Amsterdam

Amsterdam really is a beautiful and interesting city. The architecture and the canals are so nice to walk and the cultural diversity, social tolerance, and way of life here is really refreshing. There must be more bicycles here than on the entire west coast, maybe even all of the US. I could come back to Amsterdam over and over again and probably not for the reasons you may be thinking. It’s just a really cool place. Amsterdam has a population of approximately 800,000 within city limits. Originating as a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century and was the leading center for finance and diamonds. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange is the oldest stock exchange in the world. Amsterdam’s main attractions, including its historic canals, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, Hermitage Amsterdam, Anne Frank House, Amsterdam Museum, its red-light district, and its many cannabis coffee shops draw more than 3 million international visitors annually.