After spending the week with Abby visiting, I was off to my next adventure to Amsterdam to visit my cousin MJ and her friend Doris. Ever since I read Anne Frank in high school it has always been on my bucket list to go. And yes, I have a bucket list at 20. So glad I was able to make time for a visit!
Friday
This weekends journey started with two flights to Amsterdam. I left Florence around 10:30 AM and arrived around 5:30 PM. I wish I just splurged on the direct flight because I could have seen and done so much more. After we all arrived at the airport we ubered to the B&B. This place was so cute and part of a relatively new part of the city. It was built above the water. Our hosts provided us with a guide on how to get around and different restaurant where locals eat.
This night we at an Asian restaurant. It was so good to get some sushi and Japanese egg noodles. After, we walked back in the blustering wind over two canals back to the villa.
Saturday
This was an early morning. I dressed for the cold windy and rainy weather. We walked over the two canals in the neighborhood and ate at a local Dutch bakery, De Bakkersfiets. The smell of the bread, when you walked in was so overwhelming and yummy. I ordered a pastrami sandwich and tea and had some of Doris's fresh orange juice. Shortly after we caught the tram into the Central Station. On the tram, there was an actual person giving out tickets. Like what! Imagine someone getting a salary to sit on a tram all day giving out tickets to those who need. I am still trying to figure out why it is not electronic. Once we arrived we took another tram to Anne Frank Museum. We arrived too early so we stopped at a shopping mall because the weather was so crazy. Since I mentioned this was on my bucket list, when we were shopping Doris bought me a little bucket list journal which was so sweet.
Once we arrived at Anne Frank with our prepaid tickets, we went right in. It was very educational and worth it. The original bookcase that covered the hiding place was still there. In casing, they also had her journal with her beautiful script handwriting. America really needs to step up and start teaching cursive again. After the museum, we stopped for a bite at the grocery store and sat outside on some stairs and people watched. MJ nudges Doris and I and says, "look at this guy" and we were too late to even look but we hear the man go, "shut the f*** up." We were hysterical and peed a little. It was a had to be there moment but put it in the blog anyway! After lunch, we decided to go to the Museum of Prostitution near the Red Light District. The museum was educational but I think that we all could have done without it and would have preferred a walking tour. As we walked down some streets there were a few women but they don't give us any attention. They just look at you. But when a man walks near they start doing their thing. As we walked we did not see as many women as I thought but I guess the weekends are busy for them!
After that experience, we were ready for a drink. Of all the places we stopped at the New York Film Academy Cafe. Then we did an hour canal tour. Very cool and would recommend to anyone visiting. You get to see so many different areas of the city. We later took the tram back toward the villa and enjoyed eggplant parm and salad at an Italian restaurant. Believe or not, I am not sick of Italian yet.
Sunday
We slept in and enjoyed a local Dutch breakfast cooked by our hosts. They had prepared meats and cheeses, fruits and fresh warm local bread. Everything was amazing. They also cooked MJ and I a hard-boiled egg with a sorta runny middle where we had to crack it at the top in order to open it. It was great having the opportunity to interact with locals and learn about their food and culture.
In the future, I will certainly be coming back to do the Red Light District tour, Pancake House, Heineken Experience, Tulip Fields and visit cute areas outside the city.
Tips:
- Book Anne Frank House tickets in advance
- Don't be afraid to stay in the outside area of the city because the tram is accessible and inexpensive
- Eat lots of gouda cheese
- Visit during the spring because you will see tulips everywhere!
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