10 Things I Want to do Before I Turn 16: #8 Visit Amsterdam
Like my last blog post, this one will be a little different than normal. I know I will not accomplish this before I turn 16, but I would like to accomplish this within the next 5 years.
Since I was little, I have always wanted to visit Europe, anywhere in Europe, but over the last few years I have centered in on Amsterdam.
Located in The Netherlands, Amsterdam is known for it’s many canals. Amsterdam has a total of 165 canals that run through the whole city. Most canals run in between houses which are often called Dancing Houses, named after their tilt.
Amsterdam also has more bridges (1281 bridges in fact) that run over the canals than the popular city of Venice. Many times the citizens of Amsterdam live in House Boats. Amsterdam has a total of about 2500 house boats.
I would also love to ride bikes along the sidewalks as I take in the gorgeous views of the city. In 2017 it was recorded the about 67% of people going to school or work ride bike instead of another mode of transportation. Biking accounts for 36% of all traffic in Amsterdam. The same study showed that out of the 811,000 residents in Amsterdam, there are 881,000 bikes. Meaning there are more bikes than residents in Amsterdam.
In America, vehicles are the main mode of transportation whereas in Amsterdam, bicycles are the the main mode of transportation.
Hopefully I can stay in Amsterdam for a couple weeks in my near future and stay along the canals while riding bikes all around the city!
Sources
“Amsterdam: City of Bikes.” Amsterdam Tourist Information, 23 Dec. 2019, www.dutchamsterdam.nl/68-amsterdam-city-of-bikes#:~:text=As%20of%202017%2C%2068%25%20of,are%20more%20bikes%20than%20residents. Accessed 3 Mar.
Luxeadventuretraveler. “8 Fun Facts about Amsterdam Canals.” Luxe Adventure Traveler, 1 Dec. 2018, luxeadventuretraveler.com/8-fun-facts-amsterdam-canals/. Accessed 3 Mar.