Amsterdam is the first city in Europe I ever learned about. No, itโs not because of the colonial history between the Dutch and South Africa. It is because my aunt married a Dutchman in the 1980โs. My aunts were rebels who went against apartheid policies in all kinds of ways. So they had no respect for laws prohibiting interracial relationships.
So when I was growing up I would constantly hear stories about my aunt in Amsterdam. So, naturally, this became a city I was curious about. The curiosity over Amsterdam and The Netherlands as a whole intensified when I started learning South African history and read about the white settlers from Holland that came to South Africa.
So when I arrived in Amsterdam I wasnโt sure how I was going to feel about it.
This was my last city to visit on my Europe tour. ๐ I was ready to party and have a good time, learn some history, and then party some more, and then visit some friends, and then party some more, and then go home.
I had reserved a small room in a hotel in the city centre. The room was basically a closet with a single bed in it. I was shocked when I walked in, but there was nothing to be done about it. It is in this room I realised how big my luggage suitcase was because it took up much of the free space in the room. I was planning on being out and about anyway, so the small room had no big consequence. Sacrifices have to be made when traveling on a budget.
The first day in Amsterdam I met up with a friend who lives in Amsterdam with his husband. This was after I had a chance to walk around in the city centre and see where I will be having my coffee in the morning and my wine in the evening.
Amsterdam is a city of canals and bridges and bicycles. The city is not as big as I thought it would be, which made it more manageable. As I was walking through the city, I was taken by how the peopleโs houses were right on the street. Peopleโs kitchens are next to the pavement. So you would walk past someoneโs kitchen while walking on the pavement and you can see them cooking and hear them talking. They could easily pass you an apple from the kitchen table as you walk by. This was fascinating particularly considering our obsession with safety in South Africa.
That first night I met my friend Clint and his husband at a gay bar nearby. It was my first gay bar in the city. It was small and had lots of locals. The barmen were friendly and I didnโt have to wait long for my friend Clint. To my delight, the bar was selling Savanna Dry, the cider from South Africa. This is easily the best cider in the world. Itโs not sweet but dry, and with a slice of lemon, it can take you to heaven. This was a welcomed home drink since I hadnโt been home now for weeks. This was made even more special when I met my South African friend at the same bar.
While in Amsterdam I did the museums, the RijksMuseum, The Van Gogh Museum, and the Anne Frank Museum. These museums were all incredibly special. I really liked the Van Gogh Museum; the man was an amazing artist and really liked his quotes posted in the foyer of the museum. The building is also an architectural beauty. The Anne Frank Museum was moving. Itโs an incredible space that makes you realise the horrors of the Holocaust and the things people did to survive. The Anne Frank Museum is also a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
As expected, the gay nightlife in Amsterdam was on fire. For as long as I have been interested in gay nightlife, I have been fascinated with โgay citiesโ like Amsterdam. So I was super excited to explore the gay scene in Amsterdam, and boy it was on fire.
What also made my visit exciting is that it was over Amsterdam Pride weekend. Pride in Amsterdam was a super event. I had planned to wear my purple tutu skirt. I did not have shoes, so I went to buy a cute sandal in Amsterdam. Although I discovered, new heels can be a problem. I also saw a white Afro wig in a store window, but unfortunately, they werenโt selling the wig. I did try the wig on, and the store assistant even called the owner to try and convince them to sell the wig to me, but they werenโt willing to part with it.
I walked from the hotel to where Pride was taking place. My friend and his husband had found a great spot to watch the floats. I was wearing heels, and they are not a good idea in the cobblestones of Amsterdam. I was so tired by the time I arrived at the party scene because of walking on cobblestones with heels. When arrived and the mood was lit, my spirits perked right up. The floats were already moving along. People were drinking and screaming. There was music coming from the floats. It was all super fun. Amsterdam really takes seriously their Pride festivities.
I met new friends this day. People were friendly and sweet. After the procession was done we made our way to the lesbian after party because this is where it was happening. We drank and we danced and we all around had a good time. I was so tired that night when I went to bed.
Interestingly, I never really went to any of the smoking shops. I saw them and looked from the windows, but I was not that crazy about them. They felt a bit gimmicky and I wanted to spend my time doing other things.
Overall I had a marvelous time in this beautiful old city. The people were friendly. The weather was awesome because it was August. I will go back again, hopefully, this time I will book a more decent accommodation space, and I will know not to wear heels and walk the streets of Amsterdam.
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