Amsterdam Trip

When did I go….

• May 1 – May 8, 2019

 

Why did I go…

• my buddy An was babysitting his daughter Drina’s dogs while they were vacationing in Japan, so I ventured over to hang out with him for a week

 

How did I get there…

• flew KLM direct for 9 hours both ways
• this was the first multi-time zone trip where I did not feel any jet lag on the way over for some strange reason
• it was a half hour ride during the morning rush hour from the Schiphol airport in a taxi to the apartment with a driver who felt that time was money given his aggressive driving
• it only took 20 minutes in an Uber to return to the airport mid-morning

 

Where did we stay…

• my buddy’s daughters apartment on the north end of downtown in the Westerdok area
• the apartment overlooks a canal and was a five-minute walk into the main hub of old town Amsterdam (known as Amsterdam-Centrum)
• the location was great to get into Centrum, and to the Amsterdam Centraal train station which was also the hub for a couple of ferry rides we took across the channel (it’s fun to watch the ferry’s, water freight vessels, bikes, scooters, vehicles, trains, and buses all buzzing thru this area as well as the rows of bikes parked along the river)

 

 

Where did we eat…

• most of our breakfasts and dinners were at the apartment with Chez An operating the stove and associated tools of the trade (we bought organic meat from Poelier H. Jonk, fresh seafood from Vishandel, and organic groceries from Marqt Supermarket which was all five minutes from our apartment)
• we really enjoyed picking up fresh orange juice from Marqt Supermarket from the machines that juice the oranges right in front of you (how fresh is that and why don’t we have them in Canada)

• Hangar (across the channel from Centraal train station, cool old hangar structure, good vibe, decent food, a bit of a jaunt to get to and from this location)
• Pllek (NDSM Wharf district, a cool spot overlooking the river, fun vibe, good service, plant-focused menu)
• Milu (Den Hagg, nice location on a street of old buildings, funky decor, good drinks, and excellent chow)
• Sari Citra (Indonesian restaurant near Albert Cuyp Market, Rijsttafel feast for two with about eight components of very tasty food)

 

 

What did we do…

• took the pups (Vtech and Tuggy) for multiple walks every day along the canal out front of our apartment where An talked to everyone and started to become a local celebrity
• went to Winkel’s four times during the evening for their famous apple pie (nice relaxed vibe where Bill Clinton’s visit helped boost their notoriety)
• hung out in some local coffee shops (not hard to find them everywhere, but we enjoyed Coffee and Such, Koffee Huis De Hoek, and Toki)
• stopped in for a traditional ‘Genever’ tasting at A. van Wees Tasting Facility (Genever is Dutch gin that is the juniper-flavored national and traditional liquor of the Netherlands and Belgium)

• rode our bikes to Amsterdam Centraal and caught a train to Vandoort (an oceanside town with many beach cottages) where we road up the coast thru Zuid Kennermerland National Park (beautiful sand dunes), thru Overveen (spectacular historic houses), and on to Haarlem (beautiful historic city that I would love to return to explore more of it, had lunch in the main square and watched a couple of weddings), then we road an hour back to Amsterdam which made for a long day on the bike seat
• strolled thru the historic Red Light District which is quite a nice area other than the throngs of people that hang out in this area during the evening
• visited the NDSM wharf area that is undergoing a major renovation (a short five-minute ferry ride from north Centrum, amazing street art including a huge mural of Anne Frank, cool vibe dining spots, converted warehouses popping up, beach area for warmer days, new residential and commercial spaces)
• cruised the Noordermarkt (open on Saturday mornings) in the Jordaan area which is known for its biological food (we tried some Dutch herring which was quite tasty)
• took a train to Scheveningen (cool oceanside pier with a Ferris wheel, bungee jumping, restaurant, and shops), Den Haag (interesting street sculptures, major business center, some very historic buildings), and Delft (famous blue and white Delft pottery, quaint canal area that has a very relaxed vibe)
• visited the Anne Frank House which is a very well done tribute to this amazing young lady and her place in the Jewish history of World War 2
• checked out Foodhallen which is a warehouse type building with a great food court (picked up the famous bitterballen), offices, theatres, workspaces, and shops (very well laid out facility and something every city should have)
• one evening we walked down to the south part of Centrum to view the lights on the Magere Brug (skinny) bridge on the Amstel River, the Seven Bridges (Reguliersgracht) where you can stand and see seven canal bridges from one spot as well as the Night Watch soldier statues at Rembrandtplein Square
• shopped at Scotch and Soda (my favorite clothing store) for some men’s clothing that challenged my carry on bag strategy but I managed to jam everything in
• walked around De Pijp area (bohemian area, Albert Cuyp Market where they sell fresh stroopwafels which we were too stuffed from our Riijsttafel lunch to try, well-known restaurant The Avocado Show is in this area which had a huge lineup to get in, walked thru Vondelpark, and checked out Zevenlandenhuizen street with the historic seven houses that represented seven different European architectural styles)

