Amsterdam in April - Trip Report

[tod2]

THREE DAYS IN AMSTERDAM - A photo essay of what we saw and experienced.

Day 1 - 26th April 2012

As a first timer I can truthfully say my husband and I LOVED Amsterdam! Of course three days is not enough time to experience it all but I think we got an all round flavor of the city and it's surrounds to make us want another look sometime in the future.
Kicking off from Frankfurt Airport, this is how it went:








The ICE pulls in at Koln station just long enough for us to catch a glimpse from our window of the famous cathedral and the thousands of locks clinging to the bridge railing.










The ICE train was superb as always - the countryside flew by and in 4hrs we were walking from Amsterdam Centraal to our hotel, The Hilton Double Tree, just a few minutes away.


View from our room.


After checking in we set off for a short stroll and to find dinner -
Didn't take long to find ourselves in the Red light district but on this cold blustery day the girls ( who you cannot photograph) looked positively bored standing in their little cubicles. Business is probably brisker in the dark of the night....



DAY 2 - 27th
After an excellent buffet breakfast which was included in the price, a curiosity visit to the Sky Lounge on the roof was first on the agenda before we set off to give our feet a workout!




The wind was gusty and probably is most of the time judging by the lack of vegetation, but the view is wonderful!




After experiencing the biting wind it was decided that a museum would be a good place to start, so we headed to the station - all trams seemed to start at two principal depots in front. The choice was the Van Gogh museum.








Didn't Vincent just love yellow!



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I bought my mom a Van Gogh "Irises" scarf and after 2 hrs there we decided on a canal cruise seeing the sun was out.

Now. About those bicycles....




We passed all manner of watercraft..












After an hour we drifted into the little harbour once more and had another look at the incredible sight of Bicycles! A parking garage just for bikes!






I don't know if many people are aware that Amsterdam's Grachtengordel, or canal belt, is a Unesco World Heritage site. Despite all of it's waterways, only the Amstel and U rivers are natural and not man made.

Back on a tram we go to Rembrandtsplein and find it in a flowery Spring festival!





Surrounded by cafe`s and restaurants it's hard to choose but we find a sunny table at an Italian place and order two beers.
Pretty flowers on our table.




On the table next to us, more beauties.
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We both wanted to have an authentic ( or near as dammit) Dutch meal so hop the tram again and make our way down Spuistraat to Haesje Claes at number 273 - quite a walk and had to wait 20min for a table. This restaurant spans 6 historic houses, is cramped but full of atmosphere of bygone days.
Sorry we forgot to photo the meal but both ordered Stamppot. When it arrived I realised it was something my mother made all the time and that I make occasionally. It's potato mash incorporating another vegetable like carrots or green beans. You then get to choose the meat accompaniment - sausage or slow cooked beef.

Spuistraat-








The food was good, but not exceptional.

I'll carry on with Day 3 tomorrow......

[tod2]

Thanks all!
Mark - We thought the train station under ( or next to) Frankfurt airport one of the nicest we've experienced. Don't the platforms look bright and shiny! I had booked a later train so sat there for a couple of hours watching those amazing 'steeds' fly in and out.

Kerouac - I never considered going for a rijstaffel, mores the pity, so that leaves something for next time. I brought back a free handbook listing the goings on in Amsterdam, and see they recommend Long Pura, 46-48 Rozengracht, for an Indonesian Rijstaffel.

Fumobici - We have only two choices of getting to Europe on our local airline (S.A.A.) Frankfurt , Munich or London. We get to fly Business class with air miles so the diversion is worth it.

Mich64 - My eyes were out on stalks when I saw the number of bicycles! We couldn't fathom why the city leaves thousands of rusted and broken bikes still chained to the railings and bike depots?!!

DAY 3 - 28th

A rainy day so we decide on visiting the Maritime Museum which was a leisurely stroll from the hotel.






This was my favorite room in the museum.






Another room had photo albums with pictures from the past. You could pull up a cosy chair and browse through them or look up at the wall where they were being flashed onto the wallpaper, as well as being grouped together here and there.











The weather improved slightly and we hopped on another tram together with a group of 'bunnies'.




I wanted to look for a nice chunky jumper for hubby at a large department store called DeBijenkorf ( which translates as The Bee Hive) , so we got off the tram at De Dam - a funfair was in full swing.



We didn't find anything suitable but were surprised to see the 'alteration department' on hand to fix something up right there on the spot!






Wishing to escape from the hoards we caught a tram and stayed on it until the end of the line. A good way to see the outskirts of Amsterdam.




When we arrived back at the train station a line of urinals had been put in place in readiness for the queens birthday celebrations.



Back in the thick of things we decided on the same restaurant we ate at on our first night - A Chinese place which served excellent food. It appears quite small but look down the alley and you see how far back it goes.

[tod2]

DAY 4 - 29th. Leaving Amsterdam for Lisse and Keukenhof Gardens.



