What does Amsterdam feel, taste, smell, sound, and look like?

Once I settled into my new space, I got started.

Step one: read Patrick's remarks.
Just after arriving at the house, I received the awaited suggestions and corrections from my editor, Patrick. One of his main remarks focuses on making Amsterdam more vivid. Put the reader there. Make them feel like they are in the city.


I decided to make a mood board on Amsterdam and asked Ira to help me.
We sat down at the big, slate table in the garden where she drew beautiful illustrations of the five senses as a base for my board.

Then, I intuitively wrote down whatever came up concerning smells in Amsterdam, sounds, flavours etc. The words that appeared multiple times were seaguls, water, and bicycles (bells). More original ones on the board are the ‘beep beep beep’ of a delivery truck in reverse or the traditional melodies of the Southern church.
Do you have words that come to mind when you think of your city in terms of the five senses?

Now, whenever I need a lively ingredient, I can look at the mood board on my wall and use it in the story whenever I need it.