The call of the running tide

What makes Amsterdam so special is that its proximity to water manifests in surprising ways. You turn a corner, or walk up stairs, and there is so often an unexpected view. And this being The Netherlands, I assume most of it is constructed. Which came first? The city or its artists?

This is my view when catching the bus home from Amsterdam Centraal:

And this is what I see from out front of my apartment:

Perhaps they pay someone to check the sight lines.