Since I was pretending to be GPS on our road trip (with printed directions from ViaMichelin), I have to compliment myself – I only scre*** up once; upon arrival to our last destination – Amsterdam. Buuut, it wasn’t entirely my fault; roadwork’s were in progress so we had to take a different route. When we finally arrived to our hotel, we were completely exhausted and all we wanted to do is rest. Then things started to go wrong...
First we were told that parking is not included in room price (and that would mean 17 Euro per day*5 days... you do the math). Then we were told breakfast wasn’t included in room price as well (so we decided we´ll survive without it). At that point we were quite irritated... And then, as icing on the cake, the metro ticket machine ate our 20 Euros bill while we were trying to buy a weekly ticket. There was nothing we could do about it but to complaint. In written form. That was on Dutch. Great way for “first impressions” about the city, don’t you think?
Luckily for us, our “bad-luck-chain” stopped the next morning when we found the greatest restaurant ever just across the street. We ate there every morning (and sometimes in the evening) cause everything was so d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s and prices were more than reasonable.
Most common means of transportation in Amsterdam are bicycles. People on bicycles are at the top of “transport-food-chain”: you just have to let them pass. Or get killed. Your choice. I’ve seen some amazing bicycle scenes but the one that “got stuck” in my mind was: woman in high-heels, holding an open umbrella (cause it was pouring rain), talking on a cell-phone while trying to balance a little dog in a basket at the back of the bike...
Since we were thrilled with free walking tours via SANDEMANs New Europe in Berlin, we decided to take the same tour in Amsterdam:
One more common mean of transportation are boats. Imagine this: you wanna go to dinner, you dress up, leave your place, sit in your boat and arrive with your boat to restaurant... you tie your boat to a restaurant pier (cause, it’s a normal thing that restaurants have piers there) and enjoy your meal... Dutch really know how to enjoy life...
Cool Globes Amsterdam exhibition:
Every Friday, a huge book market is held in Spui part of city – of course we had to go... I am a proud owner of 5 new books as a result of 2-hours-browsing through stands! Can’t wait to read them...
Since we were in Amsterdam the longest (6 days), we chilled...a lot...“Let’s sit down and have lunch/smoothie/bear”... We found an excellent café right next to canal – we had to be very careful not to fall in canal while walking to our table... especially after couple of beers :)
I L.O.V.E. cheese. All types of cheese: swiss cheese, feta cheese, cream cheese, semi-hard cheeses, hard cheeses... Imagine me on a cheese tasting (which is a MUST in Amsterdam, trust me) – my sensory tongue buds have died and gone to heaven...
One of the best things about Amsterdam (if you ask me) are street markets. You can find literally EVERYTHING there: chains for your bicycle, wigs, home decorations, food (ah...glorious food). And everyone are willing to bargain.
Notorious coffee shops:
There are days when I feel like Don Quihote fighting against windmill – logical thing was to go and see the real thing in Zaanse Schans (45 minutes of driving distance from Amsterdam). My dearest Sancho Panza accompanied me :)
While there, we could smell chocolate all the time. Really intense smell. At first we thought it was cause we were hungry, then we thought we were hallucinating... Until a very kind lady who we stopped on the street explained to us the “source” of divine smell – cacao factory not even 500 meter away...
All in all, we totally and utterly fell in love with Amsterdam. Every aspect of the city. The people. The pace of life. The food. The wines. The fact they brutally know how to enjoy life. Our infatuation with the city went so far that we actually talked about moving there. What would we do and how could we pull it off. Where would we live (on a house boat, of course...Duh.). What kind of bicycle would we buy and how would we decorate it (just to be able to recognise it in a sea of other bicycles). You know, the important things :)