The train took us to Schipol Airport and from there we had pre-paid tickets for the bus and Keukenhof. The problem arose when the bus only took us as far as the gardens and it meant either walking or trying to get a taxi to our hotel. Luckily the driver was a kind old man and spoke to another bus driver who just happened to be going past our hotel on the way to the bus depot - he dropped us off only yards from the Hotel De Nachtegaal.
Our first glimpse of the tulips growing in fields next to the road.






Being too early for check-in we stowed our cases and caught a bus into Lisse itself. On a Sunday morning it was almost deserted .






We found an Italian restaurant serving lunch then returned to the hotel.
The hotel was surrounded on two sides by canals and fields of tulips. We took a walk and found a dear little Coot with chicks.






In the next street we saw these delightful little cars, all done up for the flower show.


That evening we had dinner at the hotel in their spacious bar.


DAY 5 - 30th Keukenhoff
Oh wow! We awoke to clear blue skies and sun! This is the view from our room. A perfect day to visit Keukenhoff.




























One of the gardeners removing any blemished flower.








Resting our feet and enjoying a beer at a cafeteria ( it was a very hot day!) we saw these people dressed as sort of suedo monks.
















Each of the Pavilions has the name of the Dutch Royal Family.




To follow - More Pavilions, more flowers....

[tod2]

To continue....
Inside the pavilion flowers continue in tubs, boxes, pots and vases.





















Outside once more we walk over to the windmill and buy tickets for a canal ride among the tulip fields.










This attachment to a tractor cuts off the flower heads.




Now that takes skill!






Back to the gardens..
This lovely lake had a group of swans that were on loan for a few weeks - any longer and they have been found to be too destructive in the garden.






Another pavilion..














Through the trees, more tulip fields.




Making our way back to the exit we find shady pathways.




At the main entrance was this wonderful old organ - belting out tunes it kept the hoards of visitors tapping their feet.




To follow....A day trip to the coast of Holland.

[tod2]

DAY 6 - 1st May

Drawing aside the curtains I looked out on a bleak rainy day. Were we glad we visited the gardens yesterday!
The tour buses still arrived one after another, offloading Japanese tourists at the field of tulips across from our hotel. There was a sign at the end of one row saying "Please do not enter the tulip field"
Now, I ask you - how many tourists are going to take head if they can read it, and how many will just ignore it.


This was our last day in Holland and decided to take a trip to the pretty little town of Leyden.


Once more we were overwhelmed by the sight of thousands of parked bikes!














By the looks of the rusted chain I would say the owner has forgotten where he locked it up.








What did I say about bikes?!


After looking through one of the two historic churches we decided to take another bus further on to Noordwijk, a seaside town and a mini version of Blackpool.








The street and restaurants looked deserted so we made our way across the sand to this nice looking place.




Inside it was nice and cosy but quite a few people were having lunch on the deck section outside.




The menu was typical Dutch fare so ordered the famous 'croquettes'. They were OK, but that slice of white bread...ugh!


Time to go home so back on the bus. Some of the scenery from the bus window as we drove along.








And so ends our lovely time in Holland - just before I end, here are some photos of our hotel room. It was directly above the entrance and jutted out somewhat.

[lagatta]

Wonderful. You were indeed lucky with the day of your tulip tour.

That white gooey bread is rather frightening.

I'm in Amsterdam right now, in the east end (google Dappermarkt, Dapperburt and Indischebuurt for an idea of where I'm staying). Was working, am tired. Walking around the very cosmopolitan neighbourhoods, to Flevopark and Oosterpark (the two major parks hereabouts) but haven't been to any museums although a friend has lent me her Museumkaart.

I've also seen an illuminated post at the side of the street that is a filling station for electric cars, and I saw one dock there. Its owner had a huge, coiled electric cord in her car trunk/boot, and she plugged in and paid for a refill. All manner of bicycles: ones designed to carry two children (one in front of the parent, one behind), bakfiets with a big container to carry either children, a dog or shopping/work tools and supplies, tricycles for slightly-disabled people. One guy with a fancy racing bike, dressed in helmet and full kit (never worn for slow, urban cycling, but for racers and people training fast, yes).

But note the state of the art, fully separated bicycle lanes in many areas, especially in the countryside.

It is only fifteen degrees here; in Montreal it is over 30.

[bixaorellana]

Oh, Tod ~~ how did I miss this?!

What an absolutely fabulous, lively trip report. So interesting & varied, & your pictures -- wow! I adore the two of the flower arrangements on your tables, but the rest of them are amazing, not to mention that you ran the gamut from beautiful to documentary, to funny, to quirky, to downright da-da. Well done!

[tod2]

Thank you Bixa, I'm glad you came my way...the flowers were beyond magnificent and I know we will make this trip again!

Hi Lagatta - I envy you being back in Amsterdam! But, not the temps...
When are you coming back?
I will google those places today!

[nycgirl]

The adventure continues! Love these photos. The brilliant colors of those tulips are beautiful beyond belief.

Amsterdam looks like a fun time.