Prosperity, in the shape of everything from crass commercialism to genteel gentrification, has settled like a North Sea mist around Amsterdam's graceful cityscape of 17th-century canals and canalside houses. Yet "free thinking" and "anything goes" still have their place: They're the catchphrases by which Amsterdam lives its collective life. And all this free living is fueled by a successful economy, not by the combustion of semi-legal exotic plants. City government has worked hard to transform Amsterdam from a hippie haven to a cosmopolitan business and cultural center -- and it's succeeding.
Mostly. Amsterdam's 750,000 denizens aren't so easily poured into the restrictive molds of trade and industry. They continue to mix tolerably well in their multiracial melting pot (though there are growing signs of discontent with continued immigration).
A side effect of the city's concern with economics and image is that youthful backpackers who don't wash much, stay in cheap hostels, and think smoking hash is the high point of the city's cultural life aren't as welcome as they once were. But when they come back with a paycheck that allows them to stay at an upscale hotel, buy tickets for the Concertgebouw and the Muziektheater, eat in a Japanese restaurant, and splash out for a diamond or two, well, that's another story. Still, all is far from lost for the bohemian souls: If they want, they can smoke hash all the livelong day. And anyone can partake in Amsterdam's culture, history, and scenic cityscape, without stretching credit card limits.
So step aboard for a cruise through highlights from 800 years of history in this city of canals; a working knowledge of Amsterdam's history will add dimension to your visit. Then, go below the surface to fathom why the Dutch capital's lifestyle provokes heated debate in other countries, and to permit some of the impassioned artists and architects who helped to make Amsterdam worth visiting to take a bow from their places in the corridors of time.
