Amsterdam - Grimier than when I was last there

Amsterdam wasn't quite as charming as I remembered (possibly having to do with us staying in the Red Light District this time around, as opposed to the fancy parts when I was there for an interview a couple years ago).

Property taxes were originally based on the width of the property, so a lot of the places are narrow. This also causes them to design the staircases to be very narrow, so that it is impossible to bring furniture in and out - so there are beams pointing out of the top floor, to which they attach pulleys so that they can bring furniture in through the windows.


Some of the houses were built slanted forward, so that the furniture wouldn't break windows on its way up. Only later did they realize the same effect could be had by making the beams longer.

Many of the houses are built on poor foundations, so slanty houses are quite common - so much so that there are firms that specialize in replacing floors so that the floors aren't slanty even though the houses are, and other firms that specialize in making windows that aren't quite square.

About one street of every ten is alongside a canal, and I very much like the way the streets are laid out as concentric circles.