Jumping off the train from Brugge, I was well rested and relaxed given I had just spent 3 days in the most quaint, cutest town ever. Barely out of the train station and BAM, relaxation time over...it was like walking through Times Square on a Saturday afternoon!
Nearly immediately to my right were pubs and souvenir shops galore, the Sex Museum and the distinct scent of our little five-leaf, green friend. Opposite this scene were the adorable dutch-looking houses and one of the many canals that weave through the city. Judging from what I had heard of Amsterdam, I would say this experience pretty much fit the image I had in my mind. Being as I am not really into the whole drug scene, I was in Amsterdam to absorb the culture, check out the museums and take a trip through the canals.
Our accommodations were meager at best...staying in a 12 bed dorm near the center of town, where you can hear every conversation outside within a one-mile radius. To say that we got no sleep our entire stay would be vast understatement. It was then and there, I decided my youth hostel days are over...
We got the Dutch welcome our first full day (a.k.a. rain), but that didn't slow us down. We waited in the rain to walk the eerie halls of Anne Frank's house. The museum is literally the hiding annex in the back of her father's factory. The rooms are all empty (per his request) which was quite fitting and terribly sad. It really just reminds you how horrible people can be and that tolerance is still an underdeveloped trait for many people in this world.
Mentally exhausted and chilled from the rain, we ducked into the "Pancake Bakery" to have some famous Dutch pancakes. These were no ordinary pancakes...much resembling Swedish pancakes or French crepes, they are garnished with savory or sweet toppings. Of course I went for the sweet version and got my favorite fruit in pancakes...bananas. The taste was somewhere between luscious and HEAVEN (especially when you add a touch of their home made caramel syrup). Can you say food coma [again]? Worth it.
Vacation is often abundant in food and sightseeing and this trip was no different. Off to our next meal...My former colleague (and now friend) took us out for a lovely dinner and then lead us to a charming pub (his local go-to), flanked with Amsterdam locals. We took his advice and got a double espresso along with a glass of Grand Mariner after dinner. Surprisingly yummy food and drinks, followed by delightful conversation running the gambit from political to childhood memories, was more than I could have asked for to top of the day. It really is these fun, unexpected and local experiences that truly allow you to get to know a place in my mind anyway...
The rest of our time was spent in the Van Gogh museum (amazing doesn't explain the half of it), taking a boat ride through the canals and wandering through the quite unimpressive red-light district. Overall, I really liked Amsterdam by the end of our stay. I think at the end of the day, it always comes down to what you want to get out of any given experience. I got a taste for the city (literally) and I would explain it as an aged whiskey served in a fancy glass. It can be smooth, rough and beautiful all at the same time. NOTE: Just don't stay in a dodgy youth hostel if you decide to visit.
Next (and sadly, last) stop... Cockney island (a.k.a. London)! Watch out Buckingham Palace, the New Yorker is coming to town...
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