7 Memorable Matador Stories That Went Popular on Digg in 2008

Travel website Matador has listed my Amsterdam story as one of their 7 memorable stories that went popular on Digg in 2008. The article garnered 67 comments and 1017 diggs. Here's what senior editor David Miller had to say about it:

"Marla Seidell’s piece on Amsterdam and the resulting conversations it started represented the best of both Matador and Digg. People who have lived in Amsterdam for years not only agreed with her picks, but also helped with a few minor corrections as well as new suggestions.

This was one of the few pieces we’ve seen go popular on Digg where the haters seemed to stay under their bridges."

On Digg David Miller commented: "I like that concept of “gezelligheid." We lack words in English to describe what's so simple in other languages, like the buena onda."

True that gezelligheid encapsulates the Dutch quintessence. In Amsterdam gezelligheid is way of life, and it's something better experienced than explained. Think glowing candles in a beautiful cafe drinking coffee with a good friend for hours, eating those cute little cookies that come with your cup of very Dutch and strong coffee. What gezellig is not is being rushed over a meal at a restaurant, which so often happens here. It's lingering over your plates and wine, and having to ask the waiter for the check. Ironic that coffee shops, the places that lack this "coziness," are what tourists come hounding after when they land at Schiphol. If you're going to spend your time at seedy places like the Bulldog or even the Rokerij (which is kinda cool) while you're there, you're living up to the lame tourist label of that locals expect of you.

Here's the article, 10 Things to do in Amsterdam BESIDES smoking pot, in case you missed it.