Amsterdam can be as hectic as any major capital - or as relaxing as
a village. ’The Dutch have a free and easy reputation which is not that
accurate,’ says Andrew Knight, regional director of the International
Herald Tribune, who has lived there for the past seven years. ’But
Amsterdam has the advantage of being one of the few capital cities where
you can dictate the pace of life.
’A whole host of global companies such as Canon, Nissan, Mitsubishi and
Nike - to name but a few - have chosen this city for their European
headquarters. It’s easy to see why, as communications are so good. Where
else can you can get from city centre to departure gate within 20
minutes?
’The Dutch can be very direct, sometimes more than you might want. But
they are very warm, honest and loyal, in business and socially.’ And
Amsterdam has plenty to offer socially. ’The Supper Club, where you dine
lying on beds like something out of a Peter Greenaway film, is
wonderful. So are the traditional ’brown bars’. There’s excellent
Indonesian and Japanese food. The Dutch have their own version of the
latter: raw herring. The best can be found at Altena Zeebanquet, a
herring stall near the Rijksmuseum.
’Every year on 30 April we celebrate Queen Beatrix’s birthday with
gusto. A wild party goes on for over 36 hours. It’s one of Europe’s best
kept secrets.’
