Amsterdam, Rain. © Copyright 2018 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.
A rainy evening in Amsterdam
This was my/our first visit to Amsterdam and the Netherlands. We started the day in London, where we caught a train to Amsterdam, arriving in the afternoon. Because the weather has often been quite warm — hot, even — in Europe this summer, I was expecting something similar here. It was not cold, but it wasn’t the same kind of hot weather we had in London and which we had later on in parts of Germany. I admit to having been a bit ignorant about the Amsterdam weather. I remarked to some locals we were eating with that I was surprised by the rain and they sort of laughed, pointing out that gray and wet is the norm here.
And, in fact, it was gray and wet when we made our first foray in to central Amsterdam from our hotel just outside the hubbub of the central area. We were hungry and looking for food, so off we went. A number of things struck this first-time Amsterdam visitor right away. First, everything you have heard about bicycles there is true — if anything, there are even more bikes than you thought. These aren’t American-style mountain and road bikes. They are sturdy “work” bikes that are used for the business of getting from place to place. Second, everything you have heard about the availability of marijuana here is also true. If you didn’t already know, don’t go to an Amsterdam “coffee shop” of you want coffee… I made this photograph as we walked this rainy street on our way to dinner.
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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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Exactly! I’m a fairly experienced cyclist, but there was no way I would want to try to wade into that environment!
Just got back from Amsterdam myself. Had a great time. The bicycle culture there is amazing.
Hi: Sorry it took me so long to reply, but I’ve been doing photography in the Sierra Nevada backcountry… and off the grid.
I had heard about the Amsterdam bicycle culture, but it was beyond my expectations — “amazing,” to use your word. It is a matter of several things, I think. First, and most obvious, the bicycles are everywhere! Second, and in contrast to common American practice, these are mostly utilitarian bikes, designed to be functionally and practically useful in the urban environment — quite different than the road bikes and mountains bikes that are more common in the US. Third, Amsterdam has thoroughly integrated bikes in to the urban environment in ways that would surprise most Americans.
And, yes, we had a great time there, too!
Dan
We thought about renting bikes and my wife had me bring our helmets, but I was too scared to try, given how intense the riders were, rushing to and fro, following closely in large clumps, with hardly any gaps. And NOT A SINGLE HELMET in sight!