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Presenter: Jonathan Atherton
Jonathan Atherton arrives in Amsterdam, a city notorious
for its liberal attitudes to drugs, sex, and hedonism.
Although he is intent on discovering the less infamous
sides of Amsterdam, its museums, its canals, and its
architecture, Jonathan is not going to let the alternative
Amsterdam pass him by. His first night is spent in the
Hemp Hotel, a hotel pioneering the
use of Hemp in the construction of fabrics, food, and
cocktails.
Jonathan arrives in Amsterdam in time for the gay parade,
an annual event attended by 300,000 gay men and women
from around the world. This year the parade coincides
with the Gay Olympics. Much of the
parade takes place on the canals.
Jonathan rents a bicycle to explore the city. One of
the best ways to get around Amsterdam is by bike. Although
there are many trams which run a regular service, the
flatness of the city and its cycle friendly laws make
cycling extremely popular. There are approximately 500,000
bikes in the town – and, it is estimated, just
as many are at the bottom of the canals! |
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Jonathan Atherton in Amsterdam
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Amsterdam Gay Pride March
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Leaving the roads, Jonathan turns to the canals to transport
him around the city. There are over 60 miles of canal
in Amsterdam, over 170 canals, and approximately 2,000
bridges.
Amsterdam has a severe housing shortage, and in an
attempt to shorten the waiting lists, squatting in empty
properties is often condoned by the government. Jonathan
visits one of the larger squats, which houses a skate
park, artists spaces, parties and a bar. Jonathan meets
two of the residents – artists who design and make
costumes for Amsterdam’s alternative club scene.
The following day Jonathan investigates some of Amsterdam’s
many museums. There are over 141 galleries in Amsterdam,
and some 42 museums. Some museums cater exclusively
for tourists, such as the Sex Museum, and the Hemp Museum.
Jonathan suggests visitors should visit some of Amsterdam
impressive ‘serious’ museums such as the Rijksmuseum. |
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Amsterdam is renowned for it liberal approach to soft
drugs, and Jonathan goes to visit some of the coffee
houses that sell marijuana, where he gets a swift induction
into the complexities of pot production from one of
the sales assistants. From here he goes to chill out
in Vondelpark.
Jonathan visits the Albert Cuyp Market –
a large market renowned for its range of food and goods
from around the world, as well as typical Dutch goods
such as sunflowers and raw herrings.
Jonathan’s last evening in Amsterdam is spent
attending a mass gay wedding. 40% of Amsterdam is gay,
and gay weddings are more common than straight in Amsterdam.
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