Amsterdam was a complete dream. I quickly learned that I couldn’t take in the city like a New Yorker, rushing from place to place. I really had to soak in every bit of it. The canals helped me to make that connection – they’re still, beautiful and reflect the daylight right back at you. The city lives around, in, and through them. You cannot, and I mean absolutely cannot visit Amsterdam without riding a bicycle. It’s the ultimate local experience. I was so surprised to see how essential bikes are to the culture of the people (I heard that there are ...