Every city has something iconic about it which you’ve to be a part of, in case you visit the place. For example, if you go to Kolkata and not eat a rosogolla then what’s the point of making the effort to go there? If you visit Paris, are you really going to come back without visiting the Eiffel Tower? And similarly, if you are in Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, it was customary to take a pic in front of the ‘I Amsterdam’ sign.
However, that might not be the case anymore.
Recently, the Instagram page named ‘I Amsterdam’ announced that the selfie-worthy sign has been removed. And the reason is overcrowding.
According to News 18, this decision was taken after the UN World Tourism Organisation studied Amsterdam for their report of urban tourism. The report recommended developing tourist activities outside the city center and away from popular places like the Rijksmuseum.
So, unfortunately, the place looks like this now:
So sad. Alexa, please play ‘Jag soona soona lage’.
Netizens were admittedly miffed about the whole affair and posted pictures of themselves with the ‘I Amsterdam’, as if to mourn its “passing”.
That said, all’s not sour and gloomy. The sign will be making the rounds of the city, mainly in lesser-known areas to highlight their existence. So, if you’re in Amsterdam, you can catch the sign at Student Hotel. It’ll be there till December 12th and will then be moved to Westerpark near Pacific Parc restaurant.