Visiting Keukenhof’s gorgeous tulip gardens just outside Amsterdam, I wasn’t really sure what to expect.  I had, of course, heard of the gardens’ beauty in spring.  But I wasn’t prepared to be blown away by the expanses of colour, charmed by the landscaping and attention to detail, and to fall so utterly head-over-heels for the simple, stunning tulip.  This month on Travel Linkup we’re highlighting the unexpected places that we’ve visited, be they places that didn’t match up or that knocked your socks off.  I didn’t expect to love our visit to Keukenhof like I did, but I absolutely adored the time spent frolicking amongst the flowers!

[Read more…]

When a city is built in, on and around the water like Amsterdam, it makes sense to take to a boat to explore.  On my most recent trip to Amsterdam, that’s exactly what I did, and it gave me a fascinating look at the city that I simply couldn’t get by foot – or bike!

[Read more…]

Amsterdam was at the top of my list for a weekend visit when I first moved to the UK, but it actually took me two years to make it there.  Good things take time, of course, and I thoroughly enjoyed my taster of life in the Dutch capital.  Although it was grey and rainy, not the delightful early-summer weather we were hoping for, we visited historical landmarks and pretty canals, climbed high into the sky and of course, checked out a few of the foodie delights of the Dam, as locals know it.

After a late Friday night flight in our first stop the next morning was the famous Albert Cuyp market in De Pijp.  A long expanse of everything from baked goods to bric-a-brac, we grabbed some traditional stollen to munch as we walked its length.  While it was interesting to see it, I didn’t find it remarkable compared with other street markets, although as it’s 100 years old it has more pedigree than most.

However, the weather and our need for caffeine combined to quickly urge us to a more settled spot for our actual breakfast, and on a recommendation from the fabulous Frankie we ended up at CT Coffee and Coconuts.  And what a recommendation it was!  This was easily one of my favourite places we visited all weekend – a bright, airy, and achingly cool cafe sited in an old movie theatre.  The coffee was delicious, the breakfasts wholly satisfying, and the fresh coconut with lime juice a delight!

While we could have lingered here for hours avoiding the rain, our short timeframe urged us on, so we jumped on a tram towards the centre of town.  While it might sound mundane, I thought the public transport was one of the many great things about Amsterdam.  We bought a 24 hour card which allowed us to jump on and off the trams and trains easily, and they were both regular and well sign-posted.  In my experience, a user-friendly public transport system is one of the things guaranteed to make a tourist’s life about a million times easier, and the fact that Amsterdam’s was cheap as well was a welcome bonus!

One of our first stops was the beautiful secluded enclave of Begijnhof.  This small area was the semi-monastic home of a group of women known as Beguines, who were able to live as a community outside the homes of their families.  Although it’s not known exactly when the community came together, but it was still in existence in the 14th century.  The area also features the oldest wooden house in Amsterdam, built in 1528.  It was fascinating to speculate about what might have led these women, willingly or otherwise, to eschew marriage and family life for independence and a different sort of family – it must have been quite radical at the time!

Frankie’s blog had also alerted me to the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam’s oldest building at 800 years old.  Not only is it an interesting historical landmark, with its central role in Amsterdam life, but you can also take a tour up the stairs and ladders to the top to gaze over the city – and in our case, try to avoid being blown off!  The tours are every half hour and led by knowledgeable guides who will explain everything from Amsterdam’s history to the best way to ring the bells within, all while springing up each level with the agility of a mountain goat.  I wouldn’t advise climbing the Kerk if you don’t enjoy heights or confined spaces… the stairs and ladders are sometimes steep and tight.  For me it was worth it to see the views over the canals!

Emma finds it just a little steep!

After our exertions it was time for a food break and we spotted Cafe P96, with a floating terrace where we somewhat optimistically thought we might make the most of the sunshine.  Although not always warm, it was highly entertaining to watch the boats go by with everything from families enjoying a sedate cruise to stag and hen parties blasting tunes and raising drinks.

