Amsterdam, Netherland - 1 full day and 2 half days
At the hotel room in Amsterdam, Rob Schneider’s Deuce Bigalow: Europen Gigolo was playing on TV. The scene, one of the characters was in Amsterdam, talking to Rob Schneider character into joining him here:
“…Amsterdam’s like college kids’ Disneyland!” He said. And I concur.
Day 1
The day started at 7am train ride from Leon to Madrid; flight from Madrid to Gatwick, London; transferred flight to Amsterdam. Met up with Betty at Amsterdam airport (we traveled separately at the Madrid to Amsterdam portion). Took the train from airport to central station; taxi from there to our hotel. By the time we reached the hotel, we’ve traveled 12 hours in 4 kinds of transportation. Later we took a trolley headed to Dam and Red Light District. Yep, we traveled in 5 kinds of transportation in one day.
Dam was crowded with traffic, people, and stores. I noticed more tourists looking groups here. It can’t be easy to keep the group together in this dense and fast moving street.
Amsterdam’s pastry shop is a celebration of everything delicious. Sandwich, pizza, waffle, chocolates, cakes…, from savory to sweet, they don’t just look good, they taste good too.
Nearby Kalverstraat is a big shopping strip. With trendy shoppers, flashy store displays, techno music blasting, Kalverstraat felt like a block party than just a shopping strip on a Friday evening.
Day 2
Hotel Zandbergen itself is worth the mentioning. The hotel is family operated. Like the hotel website introduction, it’s your home from home. Our room was spacious and had a separate kitchen and bathroom. Personal touch was everywhere – stacks of current magazines from beauty, lifestyles, travel, to local tourist information, comfortable furniture, bus pass and museum tickets can be purchased at the front desk, … and yah, breakfast was included.
After a very satisfying breakfast, hotel owner attentively help us to plan today’s schedule. First stop was Keukenhof Garden in Lisse. I wonder how it compares to the Tulip Festival at Skagit Valley back in Washington. There were lots of tulips alright. What I found it odd was the indoor orchid exhibition. Orchid is not local plant and definitely wont’ adapt to the cold weather here. So to see a greenhouse full of orchid in Amsterdam was a bit out of context for me. Half of the orchid in display was cut flower arrangement anyway.
When we were just wee girls 20 some years ago, we had a family trip to Amsterdam, London, and Paris. Amsterdam was particularly vivid in my memory probably because we had more fun here – windmills which I associated with fairy tales, colorful and open spaces for us to run around, and wooden shoe so big dad had mom, sis, and I took a picture standing inside. This time around, when I saw the giant wooden shoe again, Betty and I had to take a picture with it.
Late lunch at the Pancake Bakery, the pancake house is in an old warehouse building few blocks north of Westerkerk. The variety of pancakes on the menu was overwhelming. We decided to try a salty one and a sweet one. The pancakes looked big but they were light in the mouth.
Afterward, a bit aimless wondering in the shopping districts.
Perhaps it’s because the museum is currently under construction and part of the exhibitions aren’t available at the time. Or perhaps I was spoiled by museum experiences in Spain. Either way I was rather disappointed at Amsterdam’s renowned Rijksmuseum.
Van Gogh Museum on the other hand was definitely worth the visit. Not just because we got to see Van Gogh’s lifetime works, the temporary exhibition of John Everett Millais was equally enjoyable. And because it’s Friday museum night, the museum opened until 10PM. There were live DJ spinning at the lobby, wines and appetizers, performances, light shows and interactive display on the ceiling.
Day 3
Hotel staff told us a Saturday market at Albert Cuypmarket. We arrived 8:30am, part of the market weren’t ready yet. We ended up walking around and checking out grocery stores. There was one discount store everything was way cheaper than anywhere we’ve being to. This must be where the locals come to buy their daily groceries. Betty was torn between whether she should buy a big piece of bree to take home for only .99 euro or leave the store empty handed.
Market sells meat, seafood, fresh produces, flowers, and pickles, pretty standard. Walking back to the hotel, we pass a street lined up with Mediterranean restaurants. Colorful vegetable dishes and dessert displayed at restaurants’ window. Food choices are as diverse as the people here. Sadly, we didn’t get to try much of it during this short stay.