Amsterdam - Echte vrijheid is gratis!
I tried to grasp Amsterdam through a different point of view. Prostitutes and drugs we also have in Brazil, after all… The impression left in me by Amsterdam is that the best things in life are free. Free of charge, which in Dutch is written “gratis”, just like in Portuguese… Nice coincidence :)
I completely ignored souvenirs, fancy restaurants, canal boat trips. All that I wanted to do in this town, and which I DID, was to wander around freely, with no bags, little money and the pose of an Amsterdammer who knows where he’s going :P I think I achieved this goal.
I largely ignored weed, mushrooms and prostitution… These are mainly for tourists. These things exist, for sure, but Amsterdammers don’t really care. They lie calmly on the park’s gardens to watch sunset at 10pm, they play with their children on the streets, they ride their bike to work (wearing a suit). They park their bike - WITHOUT any lock - in front of their workplace. THAT’s what really matters. THAT’s what I have seen here. THAT’s freedom.
Another impression Amsterdam left in me was that pictures will NEVER be able to express the beauty of the scene you are trying to portray. Even so, I humbly tried to capture the essence of some moments I experienced in that town. There they go:
That’s all for now, folks! See you in the next episode of the “Adventures in Holland” photobook :]