Amsterdam, I Hardly Knew Ya.
What a whirlwind the past few days have been.
And what a whirlwind of a city Amsterdam is.
While I had always pictured Amsterdam as a gorgeous city with incredible architecture and picturesque neighborhoods, having seen the city and learning so much more about it the past few days, it’s draw and appeal have only doubled.
Outside of being a truly gorgeous city, Amsterdam is a fun city, too. The people, all of the things to see and do, the shops and restaurants.
And while I’m excited for the next leg of my trip, I can’t help but feel a little sad to be leaving this city. It’s been one of my favorite things to wander around the narrow corridors and alleyways of the city each and every day to explore a new part and to see what really makes the Netherlands the quaint little country that it is.
Amsterdam, I hardly knew ya.
Day 1
I got to the city early afternoon on Thursday. While the flight truly wasn’t that terrible, even the neck pillow I lugged with me onto the plane didn’t help me catch much sleep. That being said, touching down in the Netherlands gave me more than enough energy to get me going. Landing at Schiphol National Airport, I took a train to Amsterdam Centraal. The hostel I stayed at was right down the street from the train station, really in the heart of the city.
SPEAKING OF HOSTELS, I doubt my first experience with one in Europe could have gone any better. The staff was nice, the beds were comfy, and for the amount of time that I actually spent there, the cost was cheap. It even had a bar/coffee shop in the first floor that everyone would gather at to socialize. I met people from all over the world – Austria, England, India, Brazil, New Zealand – people exploring this city just as I was.
And while my first day may have been a bit shorter than the rest, I still managed to see so much. Amsterdam is SUCH a friendly city to walkers, bikers, and public transportation, making it easy to get from one place to the next. And with such ease in navigating, you can stumble on just about anything to keep you entertained. Without even trying, three of the things that had been on my list to see I stumbled upon while wandering around that afternoon.
Bloemenmarkt – Such a fun little market selling lots of seeds for tulips and fresh tulips themselves (seeing as right now is their peak season). Outside of that, you can find vintage clothes, antiques, used shoes (something you don’t see much of in the states…), a lots and lots of food. DELICIOUS food, I might add.
Condomerie – Okay, it had to be on my list, because at heart I’m still a five-year old and still giggle at inappropriate things. The first specialty condom store in the world, it has just about every single type, color, and – dare I say – flavor of condom you’d ever need. LET IT BE KNOWN AS WELL – I did it for the experience and nothing else. I can already picture my mother’s reaction as she reads this…
Rembrandt Square – Apparently Rembrandt is a huge deal around here, a museum full of his works being right on this square. Outside of that, there are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops in this area of town as well. It’s even tried to be a little bit like Times Square in installing a single jumbotron to the side of a building. Not quite…
Day 2
I managed to get a full day of exploring in this day. Between taking a tour of the city, meeting new friends, and seeing the Red Light District, it was pretty jam-packed.
Tour – ***FREE EXCURSION ALERT*** This was something I wasn’t all that sure about when I signed up for it originally. It was with a company called Sandeman’s Tours, which gives free tours all throughout Europe and Asia, with the premise being that they don’t set a price for their tours, but instead give you the ability to pay at the end what you think your tour guide deserves. Being free, I had no idea what depth of a tour it would be and if it would even be worth it.
It was.
For one, the tour was 2.5 hours and took us through most of the major hotspots throughout the city. As well, our tour group was only around 20 people (we all know how I feel about being stuck with millions of tourists…), so it was completely manageable. But the tour itself was outstanding. At the end I paid the tour guide €15, easily three-four times less what I would’ve paid if I would’ve booked a tour outright with some company for a set price.
So when planning your trips, don’t be afraid to Google, “free things to do in *insert city name here.*” It’s a risk worth taking in order to save some money. And more times than not, it’s a risk that’ll pay off. Who knows, you may even meet new friends! I went out for drinks after with a few people from Stockholm who were seeing the city for the first time themselves.
Way too much Dutch chocolate and coffee – I labeled this as an excursion all to itself because the amount of time I spent eating and drinking each was just about as much as any other excursion itself #noregrets
Disclaimer, the coffees in Europe aren’t anywhere near the size they are in America. The first day I got my coffee, I looked at the barista like, “where’s the rest of it.” That being said, the coffee here is delicious nonetheless. And cheap – which is why the portion sizes are smaller. Multiple times throughout my days here I settled down in a coffee shop for an hour or two to research the next leg of my trip, read my book, or just watch Amsterdam pass me by on the street outside.
