Amsterdam
Amsterdam, the Netherlands' capital, is one of the world's best
hangouts, a place where you can immerse yourself in history, in
art, in the head of a beer or a self-rolled smokestack. The city
is a canny blend of old and new: radical squatter art installations
hang off 17th-century eaves, BMWs give way to bicycles and triple-strength
monk-made beer is served in steel and glass 'grand cafés'.
Amsterdam combines a huge case of big city exuberance with small-town
manageability; it doesn't take much more than chaining your bike
to a bridge to feel like you've got a handle on the place.
Amsterdam is a cosmopolitan cauldron which has been enticing migrants
and nonconformists for decades. It's a thriving city, and one
of the hardest for travellers to leave, going on the number of
expats trying to bike around like locals. Amsterdam seems to thrive
on its funky mix, and there's very little of the tourist-fatigue
which can take the happy edge off other LOB (lots of backpacks)
cities. Perhaps this is because Amsterdam's quintessential Dutchness
shines through: the 17th- and 18th-century architecture, the fleets
of bicycles, the tree-lined canals and scattered parks all contribute
to the mood of the city. As do the pavement-logs - Dutchies love
their pooches and this is one of the squish 'n' squirm capitals
of the world.
The Randstad
The Randstad translates as 'Urban Agglomeration'. It's the Netherlands'
most densely populated region, spreading in a circle from Amsterdam,
incorporating the Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht, and smaller towns
like Haarlem, Leiden and Delft. The area's most spectacular sight
are the bulb fields which explode into colour between March and
May. Even from the window of a train they're intoxicating, but
a back-roads bicycle trip is the best way to enjoy the sights
and smells. The Keukenhof, south of Haarlem, is the world's largest
garden. It attracts a staggering 800,000 people during its eight-week
season each year, but its beauty is something of an enigma. Nature's
talents are combined with Dutch precision to create a garden where
millions of tulips and daffodils bloom every year, perfectly in
place and exactly on time.
Other Randstad attractions include the stately mansions, palatial
embassies and prestigious art galleries of The Hague, the country's
seat of government; the distinctive blue-and-white pottery of
Delft; the experimental postwar architecture of Rotterdam; and
the vibrant and attractive city of Haarlem.
Hoge Veluwe
The Hoge Veluwe is the country's largest national park and home
to the wonderful Kröller-Müller Museum. The park itself
covers 5500 hectares and is a strange mix of forests and woods,
shifting sands and heath moors that provide a sense of isolation
(if not actual isolation) found nowhere else on the Dutch mainland.
Red deer, wild boar and mouflon (a Mediterranean sheep) roam here.
The Kröller-Müller Museum has 278 works by Van Gogh,
as well as smaller collections of Picasso and Mondriaan. Out the
back is Europe's largest sculpture garden with works by Rodin,
Moore, Giacometti and many more.
Hoge Veluwe is accessible by bus from Arnhem, which is one hour's
train ride east of Amsterdam. White bicycles are available free
of charge once you're inside the park.
Maastricht
The Netherland's oldest city, Maastricht sits at the bottom end
of the thin finger of land which juts down between Belgium and
Germany. Its history stretches back to 50 BC when the Romans set
up camp on the bank of the River Meuse. Fortification walls still
partly surround the city, and you can explore a 10km labyrinth
of tunnels on the city's western outskirts. Today this lively
city has a reputation even in its own country of being a little
foreign. You can pay for a beer in Belgian francs or German marks;
you can sample the distinct tastes of neighbouring cuisines; and
in February you can party with the rest of the revellers in the
Netherlands' largest carnival festival. |
