If you think of the Netherlands solely as a tranquil still life by Vermeer, you may be in for a surprise. We'll admit that much of its countryside, with cows grazing in fields near canals and old windmills, does suggest the timeless serenity captured by so many Dutch painters, but in its cities you'll find a more unexpected sort of harmony—one that balances tidy traditional architecture with a very modern point of view. Amsterdam, for example, has lovely gabled houses, priceless paintings and cheery, multilingual people. It also has coffee shops selling cannabis and window prostitutes touting their wares. The Dutch are nothing if not practical about sensual needs and desires, and the Netherlands is as well-known for its tolerance as for its tulips.
