Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country. Amsterdam is situated 2 metres above sea level, its name is derived from Amstellerdam, indicative of the city's origin when the inhabitants had built a bridge with a dam across the Amstel. Settled 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. During that time, the city was the leading centre for finance and diamonds. The city is the financial and cultural capital of the Netherlands. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange is the oldest stock exchange in the world is located in the city centre.

In the 16th century, the Dutch rebelled against Philip II of Spain and his successors for the imposition of new taxes, and the religious persecution of Protestants by the Spanish Inquisition. The revolt escalated into the Eighty Years' War, which ultimately led to Dutch independence.

The 17th century is considered Amsterdam's Golden Age, during which it became the wealthiest city in the world. Amsterdam was Europe's most important point for the shipment of goods and was the leading Financial Centre of the world. In 1602, the Amsterdam office of the Dutch East India Company became the world's first stock exchange by trading in its own shares.

Amsterdam's prosperity declined during the 18th and early 19th centuries. The wars of the Dutch Republic with England and France took their toll. During the Napoleonic Wars, Amsterdam's significance reached its lowest point, with Holland being absorbed into the French Empire. However, the later establishment of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815 marked a turning point.

Germany invaded on 10 May 1940 and took control of the country. Some Amsterdam citizens sheltered Jews, thereby exposing themselves and their families to the high risk of being imprisoned or sent to concentration camps. More than 100,000 Dutch Jews were deported to Nazi concentration camps, the most-famous deportee was the young Jewish girl Anne Frank.

Amsterdam has one of the largest historic city centers in Europe, with about 7,000 registered historic buildings. The street pattern has been largely unchanged since the 19th century — there was no major bombing during World War II. The center consists of 90 islands linked by 400 bridges. Amsterdam is one of the most bicycle-friendly large cities in the world and is a centre of bicycle culture with good facilities for cyclists such as bike paths and bike racks.

The "Amsterdam" that most people know is the city centre, a radius of about 2 km, with Central Station at its apex. It corresponds to the city as it was around 1850. All major tourist destinations, and most hotels, are located inside it or just outside it. As a result, much of Amsterdam is never visited by tourists. Districts inside the city center are the Jordaan, a working-class area gone upmarket, and Plantage, a leafy and spacious area known for its zoo and botanical gardens.The oldest area of the town is known as de Wallen (the quays), in the Nieuwmarkt area of the Old Center. It lies to the east of Damrak and contains the city's famous red light district. To the south of de Wallen is the old Jewish quarter of Waterlooplein. The most popular district outside of the city centre is South for it's quality museums and street markets.

De Wallen, the oldest part of the city, is a designated area for legalized prostitution and is Amsterdam's largest and most well known red-light district. It consists of a network of roads and alleys containing several hundred small, one-room apartments rented by female sex workers who offer their services from behind a window or glass door, typically illuminated with red lights. The area also has a number of sex shops, sex theatres, peep shows, a sex museum, a cannabis museum, and a number of coffee shops offering various cannabis products.

Many people choose to visit Amsterdam because of its reputation for tolerance. Prostitution is legalized and licensed in the Netherlands, and in Amsterdam it is very visible, window prostitution. The sale, possession, and consumption of small quantities of cannabis, while illegal, is tolerated by authorities (the policy of gedogen). Coffeeshops, not to be confused with coffeehouses or cafes, are allowed to sell cannabis and hash for personal use, not more than 5 grams. Look for red-yellow-green rasta colors and the English word "coffeeshop", no alcohol or edible cannabis products may be sold inside, customers who want to smoke their weed mixed with tobacco are limited to special sealed 'smoking areas'.
Still there are about 250 coffeeshops in Amsterdam, most of them in the Old Center, most are happy to recommend varieties and prepare your joint for you.

A famous building in baroque style in Amsterdam is the Royal Palace on Dam Square, a building who's interior left a great impression on me, the main hall called The Universe marked by symbols and images explorers would recognise, the floors etched with globes and Atlas at its centre. Most historic buildings in the city centre and nearby are houses, such as the famous merchants' houses lining the canals.

Amsterdam has an amazing collection of museums, ranging from masterpieces of art to porn, vodka and cannabis. Some of the museums include Anne Frank House, dedicated to Anne Frank, a Jewish girl who kept a diary while hiding from Nazi persecution in hidden rooms at the rear of the building, an exhibition on the life of Anne Frank, but also highlights other forms of persecution and discrimination. The Rijksmuseum has a large collection of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age. Some artists you can't overlook are Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Frans Hals and Jan Steen. The must-sees are Rembrandt's Night Watch and Vermeer's Milkmaid. Van Gogh Museum, the Dutch Post-Impressionist painter whose work had a far-reaching influence on 20th century art for its vivid colors and emotional impact. This museum has the largest collection of Van Gogh's paintings and drawings in the world

Amsterdam is famous for its vibrant and diverse nightlife. The two main nightlife areas are the Leidseplein and the Rembrandtplein. The Reguliersdwarsstraat is the main street for the GLBT community and nightlife.

Depending on your viewpoint some people will consider Amsterdam an unwholesome city whereas other people will find their relaxed attitudes refreshing. Look beyond the red light district and you find specialised shops, bars and restaurants, the most picturesque views of canals and streets, wander and lose yourself in its labyrinth. If you avoid the red light district, Amsterdam is an excellent family destination. I can't help it, I'm a fan.

The famed coffeeshop culture is under threat by a coalition of Christian fundamentalists and socialists. The government felt the urge to give a drug-free Holland another go, Christian-Democrats believe in their plan to close all coffee shops by 2011.

Given the fact that America is spending billions of dollars in a war on drugs that is currently being won by the other side, one could draw that the conclusion that people want drugs and experiment safely, they'll get it anyhow, repression is too expensive, and it doesn't work.

The banning of magic mushrooms went into effect in 2009, but this may force casual mushroom trippers to try other hallucinogenic drugs and other trippy choices that are new to the market place and shops in Amsterdam, and users will have to find other ways to get mushrooms illegally.

The famous Red Light District where legal prostitution is tolerated is also under threat, over the next few years it is the city's plan to reduce the size of the district and eventually remove it altogether, changing this historic part of the city forever. Anyone who has visited Amsterdam in the past will instantly bring memories of their stroll through this area, shock, horror, fear, nerves and excitement soon replaced with aw of such a place.

These are sad times for Amsterdam and Holland and I only hope that things don't develop as the politicians and bureaucrats want them to.. It is not just the draw of drugs and sex that brings one to Amsterdam, but the fact that a nation can tolerate and control it so efficiently, its liberalism and freedoms are threatened.