Looking out of windows offers only one perspective. Actual experience in the world offers so much more.
Kandinsky, Outsider Art, The Museum of the Mind, and the unexpected warmth of this sunny day catapults Amsterdam to the top of my list of favorite cities.
Crushing tourism, immigration and the lack of affordable housing continue to be the popular lament of the locals we meet. But the beauty of Amsterdam’s original architecture, centuries-old culture and the rich diversity of the population continue to call out to millions of seekers from around the world.
From Rembrandt to Banksy, Suriname to Indonesia; all types are welcomed here. Amsterdam opens her arms, as does the arcade leading to the Rijks Museum – beckoning, greeting, transcending.
Birthdays create an atmosphere of celebration here as well. My birth month turns out to be shared by thousands of others! September 30th is actually the day of most births here in the Netherlands! There’s even a special birthday discount at the restaurant for those who can prove they were born at this time.
Amsterdam is also celebrating its own birthday. October 27th will mark the beginning of a year-long celebration for its 750th. Publications and other media are filled with stories that tell the city’s long history of rebellion, tolerance of others, and movements of social justice. Commemorative events have already begun.
But even here, through the smoke and mirrors of legalized drugs and relaxed attitudes about sex; it is recognized that these ideals of freedom have not yet been fully realized by all.
Consequently, reflection and reconciliation appear at the forefront of conversations. Acknowledgment of complicity is represented in art exhibitions, through repatriation and attempts to equalize opportunity. The search for solutions appears actualized, the persistence of truth seems real.
Through my small window, The Netherlands continues to evolve. I feel less vulnerable in this place where the very old continues to become new, more colors are added to the rainbow. And the sun reappears when you least expect it.
Just watch out for the bikes.