The city is really crowded! It is August so there are the usual vacationers and Amsterdam is also host to the “2016 Euro-Pride” gathering”. The Netherlands is quite proud that they were the first country in the world to allow gay marriages over 10 years ago. There are events taking place at different venues throughout the city every day.
The people who live in the city seem very friendly, especially when they aren't on their bikes. They love their dogs and if the extra basket or cart isn't carrying a child, most likely a canine will be looking out at you. There are dog parks and bags for their owners to help keep the city clean. Unfortunately, too many people seem to forget to use them! And although there are trash cans aplenty, people seem to toss stuff on to the sidewalk – sad!
If France has its pastry shops and bakeries, the Netherlands is filled with cheese shops. But, they also love their sweets too!
The traffic lights make an interesting sound when they turn green. This would help people with vision problems or those distracted by the sights.
Also, the Dutch Tourist Boards seem more interested in making money than helping tourists. They are more like souvenir shops than a place to find helpful people providing useful information. If you have a specific question, they will gladly answer it, but sometimes as a tourist you aren't sure what to ask!
