Today, we took a canal cruise through Amsterdam. Built in the 17th century, the canals served as a defense and water control system–as Amsterdam is 6 meters under sea level. As the city grew in the Middle and Golden Ages, the canals offered a route for the local transportation of goods. Warehouses lined the canals and goods could be stored in them.

Amsterdam was built on silt, sand, and soft dirt. Even though houses were built to be lightweight by reducing the number of levels, the infrastructure still shifts, especially if it’s exposed to the air. Most homes are built of brick but their support beams and skeletons are made of wood. This causes shifting that is hard to fix.

We also visited a store called Cacao & Spice. This store sells direct trade, single-origin chocolate grown in biodiverse environments. Direct trade is a type of classification that requires there be no more than 2 middlemen between the sale of the chocolate from the farmer to the consumer. This allows the farmers to earn more revenue as a lower percentage of sales are being redistributed to those in between. Single-origin refers to where and how the cacao used in the chocolate is sourced. The cacao is from one, identifiable farm. Cacao & Spice has chocolate from farms in Madagascar, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and many other warm environments. Cacao grown in biodiverse areas allows for a unique flavor reflecting the other flora in the area.

The store owner, a woman named Salomé, gave us samples of dark chocolates from different locations. Even though the chocolates had the same exact ingredients, they had different flavors because of their growing conditions. Some had fruity flavors because they were grown next to mango groves. Others had a nutty aftertaste because of the amount of sunlight the trees got. She gave us samples of her homemade bonbons, one of which was mirrored after spekkoek, a Dutch-Indonesian spice cake. Salomé stated that she created it as it is a fusion of her two cultures and her interest in chocolate. She also spoke about the emphasis Cacao & Spice had on chocolate that supported not only cacao farms, but also the areas surrounding the cacao farms. She emphasized how keeping cacao farming and chocolate making in one place created jobs for locals. Underdeveloped areas could get more revenue with direct trade as well, thereby increasing the flow of revenue in the area. These two practices of Cacao & Spice’s suppliers help grow the economies of previously underdeveloped areas.

Cacao & Spice also emphasizes sustainability. One of their main suppliers, Original Beans, has a commitment to plant one tree for every bar of chocolate sold. Over 250,000 trees were planted thanks to this promise. Salomé also talked about how reducing the waste of the chocolate-making process was vital. Usually, the cacao bean is collected for use and the rest is discarded. However, Salomé is working to reduce this. Cacao & Spice sells a cacao drink made of fermented pods of cacao beans. The floor of Cacao & Spice is even made with cacao plant fibers! By utilizing every piece of the cacao plant, less waste is produced and more jobs are created because of the increase of products.

Salomé’s husband, Ian, also took us on a tour and spoke about the history and present-day politics of Amsterdam. He highlighted how Cacao & Spice was one of the first businesses to take part in a government program to clean up the Red Light District and promote small businesses. Under the new mayor, the city bought up houses in the District during the pandemic. They are now approving who can occupy the units. Only small, local businesses are allowed residency. Large, multinational corporations are banned from this area of Amsterdam. There is even a specific section that is reserved for women or minority business owners. This is in an attempt to stimulate the economy as the Red Light District used to be a large source of revenue in Amsterdam. Now, consumer/visitor demands have shifted and local businesses are able to fill that gap and generate revenue.

Compared to America, business mindsets are a little different, but overall similar. While small businesses are encouraged with mindsets such as “Small Business Saturday”, large corporations are usually more present and favored. The emphasis on small businesses helps grow the local economy and keep revenue as well as jobs in Amsterdam. Both Amsterdam and American culture emphasize entrepreneurship and business reflects that. The government offers support in both places to businesses–big and small.

Overall, the day was very fun! Learning about the politics of Amsterdam was very interesting and tasting all the chocolate was super fun. The canal trip was also very informative and offered beautiful sites.