Note: this was typed on a smartphone. Proofing etc etc not worth the effort.
Stepping out into the hustle and bustle, we were reminded of a lesson learned quickly upon a visit to Amsterdam; look in every direction, and then look again before crossing. ..anything. There will likely be a tram, a bus, a scooter, a stream of bikes and a mess if people, coming from all directions simultaneously.
We were a little road weary when we arrived after leaving Sawbill at 7 am (16th) in a blizzard, the day before. In true sawbill fashion, we had to do some errands on the way to the airport. So after Clare got her 20 week ultrasound, we were on our way. We flew from Thunder Bay to Toronto to Amsterdam. Actually, a pretty direct route from the End of the Trail to the world hub that is Amsterdam. We didn't get much sleep on the flight, however, so we were a little jet lagged. We arrived at our apartment we rented on Airbnb in the Oud West neighborhood at about noon (17th) and the vacation was on.
That afternoon while walking around our neighborhood, we stumbled across a permanent indoor food court type thing called The Foodhallen. It was a collection of stands surrounding a few central bars. Eat what you want, drink what you want, sit wherever you want. Pretty fun. We got a falafel plate. Yum.
The following day, we ventured over to Albert Cuypmarkt, a large open air walking market, selling a variety of crap. I bought a pair of tulip slippers which are a fine addition to my travel attire. There is a great mid east/north Africa restaurant in the area, Bazar, that came recommended by our friends John and Kim. We had a shared plate of lots of yummy hummus and bread and such.
In keeping with the theme, that night we ate at an Ethiopian restaurant. With our hands. No silverware. Just using injarra, a traditional spongy flat bread. It was great tasting and a great new experience. Thankfully they provide toilet paper and soap, so we didn't have to be mindful about which hand to eat with.
The following morning we did a cheese tasting at Reypenaer. Six cheeses paired with wine. I drank Clare's. Did you know, the Dutch copyrighted gouda cheese in 2010. It is simply defined as being made with pasteurized cow milk and shaped in a large wheel. The Dutch eat on average over 20kgs/person annually.
We then stumbled into a haphazard bookstore in the red light district. Piles of books, stacks askew, in search of some reading material that I forgot to pack. I picked up a vintage copy of Kurt Vonnegut Hocus Pocus. I don't typically read fiction, but this seemed an appropriate choice given the circumstances.
A couple notes about the red light district:
-Yes you should visit it, no it's not weird. (even with kids, at least in the day time)
-It's one of the most sought after and expensive places to live in the city. Very safe with very nice restaurants, bakeries, shops and nightlife.
-During the day its just a nice neighborhood. At night, the curtains open and red lights come on in the various windows scattered about.
-You will see what appear to be lingerie models of all shapes, sizes and ethnicity. You might see dildos in some store windows. Blush.
-On Saturday evening at 5, take a tour with the Prostitute Information Center.
-There is an open air, free, private urinal. A little gross, but so handy and practical!
The day was capped with an evening boat tour through the canal to view the festival of lights; 35 unique displays around the city. We took in the tour from the back of the boat, outside of the cabin. It was much more comfortable than our seats crammed in a booth with a family and their small child kicking us under the table. Certainly a highlight of the trip.
The following day, in route to visiting Anne Frank's House, we swung by the Red Wing Shoes store in the 9 straats. Amsterdamians claim that Williamsburg strives to be as cool as the 9 straats. Ya. So, Red Wings are pretty hip, yall. They didn't seem to care that we hailed from Minnesota, tho.
We waited in the obligatory hour long line to visit the Anne Frank House. It's quite the experience to be in the house, pass through the secret door (with the original obscuring book case in place) and see, smell, feel, the smallness and darkness they hunkered down in for 2 years. ..only to end up in auschwitz anyway, and Anne dying. Her dad, who survived the concentration camp, later said that he and Anne had a great relationship, got along well and conversed all the time. He said, however, after reading her diary, he realized he hadn't known his daughter at all. (Insight few will glean in their lives, but certainly something we can all chew on) Anyway, visiting the House was especially poignant in light of the current calls for religious oppression and bigotry flaring up in the USA. I bought a copy of the book and I intend to (re)read.
So as not to show preference to any one group, we immediately toured the Ons Lieve Op Solder, a catholic church hidden in the attic of a canal house. In the 17th century, Amsterdam became a protestant city, forcing other practices under ground (or into the attic). This was a super interesting place. It was a normal house with folks living in it, with the three top floors converted into an extravagant (as they do) church. As recently as 2013, they completed an excavation of a cess pit (read privy hole) under the house. It contained all sorts of old pots and pans and pottery that had been tossed. All on display. Pretty neat. This was another great recomendation from John and Kim. Thanks!
To round the night out, we had dinner (again per John and Kim) at Lieve, a multi course Belgian place with beer pairing for each round. Quite tasty, fun atmosphere and extravagant etched flatware. On the way home it rained for the first time on the trip. We had seriously perfect weather for this time of year!
Our last full day we traded our tram passes for bikes and spent the day cruising the city. I was getting a little anxious that I was nearing the end of my second Amsterdam trip and hadn't ridden yet. We spent the whole day in the saddle, euphoric, traversing the city (Clare barely dodged triggering early labor on those cobblestones, but I assure you it was worth it). What a treat to ride in a busy urban area catered to bikes. When it looked dicey, we took solace in watching the little kid, without a helmet, bobbling in his little yellow galoshes, perched on the back of his mom's bike.
While Amsterdam has an extensive public transportation system, we didn't know it well enough to avoid walking a fair amount. Surprisingly, the route guides are not simple to follow. No universal 'line with stops in chronological order' graphic to be found here, folks. It was nice to be on a bike, give our feet a rest and be able to meander without over exertion. Did I mention my wife is pregnant?
It was entertaining to visit John and Kim's former address and bounce around their old haunts. They lived in Amsterdam for 6 years prior to moving to Missoula (by way of Chicago). They gave us a list of great recommendations that we were unable to do on our quick visit during our honeymoon. We held onto that list and it served as our guide this time around. Almost as fun as having them there with us!
Our last night in the city was greatly anticipated. We had reservations at the acclaimed Tempo Doeloe. An Indonesian "rice table" is an Amsterdam treat, and this is one of the best. The meal of small plates in increasing spicy were quite tasty, however did not culminate in the super spicy warned by the menu and John. I was a little sad, and let down. When I was done, I asked the waiter if he could bring a small plate of something really spicy. He said, be back in 2 minutes. He returned with 2 dishes and said I would cry and hoped I had life insurance. Now we were talking. This stuff was the real deal; a ginger pork dish and a cardamom lamb dish. Both outrageous in flavor and spice. I struggled, it was spicy as hell, and my stomach was really full. Not a good combo, but I had to finish it all. Afterward, we had the ice cream and tropical fruit.
What a great week. Amsterdam is the best.
The next morning we caught a sleeper train to Prague to spend Christmas.
Merry Christmas and many Cheers!
No comments:
Post a Comment