European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 26, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The towers of the St Nicholas Church loom Over the River amstel and canal barges As seen from one of the Many boat cruises available in Amsterdam. Amsterdam a Little of everything and a whole lot of fun the dam with the City Hall in the Back is a focus Point for tourists and the pigeons who feed off their generosity. By Norm Zeigler travel outdoor writer like All the world s great cities Amsterdam has Many faces. Trom the Flower child boutiques of Nieuwerf Rijk the City s famed pedestrian shopping Street to the elegant town houses along the Herren Bracht this is a City that can Surprise and capture1 the heart of even the most jaded tourist. Amsterdam is above ill a City of water. Built on 90 interconnected islands it has a feel of being afloat on tin Waves. There Are few places in the City that Are not within a Stone s throw of one of its 1 60 canals or 1,200 Bridges. They impart a romantic air and a redolent e of the sea reminiscent of Venice. In lie evenings the e anal Glimmer with the Amber glow from Street lights constructed to look like1 antique Gas lamps. In c entries , the Waterways were1 not quite so romantic. In addition to serving As transportation links and water level control devices they were also open sewers. The resulting stench prompted a i 9th Century German visitor to pronounce e Amsterdam Quot the least healthy place e in the  these Days the problem has been solved Fry a modern sewer network and a huge jumping station that flushes lie c anal with 4 a million Gallons of fresh water every night. Throughout its development Amsterdam has looked Seaward for its livelihood and its destiny. It began in the 1 2th Century As a fishing Village built behind a dam on the River amstel amstel Damn but by the Lute Middle Ages it was an impressive maritime1 Center shipping goods to and from the far it orders of the world in the 1600s it Bee Ante Europe s in trued on i March 26, 1992 stripes Magazine 3