Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a city of bikes, excellent music, and kind people. Here, someone asked if I was Dutch or German with my accent. What an honor! I had a few premier experiences in Amsterdam. One: The food is new to me. Two: I met some kind souls including Christian, a family of Aussies, Liam and Dani from Wales, and a group of Irish lasses who offered some recommendations for West Cork. Three: I took a wonderful walking tour with Sam through Masterdam Tours. Four: I visited a few museums, but there are two that stand out. And Five: The Waterhole is an excellent bar with live music every day.

Food

I visited Eetsalon Van Dobben after the walking tour and the This is Holland museum. I had not eaten all day. The two ladies were extremely kind and helpful, recommending I try the croquettes – a Dutch specialty. The croquette is two fried pieces with beef and gravy inside. I had the croquette sandwich and added mustard at the waitress’ insistence. I also had their Speciaal roll, which includes raw burger, onion, an egg, and creamed herbs. I would never eat raw meat, but they said it was good. I was half desperate and half fascinated. It was actually very good. And I didn’t get food poisoning!

I got fries from Van Wonderen Frieten. My cousin, Garrett, recommended this spot, warning of a line as well. I checked it out on a day when I only waited two minutes. These were tasty and very filling for what was supposed to be a snack.

Amsterdam is the first place since I began my journey where I had a proper breakfast. I don’t recall where I ate the breakfast sandwich, but it was stuffed. A little salty for my taste buds, but it filled me up until near supper time.

Friends

Christian is an actor moving to New York. One night, I intended to go out on the town and stay out late. Well, I had one beer at The Waterhole and felt full. So I went back to my hostel at CocoMama to grab my book and read for a bit. I entered the downstairs hang out area and met Christian. We talked for two hours about acting techniques, places we visited, and the meaning of life.

Well, we got along pretty well, but by 1:30am, Christian headed off to his next hostel. But we met up the next night and had some good fun at a couple of pubs. In one of them, we met Job (pronounced Yob). Job is tall and we had a lot of laughs with him. He kept teasing me about being short and American. I’m 5′ 10″. We got a picture with him and some Belgians. The Belgians speak Flemish if you don’t know, and it sounds much like Dutch. In fact, the Belgians were able to communicate pretty easily with the Dutch. It’s neat to watch.

Anastasia (Top), Christian (Left), Job (Bottom Left), Nick (Bottom), Ella (Right)

At the Anne Frank House, I met Liam and Dani from Wales. We had a sad stroll through the story of Anne Frank. But afterward, we walked the Red Light District (RLD) stretch. The RLD isn’t just prostitutes and pimps, the buildings are home to families and working citizens. There are pubs, restaurants, and “cafes.”

Did you know that marijuana is still illegal in Amsterdam? However, the government turns a blind eye because marijuana was used to stop the spread of heroin and other hard drugs. I didn’t know that. I also learned from Sam, the tour guide, that there’s an initiative to move all the sex workers to a hotel. I guess they’re going to call it the sex scraper. No date on when that’ll happen, but it’ll free up the space currently used for other purposes.

I would recommend a small walk along the canal with the red-lit windows. It’s an experience. Before 9pm, you’ll see couples, friends, and families. Afterwards, it becomes mostly groups of men. Amsterdam is probably one of the safest cities, but I’d definitely not walk the RLD without at least one other person. But be safe and have fun! Experience the RLD before it’s gone…or moved.

Walking Tour

Sam was our guide for the two-hour walking tour of Amsterdam. He was an excellent leader. We began outside St. Nicholas’ church and learned about the rule of Holland by the Spanish. We also differentiated between Holland and the Netherlands. The Netherlands is a country above Belgium. Holland is a province within the country of the Netherlands. Amsterdam sits in Holland.

Amsterdam got its name because the Amstel River was dammed up in this area. Amstel river + dam = Amsterdam. Pretty neat, eh?

I’m not going to ruin the tour and give away all of Sam’s secrets. I would simply recommend taking one of these tours. Wear good shoes, bring water, and have a clear mind. You’ll meet folks from Spain, India, Ireland, Australia, and Singapore. Oh, and Sam from Philly!

Museums

I recommend the Dungeon Museum if you enjoy a good mix of horror and comedy. It’s a great active history story of Amsterdam. No pictures were taken, but take my word for it or read the reviews on Google.

The Anne Frank House tells the well-known story of Anne Frank. Whether you know everything there is to know or you didn’t know there was someone named Anne Frank, you should go. Tickets are only booked online. Book in advance. Walking through the very rooms in which eight Jews hid from the Nazis for two years was breathtaking. These folks remained unobserved for two years. Now imagine trying to stay quiet all day while the workshop below you is busy. Even worse, try not to use the toilet during the workday…This museum includes an audio tour, Anne Frank’s diaries, and other artifacts of the period.

The Waterhole (and other spots)

Good priced beer. Excellent music. Great atmosphere.

I went twice to The Waterhole. My first night was amazing with music from two different groups. Pints were $5 (euros) for happy hour and $6 after. The first band played some American oldies. I loved it.

I moseyed around midnight and was headed home, but decided to stop in a piano bar on my way there. The piano bar was neat. The guy took requests and I heard lots of Elvis and Elton with a few Billy songs in there. But I was turned off by having to pay to use the toilet there especially after I’d paid an entry fee and bought a couple of drinks.

My second night at The Waterhole was altered by a big supper. I drank one pint and decided to call it a night. But that’s when I met Christian, so it all worked out. Definitely will visit The Waterhole again!

One of the first things I did in Amsterdam was visit the market in the De Pijp area. Lots of stalls and I had the best chicken sandwich at one of them…should have taken a picture. But you can walk up and down that market to have a three-course meal for under $20 (euros).

Conclusion

Amsterdam has a lot to offer. I only regret I gave myself just two days to fit it all in. I’ll be back. For me, Amsterdam is one of those cities where you get off the train and instantly feel at home. Or there’s a connection. Amsterdam is a lively city. I almost forgot to mention: don’t get hit by the bikes because you’ll be fined. They are bike-friendly to a fault. Otherwise! Check out the pubs, the museums, and talk to the people.