Dave Clarke

Amsterdam

I have always enjoyed Bowie's version of Jacques Brel's ‘Amsterdam’, but
admit to being mystified how the story can be so down when analysed. Some
cities have an unfortunate underbelly, for Brighton think Graham Greene or
it's notorious drug problem (or come to think of it that horrendous scrawler
Julie Burchill), but to gauge a city from it's cliches seems a sad way to
pass time. I have learnt to accept the way Brighton is, it doesn't mean I
like it very much but it does mean as someone that lived either there or in
it's direct vicinity for the majority of my life I can accept the positive
influence it had on my life. Yes, it is a small cliquey drug infested
village, but I learnt about music there, I absorbed culture enough to know
the skinheads had to be demonstrated against there, I slept on the beach
there, it made me who I am.

Amsterdam on the outside has always had a "naughty" view, given it by untravelled
tourists, it has a (thankfully retracting) redlight area where Estonian
women can sadly take full advantage of the expanding Eurozone. These cliches
are true too, but as someone who spends more time here I get to see and
appreciate things, the Brown cafes, the egalitarian (when compared to the
UK) society, the stunning and inspirational architecture in the old centre,
the splendid public buildings like the library and the newer architecture on
the outside, there truly is something special here in Amsterdam. I have
travelled to many places around the world for my job, I have even stayed in
a few longer than three days, and an even fewer amount longer than a week,
there is a reason for this aside from lack of time.....desirability.
Amsterdam, for me, is a special man made paradise that simply cannot be
beaten. Yes, the residents can be tricky to penetrate socially if you are
from outside, but the trick is to not engage within expat circles, but to
keep on trying. The Skinny Bridge is as beautiful as when I saw it as a
child in a James Bond movie, the city also has a thriving music scene with a few
promoters giving a lot back to the punter. It is simply a stunning village
with all the attachments that a major city takes for granted on the right
side of the Channel.

So for me I only see "The sailor who sings" not the sailor who dies grinding
his maritime paunch, this truly is a beautiful city and I feel blessed being
able to spend time here.

dc