Amsterdam: Streets and districts that will delight you

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Going on a short trip to Amsterdam? Our list of several streets and neighborhoods will help you decide which places to visit in the Dutch capital.

Amsterdam is at the same time everything you expected and a total surprise. Visit our favorite streets and neighborhoods to see the best that the city has to offer. All places were selected from the Amsterdam guide, momondo places (currently available in English)

De Westelijke Eilanden

“Islands”, located in the western part of the canals and nowadays connected, have the atmosphere of an archipelago. Prinseneiland, Realeneiland and Bickerseiland create an extraordinary oasis that will steal everyone’s heart. Although they are separated from busy Haarlemmerdijk only by tracks, you will feel like you are in a remote village at the end of the world.

Since you are here, be sure to drop by the cozy cafe ‘t Blaauwhooft, the popular local bar next door. The whole area is crossed by canals, which makes it a fairy-tale place for ice skating in winter. A lot of “islanders” live on boats, the others occupy amazing 16th-century warehouses, formerly used as tobacco and wine warehouses. Take a walk and let the magic take over.

Where: De Westelijke Eilanden
Nearest station: Haarlemmerplein

De wallen

You’ve probably heard about this place more than once – the red light district is one of the most famous parts of Amsterdam. The 14th-century labyrinth of alleys and canals has been providing adults with entertainment since the days when sailors wandered the narrow streets. The entire district is lit up by countless, red lit ‘peeskamers’ – rooms with prostitutes posing in the windows.

If it sounds weird and profaned – that’s how it is. But it’s totally safe here, and traditional pubs are worth visiting. Since the entry of Project 1012 – the city’s initiative to organize and promote this area – Wallen proudly presents its participation in the latest initiatives. Look for galleries, studios and exhibitions in the excellent Oude Kerk (Old Church) and fashionable cafes like Quartier Putain and Mata Hari.

Where: De Wallen
Nearest station: Dam

De dam

Dam will probably be the first thing you’ll see when you arrive in the city. The square was originally a real dam on the Amstel River, and the main thoroughfares – rather unattractive streets of Rokin and Damrak – part of the river that flows towards Lake IJ. The Memorial to National Remembrance, erected in honor of the victims of World War II, became a hippie center in the colorful seventies – children were not disturbed by the strange shape of the flowers.

Every year, on May 4, National Remembrance Day is celebrated. You will also find the Royal Palace, Nieuwe Kerk, Madame Tussauds wax office and an incredible amount of hungry pigeons and live statues. Take a walk along the narrow “avenue of the theater”, which is actually called Nes, and enjoy the energy of this area.

Where: De Dam
Nearest station: Dam

De Nieuwmarkt

Charisma? The centrally located Nieuwmarkt square easily overshadows the Dam. The historical heart of the city beats in its center at Waag, which is one of the oldest, non-religious buildings in the city. By the way – criminals were executed here.

At the Saturday market, traders will feed you with organic cheese, and cozy pubs will invite you for a lazy afternoon with a beer. In addition, you’ll find pubs serving the best curries in town next to fish shops. And on New Year’s Eve the whole sky will light up with fireworks. This is also where the annual Aprilfeesten takes place, changing the square and surrounding area into a week-long music market. This is real Amsterdam!

Where: De Nieuwmarkt
Nearest station: Nieuwmarkt

De Nieuwe Hoogstraat

De Nieuwe Hoogstraat perfectly summarizes the entire historical city center. This short shopping street, leading from Damstraat to the romantic Zuiderkerkhof located at the back of the Nieuwmarkt, instantly reveals all Amsterdam’s banalities as well as all the elegance of the city.

It’s really hard to miss her. It is located in the oldest and one of the busiest parts of the city, where cycling and madness reign supreme. You will find headshops (tobacco accessories stores) with incense floating in the air, shoe stores with clogs at exhibitions, wooden toys, art books, city sneakers, and even a store specializing in kites. An express dose of Amsterdam’s versatility.

Where: De Nieuwe Hoogstraat
Nearest station: Nieuwmarkt

What happens in the body when we stop smoking?

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We smoke less and less, but still too much. Meanwhile, tobacco is a disastrous habit that leads to lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, causes atherosclerosis or stroke. No wonder that more and more Poles decide to quit cigarettes, in 2011 without a cigarette of the day could not imagine 31 percent. of us, in 2015 – only 25 percent The effects of withdrawal can be seen after a few minutes, when the pulse begins to normalize and the pressure slowly returns to normal. What else happens in the body when we decide to stop nicotine? Cheap snus

Quitting smoking is an invitation to the body to regenerate. Specialists from the American Cancer Society speak in this tone, but not only. Polish doctors, dentists, psychologists and dietitians also recommend parting with addiction. They all unanimously point to the consequences of smoking: a higher risk of heart disease and lung cancer, where on average 20 thousand die annually. Poles. Awareness of danger is also increased by numerous social campaigns.

But quitting smoking should not be only dictated by fear. Specialists from ACS argue that quitting is simply profitable for health. Before doing so, you need to focus on the consequences of parting with your cigarette. Here are a few of them.

The heart is the most important muscle in the human body. Quitting smoking is salutary for him because nicotine and other substances contained in nicotine smoke put a heavy load on both his work and the coronary vessels.

Meanwhile, after 20 minutes without a cigarette, the pulse begins to return to normal. Immediately afterwards, the heart rate stabilizes, and arterial pressure – calms down and returns to the standard level, i.e. around 90/120. All this leads to the elimination of the risk of future heart disease and the entire vascular system.

How to prevent lung cancer? Put down cigarettes. The lungs have an unusual tendency to recover quickly. Already 8 hours after quitting the habit, the blood oxygen level returns to normal. After 3 days, the bronchi relax and we begin to breathe completely. It takes a week or two to normalize the lungs and restore proper air circulation. You may have a cough during this time but it is a positive symptom. It means cleansing the lungs of substances deadly for them. Pulmonary cilia lead to coughing, which – not loaded with tar – begin to work. Lung regeneration usually lasts 2-3 months.

Why are cigarettes so addictive? When we look at smoking as a relaxation activity, leading to the feeling of pleasure, we come to the conclusion that it promotes the release of opioids, including endorphins. These hormones are responsible for bliss. They are also secreted e.g. during orgasm.

Unfortunately, when we decide to quit nicotine, the brain will quickly notice the lack of pleasure provided to it and will start calling for it, it happens that this “call” will appear from 2 to 12 hours after stopping. So there will be: nervousness, irritability, mood swings and a huge need to reach for a cigarette. These feelings will disappear as soon as nicotine is completely released from the body and hormone levels return to normal.

The substances contained in nicotine smoke, including tar, ammonia, lead, cadmium, formaldehyde and carbon monoxide have not only poisonous properties. They stop the natural circulation of blood and contribute to breaking the skin’s structure. Although these changes are impossible to undo, they can be leveled after discontinuation. All you need is a good cream. But quitting the addiction increases the blood supply to the skin, which can help moisturize it. In turn, the bruises under the eyes will disappear as a result of better and calmer sleep.

Smoking cigarettes gives the teeth a characteristic yellow color, and the mouth – an unpleasant smell. You will get rid of them by quitting smoking. What’s more – parting with addiction reduces the risk of tooth decay. This is because the mouth is no longer in contact with cigarette smoke, which increases the risk of bacterial infection.