New York Times: Amsterdam is the reigning capital of cool

The city of Amsterdam has been declared the “Reigning Capital of Cool” by the New York Times — America’s largest newspaper.

The Fall 2008 issue of the paper’s travel magazine includes a whirlwind guide of sorts.

However, while the guide covers some interesting must-see-and-do highlights, it only provides the briefest of blurbs on a bare minimum of spots.

The guide includes a “12 Hours in the Capital” section with suggested activities between 10 A.M. and 10 P.M (and beyond).

We think anyone able to actually complete that schedule on time and in the suggested order should win a prize. It reminds us of the comedy, “If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium,” the 1969 movie in which a group of travelers from the United States race through seven countries in 18 days.

Creative Hotspot

The guide’s introduction says:

Art and commerce have always been cozy in Amsterdam. And now, as a building boom shakes up this free-spirited city (cutting-edge architecture, a subway line on the way), the Dutch capital has emerged as a cultural juggernaut, with everyone from designers to D.J.’s flexing their creative muscles.
- Source: Holland Days, NYT Travel Fall 2008

Most Amsterdammers would agree that the city is a magnet for creativity, though they aren’t always happy with the way this creativity is expressed.

For instance, cutting edge architecture can indeed by seen throughout the city — but more often than not, today’s ‘cutting edge’ appears to consists primarily of straight lines and box-like buildings which are placed haphazardly in between the truly creative buildings of the past.

No one — tourist or Amsterdammer — standing on Dam square can deny that the ‘modern’ building next to that of warehouse De Bijenkorf is anything but a monstrosity that looks completely out of place on the historic square.

The NYT guide says:

Amsterdam’s status as a creative capital has evolved from grass-roots movement to city-sanctioned marketing plan. And now once-dead neighborhoods around town are being reinvented as cultural utopias. Glimpse the renaissance in these thriving districts.

NDSM
A 15-minute free ferry ride from the Central Station takes you to this former shipping yard (left), where the battle between art and commerce is currently playing out (ndsm.nl). While old-school squatters, artists, creative companies and the MTV Europe headquarters make it an artsy Eden, real estate developers are pushing high-end residential projects. Follow the debate at the lovely cafe Noorderlicht (noorderlichtcafe.nl) or at Kunststad, a warehouse with more than a hundred art and design studios.
- Source: Holland Days, NYT Travel Fall 2008

The ‘left’ in the above quote refers to a rather creative picture not of the former NDSM shipyard (not shipping yard – boats were build and repaired here, but nothing was shipped from this place), but of a few brightly colored containers in which students live. Amsterdam has a persistent housing crisis, and student rooms are at a premium.

The use of this shipyard was given to artists as a ‘breeding place.’ The agreement would last for decades to come, were it not that experience shows you can seldom — if ever — trust politicians, especially when money is involved.

While the City of Amsterdam does indeed encourage creative ventures, the city’s different boroughs often have their own plans which do not necessarily make sense. It’s a case of one hand gives, the other takes away. [Update, Oct. 4, 2008: One day after writing this a deal was made that keeps the artists at this location. More about this soon.]

Anyway, the New York Time Guide to Amsterdam includes plenty of good things to see and do in amsterdam. If you can’t quite fathom doing their suggested 12-hour fly-through tour, simply pick and choose from the many highlights listed.

That said, we’re a bit puzzled as to how the guide came about. It isn’t very informative, nor comprehensive. The selection of hotels, restaurants, shops and other Amsterdam spots seems rather haphazard and very incomplete.

You’re better off reading DutchAmsterdam.nl — or by using our Google-powered custom search engine (top left) to find Amsterdam tourist information at this and other websites.

Note: In the near future we expect to include more information about NDSM and other creative hotspots.

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