Amsterdam, The Biking City of the World

Before I came here, I knew little of Amsterdam.  All I knew was the stereotypical features of the city – the Red Light District broadcasting prostitutes in public as if it was the norm, the acceptance and legalisation of all sorts of drugs, the passion with their cheese, and the immense clubbing and partying scene.  From this description alone, you would think that Amsterdam would be “the” Sin City of the world.  Yet, something about normalising and framing drug substances and prostitution as something ordinary makes them less of a vice.  When the rest of the world declares such things as evil and anyone who consumes it is evil, Amsterdam manages to give off the vibe that it is about moderation that’s the key to enjoying these vices in life, or at least the acceptance of it and that it isn’t all pure evil.  Perhaps Amsterdam is on to something… as humans we tend to want something we cannot have, so this may be the perfect example of reverse psychology.

Anyway, this post isn’t about debating the merits of accepting drugs and prostitution as a society, it’s about describing Amsterdam in general and tips and strategies to have you plan your trip well the next time you do come here.  Also, please note that the main purpose I came here was for Amsterdam Dance Event, so most of my time was actually spent at ADE, but I did manage to squeeze some time to do some of the touristy things.  I will have another post specifically on Amsterdam Dance Event right after this post.

Continue reading Amsterdam, The Biking City of the World

Portland, the Quirky City of Roses

Tattoos, nose rings, murals, trees, food carts.  These are all characteristics that make Portland so quirky and fun at the same time.

I knew nothing about Portland before arriving here, except the fact that this was where Nike was born.  From my blog post in Athens, we learn that the name Nike belongs to the Greek goddess, the goddess of Victory.

Prior to travelling here, I researched more about this city – about what to do, what to eat, where things are located, and more.  One key interesting fact is that Portland is one of the more ‘active’ cities in United States – currently for those who commute, the current percentage of people who bicycle to work is 7%.  The state’s target is to aim as high as 21%, and that means making infrastructure so that it becomes more cyclists’ friendly.  A second fact is that it tends to rain a lot… lucky for me though, I experienced only an afternoon of light rain and that was it. Continue reading Portland, the Quirky City of Roses