Canals. Bikes. Amsterdam.

This is my favorite picture from Amsterdam. It was snapped from the basement gallery of the Amsterdam Tulip Museum, located in a canal house about 100 meters from the Anne Frank House. It was my second visit to the city, my last eleven years ago. In 1997, I was 20, traveling through the city on our way to Berlin; my green backpack was glued to me since we were only in town for a few hours, enough time to visit the Anne Frank House, make a quick visit to Rembrandt's House, and to scarf down some Chinese food. No Heineken Brewery. No Van Gogh. No art. Less than seven hours and back on the night train to Berlin.

I couldn't believe how much I forgot about Amsterdam--the canals, the ever friendly, English speaking (to the point of guilt) Dutch people, the diverse food. It's a city much more laid back than other European cities. Some may say this is due to some laxed substance laws, but it was a relief to not feel like you were walking the catwalk during Fashion Week as I felt from time to time in Paris last year.