I had almost forgotten how charming Amsterdam is :-)
Mar 25th, 2009, 12:09 PM
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I had almost forgotten how charming Amsterdam is :-)
I had a couple of days in Amsterdam last week in connection with a conference in the city. My wife Nikki and I went there a few years back (as you can see on http://gardkarlsen.com/amsterdam.htm ) and we had a good time then. But over the years I had almost forgotten how charming this city really is so I was surprised when I came there last week. First of all...it is so easy to get there from Norway. It is just about a 1 hour flight from my hometown Stavanger to Amsterdam on KLM. When I landed it was easy to get into town by train...it was 4.4€ and took 15-20 minutes. And after that it was easy to get around town on the trams...1 zone was 1.6€
What catches the eye first in this city is of course all the canals. This is what makes the city different and exotic and that it was makes the city so charming. Another thing you notice right away are all the people that are biking....you better stay out of the bike lanes when walking around town. In Norway most people bike to work for the exercise...but in Amsterdam it is just a way to get to work. I would see people biking while talking on the phone, biking while having a cigarette etc. The bikes is also worth mentioning...while in Norway most people have modern sports bike, most of the bikes in Amsterdam seem to be made before world war 2. Bikes are parked everywhere (and locked down) so that has not changed since the last time I was there.
The Dutch used to get around the world in the old days. If you know your history you will know that the VOC was one of the first multinational cooperation and they spread out to places like South-Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia etc.Due to this a lot of people from all over the world have come to Amsterdam and that means that you can find lots of good restaurants around town. I ended up going to a South African Dutch restaurant as I have a link to South Africa - the place is called Tjing Tjing (see http://www.tjingtjing.com ) and here you can get a few dishes that are typical for South Africa and based on old Dutch traditions....and I also had the pleasure of getting a Hunter's Dry cider
I also went to a place called Moeders (see http://www.moeders.com/pagina.php?m=14&p=14 ) and they serve traditional Dutch food. I had the Suddervlees which is a sort of meat stew...the meat was just so tender
Well, after this trip I know that I want to visit Amsterdam again on vacation - it is a town that is well worth a visit if you are in the area.
Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures
What catches the eye first in this city is of course all the canals. This is what makes the city different and exotic and that it was makes the city so charming. Another thing you notice right away are all the people that are biking....you better stay out of the bike lanes when walking around town. In Norway most people bike to work for the exercise...but in Amsterdam it is just a way to get to work. I would see people biking while talking on the phone, biking while having a cigarette etc. The bikes is also worth mentioning...while in Norway most people have modern sports bike, most of the bikes in Amsterdam seem to be made before world war 2. Bikes are parked everywhere (and locked down) so that has not changed since the last time I was there.
The Dutch used to get around the world in the old days. If you know your history you will know that the VOC was one of the first multinational cooperation and they spread out to places like South-Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia etc.Due to this a lot of people from all over the world have come to Amsterdam and that means that you can find lots of good restaurants around town. I ended up going to a South African Dutch restaurant as I have a link to South Africa - the place is called Tjing Tjing (see http://www.tjingtjing.com ) and here you can get a few dishes that are typical for South Africa and based on old Dutch traditions....and I also had the pleasure of getting a Hunter's Dry cider
I also went to a place called Moeders (see http://www.moeders.com/pagina.php?m=14&p=14 ) and they serve traditional Dutch food. I had the Suddervlees which is a sort of meat stew...the meat was just so tender Well, after this trip I know that I want to visit Amsterdam again on vacation - it is a town that is well worth a visit if you are in the area.
Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures
Mar 25th, 2009, 12:16 PM
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Thanks for your trip report, Gard. I'm glad you had a great time. Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities to visit, particularly in the spring. Did you get to see any of the tulip fields in bloom?
Robyn
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Mar 25th, 2009, 12:52 PM
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Glad you enjoyed it gard.
the bikes may look old but they aren't. Certainly not that old - the Germans took them all in WW2
. Dutch people just like "Omafietsen"and the like, comfortable and easy to ride. And lets face it we don't need 21 gears to get around
Robyn the tulips aren't properly in bloom yet. I saw my first tulip in bloom today but it was in a very sheltered sunny spot in someone's garden, and she tells me it is an early variety.
the bikes may look old but they aren't. Certainly not that old - the Germans took them all in WW2
. Dutch people just like "Omafietsen"and the like, comfortable and easy to ride. And lets face it we don't need 21 gears to get around Robyn the tulips aren't properly in bloom yet. I saw my first tulip in bloom today but it was in a very sheltered sunny spot in someone's garden, and she tells me it is an early variety.
Mar 25th, 2009, 01:23 PM
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Hi hetismij - Thanks for the update on the tulips. I remember once flying into Schiphol in late March, and there was already color in the fields, but I bet they were crocus blooming, and not tulips.
Robyn
Robyn
Mar 25th, 2009, 01:35 PM
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Hi
No, I didn't get to see anything in Amsterdam this time...well, apart from my general observations. I was working all day long so there was no time for sightseeing. But I hope to go back there again soon. As I said, it is such a short flight for us ;-)
Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures
No, I didn't get to see anything in Amsterdam this time...well, apart from my general observations. I was working all day long so there was no time for sightseeing. But I hope to go back there again soon. As I said, it is such a short flight for us ;-)
Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures
Mar 25th, 2009, 02:36 PM
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Your post reminded me of how much I enjoyed Amsterdam, especially the kamikasi (sp?) bicyclists. It was amazing seeing young women with a child on the front of the bike and another on the back.
The city is so walkable and beautiful. I loved it and will go back again some day.
The city is so walkable and beautiful. I loved it and will go back again some day.
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Mar 25th, 2009, 02:37 PM
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I can't wait to go back to Amsterdam! All I am waiting for is for a critical mass of museums to be re-opened. It is among my favorite European cities for pure pleasure, and it is a beauty to look it.
