My Trip to Amsterdam January 17-20, 2014

Corner of Keizergracht and Reguliersgracht at dusk.

My hotel: t’Hotel, Leliegracht 18, 1015 DE Amsterdam, Netherlands

The location was perfect – near Dam square and tons of other attractions and good restaurants. My hotel was cuddled on a quiet canal near Westermarkt and Westerkerk. I could hear the church bells counting the hours – the same bells Anne Frank could hear from the hidden annex of her house.

I loved my hotel - a charming, traditional (well-kept) 17 century canal house. The middle 3 windows on the second floor are the windows of my room.

Wester Kerk

Typical steep winding stairs…They even had a chair lift for people who cannot climb stairs like that. The staff, however, brought my luggage upstairs and then downstairs.

My room looked over the canal from the second floor. The bed was king size and very comfy. Everything was spotlessly clean and there were no bad mouldy odours of any kind…

On the way to Dam square I passed by this little square with an odd statue.

On the way to Dam square I also passed by this crazy shoe design store where shoes did not look like shoes…

A little further down the street these people were hauling down a heavy load using the traditional Dutch hoisting beam technology and giggling….because the bag fell on the ground, in spite of all their efforts…I think this was a clothing store.

Yes, the houses ARE leaning. Some more than others. Why? Well, you don’t want to break the windows when you are pulling heavy loads up and down the rope hanging from the hoisting beam, do you?

This is Spui square (pronounced SPAUI by the voice on the tram). This time I am leaning, too…Just to capture more of the charm and the knobbly trees. On Friday mornings the square is full of book sellers just like plo6tad “Slavejkov” in Sofia.

Again on Spui square – In 1960 a cigarette company donated this bronze statue of a boy people here lovingly call “Little Darling” (or “t’Lieverdje”). It is seen as the symbol of the addicted consumer. These days smoking doesn’t seem too fashionable in Amsterdam…

Off Spui square is the gateway to Begijnhof (pronounced BEHR’EINHOF) - the peaceful 14 century home of Beguines. They are a Catholic sisterhood who live like nuns without vows and are free to return to the secular world.

Amsterdam Museum – tucked away from Spui Square and down the street from Begijnhof. But, don’t ask the locals how to find it…They don’t know, although they are really polite and are trying to help…

A great place to learn about the development of Amstel Dam into Amsterdam, and how an insignificant little fishing village grew into a major port and trade-centre all built on wooden piles.

Dam Square with the monument and the inevitable touristy horse carriages. Behind the monument is a sliver of the Grand Hotel Krasnopolski – one of the most expensive hotels in Amsterdam. And…2 minutes behind it – boom, you are suddenly in the Red Light district…

Dam Square –Koninklijk Paleis and Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), which is no longer a functioning church, but an exhibition hall. Right now there is a Ming Dinasty exhibit, which I saw as it was included in my “I Amsterdam” card. It was weird to see Chinese stuff in Amsterdam, though…

Dam Square at night. Going home after a long day…

Dam Square the next day – Saturday. The crowds have gathered for tulips, music and a show. There are thousands of tulips covering the square and it is January! A lovely day (according to local standards – 7 degrees above 0 and no rain!

They are giving away for free 10 tulips with bulbs. The lucky people like the girl holding the bouquet have waited for 2 or 3 hours in line! We didn’t …

I enjoyed the Van Gogh museum on Friday night, as this is the only night it is open until 10 pm. Otherwise, all museums usually close at 5 pm. There was a concert in the ground floor lounge with people drinking and socializing and on the wall there was a continuous media show with Van Gogh paintings and motifs.

Amsterdam Centraal – Magda and her husband Philippe drove over from Belgium to see me. It was a lovely surprise…We went to the Amsterdam Central Train Station to take a boat tour together.

Amsterdam Centraal – Central Station in all its glory…

Along he Damrak…little shops selling the eternal wooden tulips. Here is Iva holding one of them.

Still along he Damrak… Iva in front of the famous Sex Museum. Just posing for a silly picture. I didn’t really go in…Maybe, next time.

On the other side of the Damrak – across the Central Station. We took the Boat Tour from here.

Boat Tour

Boat Tour

Boat Tour – skinny bridge (?).

Boat Tour – Boat houses. The government does not allow any more canal homes, but people living here have all the comforts of a real home. The waste goes directly into the canals…so, don’t go swimming there. But, the good news is canals are cleaned twice a day.

Boat Tour

Boat Tour – Along the Prinzengracht…with all the warehouses lined up along the canal. They all have hoisting beams on the top of the façade and 3 types of roof shapes. Conformity was important in the 17 century.

Boat Tour

Boat Tour – Along Leliegracht…We passed in front of my hotel, but I missed my chance for a photo.

Boat Tour – Look, some houses are leaning considerably more than others…Intentional?

Boat Tour

Boat Tour – Some of the richest and largest homes in Amsterdam…

Boat Tour – this is a bicycle parking lot – three levels storing several thousand bikes!

After the Boat Tour – Enjoying the mild, non-rainy day on a lovely little bridge.

After the boat tour we stopped for lunch at Koffiehuis “De Hoek” on Prinsengracht.

Collectively, we had apple pie and buttermilk (Karnemilk), cheese cake and mint tea, beer and pea soup. Philippe Malfait (Magda’s husband) is reading my Amsterdam guide.

All refreshed, we headed out to Blaumarkt – the impressive, long, floating Flower market.

Flower market. It’s January? So what?

Flower market – Can you see the size of this bulb?

Flower market

Flower market

Flower market – Magda and Philippe are buying tulip bulbs for their garden back in Belgium.

Flower market

Flower market

Flower market

Flower market

Flower market

Flower market – They sell cheese here, too. Magda and Philippe in front of a Cheese Shop.

Flower market – inside the Cheese Shop. The samples are mainly Gouda and various mustard dips. Apparently, the Dutch like to dip their cheeses in mustard? Hm…

University of Amsterdam – A shot a took from the window of a department store on Kalderstrasse, while Magda and Philippe were buying a jacket.

Lover’s Bridge – Lovers write their names on a lock, tie it around this bridge and throw away the key in the canal! This way they can lock in their happiness for ever...

Red Light District… no comment.

Sunday – Off to the Rijksmuseum (pronounced REIKSMIUSEUM).

Rijksmuseum

Rijksmuseum – Iva hugging the “I” of “I Amsterdam” letter sculpture. Façade fragment and roof inside the museum reception area.

Rijksmuseum

My hotel

Anne Frank’s House

Anne Frank’s House – the last attraction I visited on Sunday night…I lucked out a moment with almost no line up! Usually, the line up fills the entire street.

The built in bookshelf which would hide the entrance to the hidden annex where Anne and her family hid for 2 years during the Nazi occupation.

The house.

The End