Kadion’s 20th Anniversary
In the Dutch capital there are literally more bicycles than residents, and that is just one of the many curiosities we discovered while exploring the city over the weekend. Bicycles even have priority over pedestrians!
To celebrate KADION’s 20th Anniversary, we travelled to Amsterdam, and if there is one thing the city is famous for, it is its bridges! We strolled along its world-famous canals and discovered fascinating aspects of the architecture of what began as a small fishing village before becoming the dominant maritime trading power in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.
On the first day, we enjoyed the unique experience of visiting De Kat, a working windmill where pigments are still produced today, located in Zaanse Schans, just 10 km from Amsterdam. For centuries, pigments were traditionally produced by using wind power to turn enormous granite stones for grinding.
We also visited factories producing other iconic Dutch products: a cheese factory, where we sampled all kinds of cheeses (including a blue lavender cheese!), and we had the opportunity to watch traditional wooden clogs being made. Back in Amsterdam, we could not miss the chance to explore the city by bicycle—an unforgettable experience. And in the evening, as you may have guessed, a visit to the famous Red Light District was a must.
The following day we continued exploring the legacy of the Dutch Golden Age, starting at the headquarters of the Dutch East India Company, an institution whose influence remains significant even in today’s economy. We also visited the Jewish Quarter, where tragic events took place during the Nazi occupation, and where the house of the greatest painter of the Dutch Golden Age, Rembrandt van Rijn, is located.
Amsterdam is not an easy city to define from a tourist perspective. As we were told, it is not an ostentatious city with an overwhelming number of monuments. However, Amsterdam is known as Europe’s most liberal city, and it is undoubtedly well worth visiting.
A wonderful experience and a weekend to remember. We hope to celebrate KADION‘s 25th, 30th and many more anniversaries together.