There are many cities that have been built around canals. These cities have risen and fallen over the ages to make way for newer cities. Amsterdam has remained and is today one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet, attracting people from all walks of life and people looking for an array of different things.
Within these 160 canals lives a population of almost 800,000 people. In the peak season, this number seems to swell like the banks of the canals in the rainy season with the influx of tourists. Amsterdam is also a city of great hospitality and therefore the accommodation on offer is world class. There are many different accommodation options from which to choose. This all depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for a budget holiday with your college friends then Amsterdam is renowned for its friendly (and sometimes too friendly!) backpacker lodges. If you are a businessman who is travelling across the world then all the global hotel branches can also be found in Amsterdam. And of course there is place for families with a wide variety of self-catering holiday apartments.
Amsterdam is a relatively clean city. This can be attributed to over half a million bicycles on the streets. This not only gives Amsterdam's streets a quaint feeling but will also leaving you feeling that there is no other place on Earth quite like Amsterdam.
Springtime is possibly the prettiest time of year in Amsterdam. The weather is cool and the tulips are in bloom. You cannot do anything but smile when you walk out of your hotel room onto the springtime streets of Amsterdam. This is when the accommodation and travel costs are slightly down too, as this is not the peak season in Amsterdam. Do not be fooled, though. Summer temperatures in the city do not often surpass 75F and there is always a little summer drizzle at the hottest points to cool things down.
If you are planning to head somewhere new on your next holiday and you have not considered Amsterdam, then you should think long and hard about it. The city can be used as a springboard to visit other major European cities. This is due mainly to its central location. The city competes well in pricing with similar first world cities and accommodation can easily be found. The best way to find accommodation is to book online. There are many sites that specialise in Amsterdam accommodation and you will be able to view pictures of the hotel, self-catering apartment or holiday rental apartment so that you do not receive any unpleasant surprises when you arrive.
It's a fish with a fascinating folklore. The first ton of each year's catch - the herring season officially starts on 31st May - belongs to the Dutch Queen, although hopefully she shares the feast with her subjects. For those in Amsterdam eating the young fish, known as 'maatjesharing', you should hold it by its tail and lower it into your mouth, a little in the fashion of a sword swallower!
The name of the new season's catch comes from the Dutch 'maagdekensharing', or virgin herring. The 'maatjes' are the young fish that have yet to spawn. They are gutted straight after being caught although part of the pancreas is retained in the body and contains the enzyme that gives the fish its distinctive flavour. They are then frozen in salt brine inside oak barrels. Each part of the process adds another dimension to the unique taste which has a hint of spice.
The season for maatje is until the end of June when the fish spawn. The boats have sailed traditionally from the port of Scheveningen, near The Hague, and most fish were caught off the coast of Holland. The port claims to be Europe's largest herring harbour and at one time could boast of 2,000 boats. Indeed, it's said that over 20% of the Dutch population was employed in the herring industry in the 1500s. Today, much of the fishing has shifted to Danish waters and is by Danish boats. Yet the selling of herring is still largely a Dutch trade. The herring shoals may have shifted but tradition, it appears, dies hard.
The herring seasons are quite distinct and each produces fish with different charcteristics. As well as the maatje season in May/June, 'volle hareng' are caught in the summer months and again in the winter months from December to April. They are rather more fatty at this time of year during the spawning season. In between, from September to October is the season for 'ljle hareng', the fish that have spawned and are noticeably less fatty.
Herrings are sold as fresh fish; or fried and preserved in vinegar; or as smoked fish which are salted and hot-smoked or, as in Britain, as kippers which are cold smoked and then re-heated before eating.
The herring industry in Amsterdam was one of the world's first to use quality control. The fish were put in wooden boxes which were sealed with a ring burnt into the wood. That ring is said to be the origin of the word 'haring'. Another word origin from these early days in the herring industry is 'pickle'. This method of storage in brine was invented by Willem Beukelsz, a Dutchman whose name somehow morphed into 'pekelen', and then into 'pickle' in English. And, as they say, not many people know that!
It's rare that a city can be said to be founded on a fish. Herring, however, has played just such a role in the history of Amsterdam. With the fish so digestible, and seen as a particularly healthy source of essential vitamins, it's hardly a surprise that the people of Amsterdam have flourished. So indulge yourself on the city's favourite fish on a city break to Amsterdam. It'll taste great and even better, it will do you good.
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