The Netherlands:
Reflecting on the intrique of the small northern nation that has long been a destination for curious college students and souls alike to partake in elsewhere illicit activities, I happened upon a live music download of an Amsterdam Pearl Jam concert while writing this intro. The improvised lyrics sang by band leader Eddie Vedor as the song quietly streams through my speakers mentions "Ah don't try and smuggle it out of here!" This blatantly appears to be a friendly warning suplanted to the band's audience midway through the concert performance that took place in 1992.
The atmosphere that I imagine for the city back then is a mixed allusion of my experience from 2002 on a several day stop over during a trip during college. The concert goers undoubtedly came to experience the charming pedestrian and cyclist friendly city that is seperated into many different districts but all with a similar appearance of narrow streets, parks and picturesque waterways. The leisurely traveler can find enchantment observing the architecture and people in motion all around you. The emphasis for which the town is often recognized is the legalized marijuana and hallucinagens that can be found in government licensed shops throughout the city. This culture of "coffeeshops" that specialize in varities of strains of rather high end intoxicants are easy to locate. Many experimental travelers will find it welcoming to settle into the comfortable establishments where they may spend hours sharing discussion with friends and meeting other travelers or locals with the accompainment of a locally brewed Heineken beer.
Another of the city's shunned indulgences is the famous "Red Light District." Simply in the spirit of strolling through to observe the hyped surrondings of this provocative scene, one would find the neighborhood clean with the characteristic canals running through the middle of the streets and popular bars. Encouragement should be given to taking in the other cultural aspects including viewing art by the "old world masters" such as Vermeer and the prolific VanGogh. It's population operates somewhat periphery from the tourist scene and the economy is one's of the continent's largest with exports driving it's strength.