Adventures In Amsterdam

By Mary J. Dufton

Amsterdam is the biggest city in the Netherlands, with over 700,000 residents. It is also the country’s cultural capital, with the world-renowned Concertgebouw Orchestra, the ballet, theatres and many art galleries.

Last October, my husband and I spent three days in Amsterdam. Since it was our first visit, we wanted to see as much as possible. Although we both have spina bifida, we are able to walk, so accessibility was not much of a problem.

However, being constantly on the go required frequent sit-down breaks and very few benches were available. Even worse, it was cold and rainy nearly every day. Nevertheless, we dressed appropriately, trudged along, and, in spite of feeling stiff and tired, enjoyed ourselves.

The most affordable hotels are found near the famous "red-light district," which is not for the shy and unadventurous crowd. Although we were nervous at first about the area’s sleazy and dirty appearance, it is heavily policed. Amsterdam has legalized prostitution, and the red-light district is famous for its prostitutes who stand in their windows, scantily clad, waiting for customers.

Marijuana and hashish are also legal there, so be very careful about which coffee shops and restaurants you visit. "Kofie" is regular, everyday coffee. However, visit the "coffee" shops and you will find that marijuana and hashish are also sold there!

Our first stop was a tour of Stoeltie Diamonds, one of the many diamond factories in the city. Our guide explained the process of diamond mining and how the diamond is cut and made into jewellery. We also learned about how a diamond is assessed by its cut, its clarity and its colour. Many of these diamond factories sell diamond jewellery, ranging from tiny diamond stud earrings to rings with enormous stones, if you are not on a limited budget!

We took a one-hour boat tour of the city and its many canals and heard about the history of Amsterdam, which provided little-known facts about the unique design of the houses on the canals. The very tall and narrow houses have large hooks on the outside, which traders in the early days used to deliver goods inside. Today, furniture is still delivered to homes in the same manner.

Many of Amsterdam’s citizens commute on bicycles, rather than cars. This can be a bit disconcerting for pedestrians. Be very cautious of the bike lanes, which are usually clearly marked with a bike symbol. Cyclists have the right of way and get extremely annoyed with pedestrians who get in their way! Don’t wait for the last-minute ring of the bell on their bicycles!

If you like chocolate, you must visit Leonida’s Chocolates, a chain of stores that sells every kind of chocolate truffle and chocolate bar - milk, white or dark - to suit anyone’s taste.

Our final full day of touring was a four-hour ride on a bus. This is an ideal outing for someone with limited mobility. The tour began in downtown Amsterdam with the Royal Palace, which was built from 1648 to 1665. It was designed as the most prestigious town hall of its time. It is the most important cultural building of 17th-century Amsterdam and was once occupied by Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother, Louis.

Our tour took us past the Hague and the Royal Court of Justice, Queen Beatrix’s home, and many foreign embassies and high commissions. We then visited the Delft factory in the city of Delft, which is famous for its hand-painted blue and white pottery. We saw how the pottery is made, visited the showroom and learned how to determine the authenticity of the Delftware by looking for its trademark, the painter’s initials, and the code for the month and year it was produced. You may also purchase some of this fine pottery at the factory.

All in all, our brief visit was memorable. However, depending on the nature of your disability, Amsterdam may not be the place for you. Do your research beforehand. Discuss your itinerary and any special requirements you may have with your tour guide, and find guidebooks at your local library and bookstore.

The Internet has a wealth of information about Amsterdam - check out www.amsterdam.nl. However, I was hard-pressed to find very much information for people with disabilities.

Our boat tour and bus tour required us to haul ourselves over many steep stairs. And the Delft factory, which was on the bus tour, had several steep stairs to climb. Had we been in wheelchairs, we could have arranged for assistance on our boat tour by calling the company the day before. However, the bus tour did not provide any assistance whatsoever for people with disabilities. Those who use wheelchairs would be expected to transfer from their chair independently and board the bus.

Much of the sidewalks are uneven cobblestone, which is tiring and awkward to walk on. There are alternatives to walking the streets or using a wheelchair as a main means of transport: Amsterdam does have some accessible buses and streetcars. The taxis are not accessible, though.

Assistance for travellers is available at the Schiphol airport and train station if it is required. This must be arranged the day before. It is crucial to specify what type of assistance you require before using any of these vehicles because the amount and type of assistance provided will vary.

Art galleries and museums are more disability friendly. They can provide wheelchairs and have elevator access. Before you go, findout which places are accessible for people with disabilities.

If you are brave enough to travel during October as we did, dress warmly and bring your wintertime clothing. Amsterdam is near the sea, so the dampness makes it seem much colder. It is sunny, warm and very lovely in the summertime.

(Mary J. Dufton is a freelance writer living in Ottawa, Ontario.)


ACCESSIBLE HOTELS:

Amsterdam Hilton
Apollolaan 138-140
1077 BG Amsterdam

Holiday Inn Amsterdam
De Boelelaan 2
1083 HJ Amsterdam

Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky
Dam 9
1012 JS Amsterdam
E-mail: book@krasnapolsky.nl
Website: http://www.krasnapolsky.nl

Novotel Amsterdam
Europaboulevard 10
1083 AD Amsterdam
Website: http://www.novams.com

Swissotel Amsterdam
Damrak 96
1012 LP Amsterdam

Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel & Conference Centre
Schiphol Boulevard 101
1118 BG Schiphol

Hotel Winston
Warmoesstraat 123-129
1012 JA Amsterdam
Fax: (011) 31-20-6392308

Euphemia Hotel
Fokke Simonszstraat 1
1017 TD Amsterdam
Phone/fax: (011) 31-20-6229045
E-mail: euphjm@pi.net/Internet
Website: http://www.channels.nl:80/euphemia.html