Background to Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital city of the
Netherlands. It is known throughout the world as one of the
greatest small cities in the world. It lies on the banks of two
rivers, the Amstel and IJ, and from its canals to the world famous
museums and historical sights, Amsterdam has long been considered as
one of the most romantic and wonderful cities in the whole continent
of Europe.
Established in the later 12th
century as a small fishing village on the banks of the Amstel River,
Amsterdam has one of the largest historic city centers in Europe.
One of the focal point of interest in this city is the Golden Age of
Netherlands that dates largely from the 17th century. It
was noted that at this time, a row of concentric, semi-circular
canals were built around the older city center, but this
establishment still defines the city’s layout and appearance
today. Amsterdam now has fine houses and mansions that are
situated along the canals. Most of these houses and mansions are
lived in, while others are now offices and public buildings.
The City Government
Amsterdam, as all Dutch
municipalities, is governed by a mayor, his wethouders (aldermen),
and the municipal council. Nevertheless, the city is subdivided
into fifteen stadsdelen (boroughs), which is a system implemented in
the 1980s to improve local governance. The establishment of this
system is what sets Amsterdam unique from other Dutch
municipalities. The stadsdelen are said to be responsible for a
number of activities that previously had been governed and managed
by the central city. Fourteen of these have their respective
council, which is chosen by a popular election. Westerpoort, the
fifteenth, covers the harbour of the city and has very few
inhabitants. It is also governed by the central municipal council.
The Language
When it comes to language, many of
the people in Amsterdam are proud of the fact that just about
everyone speaks English. Although many also speak German and
French, it is worth noting that in this capital city of Netherlands,
it is a tradition that if you are English speaking, then speak
English, unless you speak Dutch too because you are more likely to
offend than do anyone a favor by trying out your French or German.
There is a common misconception in
the language of Amsterdam; one of those is that Dutch is very close
to German. The truth is, they are not mutually intelligible: Dutch
people have to learn German at school, and in general they speak
better English than German. However, Dutch and German are similar
in the same sort of way that French and Italian are similar.
The Weather
In Amsterdam, the typical weather
ranges from a little around freezing in the depths of winter to
typically pleasant sunny days of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius in the
summer. There is also a little snow during the winter season.
Furthermore, the spring and autumn are pleasant in Amsterdam;
however these seasons can be wet, with 100+ mm of rain per month.
Safety and Health
Amsterdam is a safe city, thus there
is nothing really to fear from walking in any part of the city. It
has been noted that even in the red-light district around the Oude
Kerk, tourists are always spotted wandering around. However, as in
any large cities in other parts of the world, you should beware of
pick pockets. And, don’t try to photograph the women in the
red-light district for that would be risky. In terms of water, the
water from taps is perfectly drinkable.
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Amsterdam
