AmsterdamMapAugust 5–6, 2009 A typical Dutch post box.  The curbstones in Amsterdam are shaped like puzzle pieces, which ensures the assembly’s durability. Previously, I’d only seen this in The Hague, and then later in Tirana.  All city furniture—trash cans, utility poles, fences—is marked with diagonal crosses, one of the symbols of Amsterdam.  The main object of interest here is the hooks sticking out of the tops of the buildings, where there would normally be a dormer window. The hooks are used to hoist a piano or whatnot up to the higher floors. The problem is that the buildings are so narrow here that only people can fit up the stairs.  The banisters outside building entrances are another interesting local detail. Their design is always the same: two metal railings attached to a post. The top railing sometimes sticks out so that it’s easier to grab onto.  All in all, Amsterdam is an incredibly pleasant place. Someone might find a corner with nary a patch of grass in sight. Others can find a corner with nothing but grass.  People haven’t exterminated nature downtown here.  But they have put up incredibly bold lampposts on the main street.  |
