Amsterdam is beautiful. The buildings, the culture, the people. Beautiful. Many people think first of the very liberal laws when they think of Amsterdam. Gambling is legal here. As is prostitution. Marijuana is illegal, strictly speaking, but it’s accepted and the laws are unenforced. This leads people to think of the city as a wild haven for debauchery and degeneracy. This really couldn’t be farther form the truth.

The way I see it, they have it right. All of these vices exist pretty much everywhere in the world. Locations that legalize, tax, and regulate these activities instead of standing on a moral high horse and trying to stop them, appear to have far fewer problems stemming from them. I’m not trying to say I endorse these activities, but I’m also pleased to be in a place where the government does not stand in judgment of those who do. Marijuana use is so common place here that the only people I noticed abusing the privilege were americans or otherly tourists.

The incidence of violent crime here is insanely small. Being pick-pocketed is the biggest worry. People here are more tolerant of race and sexual orientation than any other place I’ve been to.

There are a few things I didn’t like about my visit here. The largest complaint is that people smoke everywhere, though I hear this is going to be changing in the coming summer. There’s too much mayonnaise. Everything is served with mayo. It’s gross. And this last complaint may be specific to people with large feet; the stairs are too small. This place is the land of tiny stairs. They’re über steep and half the depth of the stairs I’m used to. I can only fit the front third of my foot on a step.

Amsterdam is a beautiful, quiet, and safe city. Most everyone here speaks english. I would highly recommend anybody traveling through Europe set aside a couple days to visit Amsterdam.