Living in Amsterdam North

About a month ago I moved to my new home in the North of Amsterdam. Growing up in the city centre, the north – even though Amsterdam is as small as it gets – feels like moving to another city. Why? Mainly because the north of town is separated from the city centre by the ‘IJ’ river (it’s actually a lake and originally a bay, but most of all it’s a lot of water). Moving to ‘Noord’ has proven the distance to be peanuts, the ferry takes you to the the epicenter of Amsterdam in only a few minutes – a service provided for free, as you have to make a big detour cycling to the nearest bridge.

For many Amsterdam citizens Noord used to be where to go only for underground house parties, roaming the big flee market or visiting your great-aunt Babs or Miep – now the area is very ‘up and coming’. With the city centre slowly turning into an open air museum, the north of town appeals as a more spacious and less crowded area. A lot of creative and alternative initiatives are settling on ‘the other side’ and many cafes and restaurants in industrial settings give Noord a fresh and lively character. Check out I love Noord to see what’s up.

So having to take the ferry isn’t that bad at all. It gives you a moment to catch your breath, let the wind blow through your hair, enjoy the beautiful skies, and check out all the nice cyclist commuters. Aude made a cool video where you  can see a few cyclists getting on the ferry just in time, and made a post about Amsterdam North before, remember? The snapshots in this post give you an impression of cyclists taking the ferry from before sunrise until after sunset.

by Else