As for the chocolates, they lived up to their reputation of being life-changing. If ever in Amsterdam, Puccini Bomboni Chocolates is a must-try. True Dutch chocolate that may or may not make you shed a true tear of happiness.
Red Light District – “Drinking in a bar in the Red Light District. Because YOLO.”
Such was the text I sent a few friends and family members as I sat in the heart of the RLD sipping on a €5 Heineken, watching as a much more risqué Amsterdam passed by outside bar window.
This is also something that I would recommend doing if ever in the city. Really, I don’t know how you can get the true Amsterdam experience without going. Being one of a few cities in the world where prostitution is legal, it was really quite interesting.
First off, because it’s a question I can already hear from many – yes, I felt safe. Like, 100% safe. To be clear, the RLD isn’t some back alley place where the scrudge of the Earth gather to play. It’s well-lit, packed with tourists (because let’s face it, everyone is curious), and well-observed by the Politie. Never once did I feel unsafe.
In regards to the prostitution, a bit of education for those of you who don’t know (because some of this I didn’t myself). Prostitution was legalized by the Dutch government in 2000. Now, what that DOESN’T mean is that Dutch women can have sex with whomever they want, whenever they want, and wherever they want. To be able to operate as a legal prostitute, you need to have a license to do so and your work must be done in a controlled setting – AKA a brothel. Throughout the RLD there were numerous buildings with glass fronts with women standing in them advertising themselves. Individuals will come in, a brief meeting takes place regarding prices, and the rest of the story is fairly black-and-white.
It was interesting to see it with my own eyes the RLD and all that was jam-packed into the narrow corridor of the city. Like I said, whether you agree with it or not, I don’t think you can get the true Amsterdam experience without seeing it.
Day 3
Not that what I had been seeing up until the third day wasn’t pretty, but the tulip fields and national tulip garden went so much further than what my expectations had been built up to.
That being said, the tulips they were the reason I came to the Netherlands in the first place. Now on my bucket list, “See Holland when it’s fields of tulips are in bloom” has a nice big checkmark next to it.
Keukenhof Garden – This is a tricky place to get to unless you do your research beforehand. Also be prepared to be in the midst of thousands of other people. You won’t be the only one wanting to get pictures of the millions of tulips in bloom.
This weekend was Holland’s national tulip festival where they have a giant parade (all the floats being decorated with nothing but tulips) and a good majority of the fields and park being in bloom. In order to get to the park you either, A) spend the money to rent a car and brave the traffic and parking, or B) take a shuttle and brave the tourists. I chose option B, mainly because renting a car wasn’t feasible. Plus the traffic…
Travelling from Schiphol Airport where the shuttle takes off from and getting to Keukenhof Garden takes about forty-five minutes. And while the line to get in was pretty atrocious, it was SO worth it when seeing all of the tulips. Only after seeing all of their arrangements and colors can I see why they’re a source of pride for the Dutch. “Beautiful” doesn’t do them quite justice, and frankly neither do my pictures.
In looking back over the past few months where I at times debated whether to scrap this leg of the trip so that I could spend more time in Paris and London, I couldn’t be happier with my decision to stick with it. Just as when I traveled through New England last autumn to see the trees in full color, so too would I recommend travelling to the Netherlands when their tulip fields are in bloom. More than it being a decision you won’t regret, it’s honestly something you’ll see once in your life. That is, unless you choose to come back (any takers for next year?).
Overall thoughts on the Netherlands: I’m sad to leave. Yet even while I’m a little bummed, three days was honestly a decent enough amount of time to see and explore the city. I can certainly expect to make a return trip in the future.
Next stop, Paris!
-----
Cost breakdown so far (in US dollars):
Lodging: $56.63 (Youth Hostel Meeting Point)
Food: $117.85 (honestly, the majority of this is coffee, Heineken, and chocolate…)
Excursions: $32.25 (Keukenhof and the tour)
Miscellaneous: $23.79 (loose cash I had to withdraw)
Travel: $42.21 (the cost for a two day pass and the shuttle to Keukenhof)
AMSTERDAM TOTAL: $272.73