{"id":2164,"date":"2012-01-24T00:19:41","date_gmt":"2012-01-23T23:19:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/followthebaldie.com\/?page_id=2164"},"modified":"2014-12-04T22:09:14","modified_gmt":"2014-12-04T21:09:14","slug":"in-the-footsteps-of-sinterklaas-a-free-self-guided-walk-from-schiphol-to-amsterdams-red-light-district","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oreneta.com\/baldie\/dutch-walking-tours\/amsterdam-walking-tours\/in-the-footsteps-of-sinterklaas-a-free-self-guided-walk-from-schiphol-to-amsterdams-red-light-district\/","title":{"rendered":"In the footsteps of Sinterklaas: a free self-guided walk from Schiphol to Amsterdam’s red-light district"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Dutch establishment is often taken to be progressive, but its refusal to accept that technological change has meant that for quite some time St Nicholas<\/a> has been unable to find a steamboat for his annual journey from Spain to the Netherlands is clear proof that this is not the case. <\/p>\n

Sinterklaas actually arrives at Schiphol and, like all Spanish visitors, makes a beeline for decadence and perversion. His preference for central Amsterdam is commemorated in countless children's songs, of which you may wish to translate this one:<\/p>\n

Sinterklaas kapoentje,
\ngeef de kat een zoentje,
\ngeef de hond een pootje,
\nrook nog maar een blowtje.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

... or this one, from the Hell's Angels playgroup:<\/p>\n

Sinterklaas kapoentje,
\ngeef de kat een zoentje,
\ngeef de kat een likkie,
\ntrek hem aan z'n pikkie.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n[
\nThere are of course alternatives, but heavy traffic and perhaps excessively ordered landscapes mean that walking from Schiphol to the south isn't much fun. Your least worst option on the return is probably to borrow a bicycle in Leiden and take the following route, which is either on cycle paths (avoid Oude Wetering because the road between it and Leiden is dangerous) or small roads, and includes windmills and a nice short stretch of canal:<\/p>\n