One for the road...: October 2012

(As always click on the photos for a larger view.)

Amsterdam has to be one of my all-time favourite cities. It is so much more than some smoke and red lights…so much more. It is a bohemian city, you can easily see why it bred and nurtured some of the most talented artists in history…and you can still feel that creativity all around you.

My time in Amsterdam was spent strolling in the sunshine (we had amazing weather!), eating lunch in little cafés along the canals, window shopping in all of the amazing (and sometimes bizarre) boutiques, visiting outdoor markets (eating amazing fresh produce), browsing museums, cruising the canals in a boat, and riding bikes at night.

This trip was made extra special as Fint’s parents flew over to spend a few days with us! We toured museums, travelled the countryside, and floated around the canals of the city. It was pretty much perfect. Beauty, cheese, coffee and great company.

With the Parents

We soaked up Amsterdam in style with the parents...God bless them! We enjoyed a private sunset boat tour, in a charming wooden boat, cruising around the beautiful canals of Amsterdam. We took a comfy luxury limo around the countryside sampling the finest in Dutch cheese, stroop waffles, and checking out just how clogs are made, and the history behind them. We strolled around museums taking in the beautiful masterpieces from some of the greats in the history of art. And we enjoyed many delicious meals in amazing restaurants and laughed over many cups of coffees in quaint cafés. I have to say...I like travelling with them...a girl could get used to that! ;)

Day Trip to Marken

Cheeeeeese!

Clogs. (I got red windmill clog slippers!) ;)

Checking out a Dam....and a Dame. ;)

Rijks Museum

The Two Rebels! ;)

I love this.

Amsterdam Canals

Our Captain ;)

Coffee and tea to warm up after the boat trip.

Enjoying the view.

Lunch @ The Pump House (that fish is raw haring, Dutch Style)

Dinner at Arjan's

Fint's good, long time friend Arjan invited us over for another of his amazing gourmet dinners! And when Arjan invites you over for dinner...you don't hesitate and let me tell you again his cooking is amazing. It is the meal I remember most from our trip!

He also took us on a tour of the countryside near his home, and the Dutch countryside is amazingly beautiful...our next trip to Holland will be exploring the countryside. I see long bike rides and hikes in our future!

A delicious Italian feast.

Drinks in the countryside by a canal. Beautiful.

Arjan and Fint

All By Myself

As I mentioned my carefree and relaxing days alone were spent getting lost in the quite streets along the canals, having lunch and coffees at cute cafés along the way and reading my copy of Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl…for a refresher course. (And no, I didn't care one bit how “touristy” it looked…I am well beyond caring about that at this point!) ;) I loved every minute of it, Amsterdam suits me. I sort of become lost and invisible in it...which after about 5 years in Asia...a little invisible feels amazing!

My favourite market in Amsterdam. The Albert Cuyp Market. I bought fresh fruit and veggies here for my lunches...the produce was absolutely amazing. The fresh figs really touched my heart! ;)

“Memories mean more to me than dresses.”
― Anne Frank

Of course I had to share some of my foods and views with you.

Happy Flowers and Bright Balloons.

I was blessed with such good weather to enjoy the outdoors everyday!

Yes...a spider this ugly cannot be ignored!

Fresh Berries.

;)

Well....goodish girls go too! ;)

Dam Square....one cannot escape it.

Mmmm...coffee with real cream!

I drank my weight in coffee cream on this trip!

On Bikes

Amsterdam is stunning by night, the windows are lit beautifully and the dancing lights reflect on the canals. There is a real feeling of tranquillity in the middle of a big, busy city, which is an amazing feat. I could just ride around the city for hours (which we did) and just relax in it's quiet.

The history of this city surrounds you at night, when the cars and modern shops are hidden in the shadows, and at one point we ended up riding under the Anne Frank House window…and the history of the place really dawned on me. That not too long ago, a young girl was in hiding in that attic…only daring to peek out to see the life going on without her below in the streets.

One of the most memorable moments of the trip was when Fint took me on an evening bike ride through the city. It was a beautiful, warm autumn evening. The quite back allies were still and peaceful and the party streets were buzzing with life and shenanigans. This is Amsterdam to me, a contrast of a quiet peaceful historic city full of art, beauty, life and culture and a buzzing, dirty night-life that feels quite empty and sad; however this is also a huge part of this amazing city’s history. Could one live without the other? My guess is that all of this combined is what gives Amsterdam its bohemian chilled out feel.

The bike paths are brilliant...I loved it!