer meant missing the golden – rust magic of Autumn. Another of those vagaries of travel.

Sitting by road side cafés without deadlines. Reading, chatting, people watching – guilt free pleasures all. The Dam Square, Royal palace – Fountain just the right place for it.

Watch a post lunch crowd collect around a magician /musician. Folks in fancy outfits staging their act. Akin to begging in our parts it’s called ‘busking’ here. Don’t miss a group of Falungong protesting Chinese persecution. Or Kurds demanding their right to freedom. Or a lone Palestinian – the flavour of the season – soliciting funds for his cause.

Local ‘cuisine’ if there’s such a thing at all, remains a mystery. The staple, ‘Fries’ not quite food despite the Dutch having learnt to spike it with a dash of pepper. Pepper transforms, adds flavour & excites. One spice among many – after colonising half the spice world.

What is the best kept Dutch secret?

Average national height. It is 6’5”.

Land of milk, butter & cheese is it dairy or pure genetics. Guesses! Anyone?