 

 

Interesting facts:

• Amsterdam is named after the Amstel river that flows into the city and Amstel is the historic beer
• the Dutch people do not initially come across as friendly people, but they seemed to very quickly come alive once you start chatting with them
• even though the exchange rate was not good at 1.5 Canadian to 1 Euro, it helps that tipping is not expected as this saves 20% on that part of the trip
• there are metal men’s urinals in various parts of Centrum along the canals that are quite convenient when the bladder needs a relief valve
• the XXX sign seen around town is from the Amsterdam Coat of Arms, but there are many theories behind what the X’s stand for
• the main modes of transportation for people are bikes (often with various types of carrying devices on them), walking, scooters, train, tram, and ferry (everything runs on time and is readily available)
• you need to be on full alert as it is organized mayhem with this many types of vehicles all scurrying along in the Centrum area
• the biking culture is wonderful with old durable bikes and ‘nobody’ wearing helmets (I think it must be illegal to wear a helmet…ha ha, it is illegal and a finable offense to not have a front and back like as well as a bell)
• the bike path system is amazing throughout the country
• we did see one crash where a lady riding her bike in 6-inch heels hit a lady crossing the street with her dog (they all appeared uninjured and moved on without making a major issue out of it)
• taxes are included in everything, so that is convenient to know what you are paying
• food prices are comparable to Canada, but alcohol is way cheaper
• flowers are beautiful and very cheap given since they are grown locally
• people appear very fit which is likely due to them biking everywhere as well as eating healthy food with reasonable portion sizes

 

 

What did we not do that is on the agenda for next time:

• come back in April for the prime tulip blooming season
• travel to other cities and villages around the countryside (northern Netherlands) and in neighboring countries (Bruges, Antwerp)
• see some windmills (Dezannseschans, Kinderdijk)
• brewery tours (Heineken, Deprael, Troost)
• museums (Moco, Rijksmuseum, Dutch Resistance)
• purchase some Delft ceramics (Dutch tin-glazed earthenware)
• A’DAM Lookout observation tower and swing
• Bloemenmarkt (famous floating flower market on the Singel canal in the city center)
• Hortus Botanicus (oldest botanical garden in Europe)
• biking around the city to various parks and other neighborhoods outside the Centrum area
• would be fun to view the inside of some canal houses and to rent one out to stay in for a few days

 

 

Final thoughts:

• recommend snagging some chocolate, cheese, and stroopwafels to bring home
• Amsterdam has beautiful architecture and numerous historic neighborhoods to explore (it’s fun to peek into the canal area houses at night)

• the weather felt quite chilly to me with constantly changing conditions from sun to cloud to wind to rain (I guess there is a valid reason why they have so many windmills in this country…dah)

• many thanks to my buddy’s daughter, Drina, for coming up with so many great ideas of things to do and see and for letting me stay at their abode
• as she said ‘Amsterdam is a neat city, getting lost here is amazing, walking around and looking at buildings, popping into stores that you normally wouldn’t’