Oudezijds Voorburgwal en Oudekennissteeg by The Gigapanographer Currently Known as "Kilgore661"

Gigapan Pro + Canon 7D + 18-55...

The eighth image in my Amsterdam series. You snapshotters will have to work hard to see the detail in the shade but I like the high contrast so decided to leave the image as is. When I was last here this area (the red light district) had an edge to it - didn't feel entirely safe. Now it seems a lot more friendly and open. The sex workers are still there in their shop windows, bars still sell hash BUT we found a bar where you could smoke tobbacco! Inside! Straight up. Amazing what some people will tolerate isn't it? Although a friend told me that the Dutch are not tolerant per se but pragmatic. This reminds me of Lord Vetinari who said "if you are going to have crime, then you may as well have organised crime" - he must have been Dutch.

Next: www.gigapan.org/gigapans/66230/