As I’m on the road about half the time, one thing that sold me on Portland was that, although it’s a manageable city with close proximity to greenery and the outdoors, it still has a world-class airport with plenty of direct flights, including international service to Asia and Europe. I keep my fingers crossed that PDX will land some future international routes, and in the meantime, I’m thankful for those we have.

As it happens, I’ve also long been a fan of one of the cities with direct flights from here, Amsterdam – I even wrote a guidebook on the city back in the ’90s. Just this past May, I returned for a visit and to research a few stories for different outlets (I write for a mix of publications, some mainstream, and others with a mostly gay and lesbian readership).

With my recent visit still fresh in my mind, here’s my quick-and-dirty take on what I most recommend seeing and doing if you find yourself in Amsterdam for a few days:

You can escape some of the more tourist-heavy parts of the city with surprising ease – the Nieuwmarkt area has some wonderful little lanes dotted with design shops and cafes – try Staalstraat and Zwaneburgwal in particular. From here you’re very close to Rembrandthuis - the home, studio and museum of Dutch Painter, Rembrandt van Rijn – which is absolutely worth a visit.

Another excellent neighborhood for strolling and lazing away the afternoon in diverting cafes is the Jordaan – cozy Balthazar’s Keuken is a fantastic spot for market-fresh country French cooking, with a menu that changes weekly.

As culinary joys go, also be sure to try Indonesian food while in town. The traditional rijstaffel (“rice table”) meals served at countless spots around the city offer a terrific sense of what this flavorful, sweet-and-spicy cuisine is all about. Restaurant Selecta is one of my favorite places for rijstaffel – it’s just around the corner from Reguliersdwaarsstraat, which is home to several of the city’s most popular gay bars.

If you get the chance, budget some time to explore a couple of nearby cities – several great ones are within 30- to 90-minute train ride. I’ve always enjoyed my time in nearby Leiden, a bustling university town since the late 16th century that’s rife with canals and gardens. Another favorite is the Dutch seat of government, The Hague, which is rich with museums (the Gemeentemuseum has a huge collection of works by Dutch modernist Piet Mondriaan).

Zandvoort is a scenic resort town on the North Sea that’s one of northern Europe’s favorite gay beach towns – Portlanders partial to Sauvie Island might be happy to know that Zandvoort also has a popular clothing-optional beach. And then there’s the second-largest city in the Netherlands, Rotterdam, which many visitors have dismissed over the years as a gritty, industrial port city. There’s truth to this, but I love it here – you’ll find some exceptional examples of avant-garde post-World War II architecture, and a burgeoning cafe and nightlife culture.

Andrew Collins
Freelance Travel Writer
For more of Andrew’s writing, visit www.gaytravel.about.com

What to See and Do?

Amsterdam’s reputation as a cultural and artistic center precedes itself, but there’s more to this city’s artistic expression than traditional art housed at the Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum. Fashion-focused visitors can appreciate wearable art from some of Amsterdam’s most eco-conscious designers’, including Studio Jux, Van Markoviec, and Brennels. Each of these designers sets the latest fashion trends using sustainable products such as organic cotton, linen, bamboo and even stinging nettles. In recognition of their green fashion efforts, Studio Jux, Van Markoviec, Brennels and six other Dutch designers were recently celebrated during Dutch National Sustainability Day.

Where to eat?

“You reap what you sow” claims new meaning at Amsterdam’s De Kas Restaurant. Each day executive chef Ronald Kunis and head chef Meindert Heijer carefully select the menu from the restaurant’s local garden and greenhouse. If they require ingredients outside of what their nursery provides, Kunis and Heijer select only the finest produce from other local, environmentally conscious farmers. Choosing to farm and shop locally keeps de Kas’s transportation and emissions rates down, while helping their fellow business partners to thrive. The restaurant’s unique dining experience promises to keep its customers on their toes with fresh, local ingredients, a constantly changing menu, and a mission of sustainability.

Where to play?

We know you can dance (or at least try to) and after spending a day grazing off of Amsterdam’s sustainable restaurants, it might be time to consider burning off a few of those vacation calories. Dancing can burn up to 350 calories per hour, but did you know that it can also produce 50 watts of electricity per hour? Named in honor of the energy it produces, Watts Dance Club in Rotterdam uses sensors in the dance floor to collect dancers’ vibrations and produce electricity, which is then used to power the club’s lighting schemes. Rotterdam-based innovator Enviu created the Sustainable Dance Club concept in 2006, and has shared its dance-inspired technology with clubs like Watts across the globe.

Where to Stay?

Some might say luxury must be sacrificed for the environment’s sake, but in Amsterdam you can have the best of both worlds. Whether you’re interested in budget-friendly or high-end luxury, Amsterdam has a hotel that will both fit your interests and provide green service with a smile.

For a low-budget, high quality hotel experience, consider a stay at the Bicycle Hotel. This hotel is a “green” model citizen with its bicycle rentals, recycling and solar powered electricity. Known for its friendly staff, accessibility to the city’s historical sites and recommendations for great biking routes, the Bicycle Hotel is a perfectly affordable solution for your hotel needs.

Kicking your luxury experience up a notch doesn’t have to come at Mother Nature’s expense.  At the Hotel de l’Europe, you can have a world class lodging experience with eco-friendly frills. The hotel’s chain, Leading Hotels of the World, was the first hospitality entity to offer patrons a completely carbon-neutral experience through their environmentally responsible practices as well as an additional financial carbon offset program.

Now that you’re geared up with a few green Amsterdam itinerary tips, we want to hear from you! What recommendations do you have for a more environmentally-friendly travel experience?

Photo/video credit: Bikes in Amsterdam, liber; Studio Jux, Teska Overbeeke; De Kas Restaurant, Magnusdigity; Sustainable Dance Club, panxut; Hotel de L’Europe, Mark & Danielle Parris