Refuelled, we wandered through the picture-perfect canals of the Jordaan district.  It felt like the Amsterdam of postcard fame, with trailing green trees, pretty flower boxes, and of course the ever-present bicycles.  It was an Instagrammer’s dream!

 

Nothing wrong with a classic #Amsterdam #canal shot, right?!

A photo posted by Jessi (@jessi2feet1world) on Jun 13, 2015 at 7:03am PDT

Of course, everyone knows there is a separate stomach for dessert, and so we couldn’t pass by the opportunity to try the famous apple pie of Cafe Winkel 43.  In hindsight, we definitely could have shared these monster slices of baked goodness, but I’m a huge apple pie fan, so at the time I couldn’t countenance it.  It was heaven on a fork, warm with flecks of cinnamon and the perfect pastry.  The only problem was we had to roll ourselves out of there!

To justify the huge pie as well as soak in more of the city, we decided to walk most of the way back to our apartment, which was located in Oosterpark.  From the Jordaan we cut straight across the old town and the canal ring, before heading through the old Jewish quarter and then to Museumplein.  On the way we checked out the floating Flower Market, which disappointed me at first as it seemed just to be a load of shops.  It wasn’t until we came through to the other side and looked back that I realised all those shops were floating – you just can’t tell from the front!

Before we got back on the tram we of course had to pay a visit to the iconic Amsterdam sign outside the beautiful Rijksmuseum, which unsurprisingly was swarming with tourists seeking the perfect shot.  I quickly gave up any ideas of getting a good one of my own and just people-watched, which was fascinating in itself.

In terms of apartment location, Oosterpark was good as it had excellent transport connections, but it was a bit far out of the city.  We’d been naughty and not followed my Tips to Rent A Great Holiday Apartment by leaving it to the last minute!  Amsterdam also seemed a bit more expensive for accommodation, especially given that the tulip season was pretty much over by then.  I guess it is just always popular!

That evening we took a stroll through the red light district.  Obviously, no photos are allowed, and frankly I wouldn’t want to contribute to potential exploitation by putting them up anyway, although of course we were in some way doing so, simply with our presence.  The languorous movements of the girls, most of whom looked bored out of their minds, the flickering red lights, the swish of velvety curtains – it was all quite overwhelming.  I don’t know enough about the regulation (or lack) of the system to judge, but I did find it both confronting and discomforting.

The next morning we turned up (we thought) bright and early to the Anne Frank Museum, which I was determined to visit while in the Dam.  While it’s theoretically possible to buy tickets online, I tried from the prescribed time of a week before right up to the day, and was never able to.  The official site does say there are lots of scalpers, but I never even saw those!  We resigned ourselves to a long wait and took turns getting coffee and breakfast.  Two hours later and we were finally at the door of this landmark museum.  I’m sure most are familiar with the story and words of this courageous Jewish girl, whose views on World War II and the Holocaust offer a fresh perspective to the fact-laden historical accounts.  I read Anne Frank’s Diary when I was aged eleven myself, the age at which she wrote most of it, and was blown away by her beautiful clear writing and the severe conditions she and her family lived under.  It was fascinating to visit the house, sparsely decorated as it now is, and imagine how difficult it must have been to never step outside the constricting walls.  Completely worth the long wait.

A final taster of Amsterdam’s mix of delicious cuisines was lunch at Bakers & Roasters, again in the heart of trendy De Pijp.  All too soon my time in Amsterdam had come to an end, just as I felt I was starting to get a taster of life in the city.  My first impressions were of the huge amount of history, both centuries old and recent, and of the mix of cultures now present in the city. Amsterdam felt liveable to me, in an immediate way unlike most cities I visit.  One thing is for sure, I’ll be back for more of life in the Dam.

Have you visited Amsterdam?  What did you think of the city?

Linking up with Bonnie, Sara and Christine for Travel Tuesday!