I celebrated the 4th of July in Amsterdam over the weekend. There were lots of museums and plenty of culture, and of course there was the famous red light district, which was a little surreal.
The canals really dominate the city. They’re everywhere, and they’re all pretty nice. Also everyone rode bikes here. Cyclists also dominate the city, and if you walk in a bike lane, you’re basically a target.
The gang hangs out in front of Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam – the photo museum. The museum was quite nice. It featured work from just a few photographers, but each photographer had a significant amount of work represented. A highlight was Massimo Vitali’s series of overhead shots of people at beaches. The images were huge, allowing you to see both the large-scale patterns of people as well as the close-up details of individuals’ behavior.
Tourists play on the giant letters that spell “I AMSTERDAM.”
Visitors of the Heineken Experience gather around a vat of wort, the liquid that is fermented into beer. The old brewery in Amsterdam was turned into a tourist attraction. With beer samples, a make-your-own-music-video booth, and a ride that “turns you into beer,” we deemed the Heineken Experience the “best advertisement we ever paid for.”
Green Heineken bottles were turned into the ceiling at a lounge. Classy.