Evening star., 1935-09-29
Amsterdam
Is Wealthy
InArt,Genns
Famous Diamond City
Is Hub for Trips
in Holland.
MSTERDAM, Holland. Septem-
\ ber 28.-When Hollands most
famous scholar Erasnniik visit.


~ ber 28.-When Hollands most
"A famous scholar, Erasmus, visit
4 \ ed Amsterdam, he poked fun
at its citizens by saying that they
lived in the tree tops like birds. As
matter of fact, Amsterdam Is q city
on stills, for the land on which 1t
was founded is so marshy and soft
that every house must be built on
piles, sunk as deep as SO feet In the
ground.
Much of the land around it lies Is
feet below sea level, and as one voy-
ages along the North Sea canal lead
ing to the city Hollanders proudly
point out the network of canals.
sluices, dikes and dams which inter-
lace throughout the countryside. In
case of an invasion. they explain. the
whole district could be flooded In
about two days. and they tell skeptics
that this desperate defense has al
ready been used twice in the history
Of the nation.
A great seaport, Amsterdam Is most
famed for its diamond-cutting indus
try. Each year the country sends
about SIS 100000 worth of diamonds
to the United States alone. and thou
sands OF people are employed in the
industry. Visitors are allowed In many
Of the large works, but the most fas-
cinating sight Is in certain cafes Of
the district. There dealers come to
bargain, heaping tiny piles Of the
stones in front Of them and turning
them over with the nail of the little
finger. which they allow to grow very
long for this purpose.
T IKE most cities Of Holland, Am
sterdam has its network Of canals,
but these no longer are the important
thoroughfares they once were. The
traffic Of today takes to the streets
beside them, and in spite of the fact
that no railing edges the water, acci-
dents are rare. When they do occur
there is special company with elab-
crate machinery which Specializes in
pulling horses. carriages, automobiles
and the like from the water.
Just as Amsterdam is a city of
canals, SO it is city of famous
paintings. The Ryks Museum, un-
surpassed in the world as a national
gallery, contains masterpieces of all
the great painters of Holland. This
year it is celebrating its flftieth ami
versary with a special exhibition OF
Rembrandts. and American travellers
may see on its walls paintings from
American collections which they may
never see at home.
II ones interests are outdoors rather
than in, Amsterdam has fascinating
geological garden, with a special pool
for native wading birds. gloomy ruin
kept especially for its owls. and large
collection Of animals. It's proudest
possession is. however. the school of
herring In its aquarium, for these
lowly fish have never lived in cap
tivity elsewhere in the world.
A MsTERDAM is an excellent center
for excursions into other parts
of Holland. Only short Journeys sep
arate it from Volendam and Marken,
where every one goes to see the quaint
costumes worn by the fishermen; from
Edam, famous for its cheeses, and
from Zaandam. the capital of windmill
land.
There are literally hundreds of
windmills in the district about Zaan-
dam and they are used for everything
from saving wood, pumping water and
making paper to cutting up tobacco
The town, a gay one with red-roofed
houses, is famed. not only for its
windmills, but also for its green
paint, the brightest in all Holland
Hundreds Of travellers may visit
Zaandam each year. but never will
they make its citizens understand
its real attractions. To the residents
its only sight" is a hut south of
the dam. the cottage in which Peter
the Great lived when he came to
Holland to study shipbuilding. and
'his they are always eager to point out.