May 1998
This was my first trip to continental Europe (I'd been to London before), and Amsterdam was my first stop. I was really excited to be here especially since I had just finished my Master's thesis the day before.
Central Amsterdam is built around a network of canals. This is the intersection of Reguliersgracht and Keizersgracht. I was told that the facade of many of the houses are purposely slanted forward so that furniture and other objects can be lifted up to the top floors, without hitting the facade, using the pulleys on the gables and brought indoors through the windows.
The neatly arranged rows of houses along the canals of central Amsterdam. Houses in Amsterdam were taxed according to the width of the front of the house. Therefore, many of the houses are very narrow but deep, extending far back from the street.
The Oudezijds Voorburgwal at the edge of Amsterdam's infamous red light district.