Amsterdam

The cities of Amsterdam and San Francisco share some remarkable similarities. Both are about 50 square miles in size. Both have about three-quarters of a million inhabitants. Both begin at an inland waterway, with a ferry terminal that is the base of the main street. Both are well known for their cultural sophistication and tolerance. There are however some distinct differences, and in most of them, San Francisco is inferior. Amsterdam is quite simply the greatest city in the world for grown-ups. Here are a few of its attributes:

• Trees and church steeples, not skyscrapers and billboards, dominate the skyline.
  
  
• The pace of life is slower and is centered around socializing in outdoor cafes.
  
  
• Good public transit runs on time, is safe and clean.
  
  
• Most people commute by bicycle, and cyclists always have the right-of-way.
  
  
• Historic preservation is a top priority.
  
  
• You can hop on a high-speed train and be whisked to any one of a dozen of the great cities of Europe within few hours.
  
  
• Adults are treated like they know what's best for themselves: vices and victimless crimes such as soft drugs and prostitution are safe and decriminalized.
  
  
• The police are friendly and helpful and lack the macho swagger of American police. The slang for a policeman isn't "cop", but "uncle officer".
  
  
• The streets are largely safe even for single women at night; violent crimes are rare.
  
  
• Jazz is prevalent and well supported.
  
  
• They have the best coffee in the world.
  
  
• I have never been panhandled in Amsterdam.