Don’t get run over by a bike in Amsterdam
Another weekend trip, another crazy 48 hours with very little sleep and a lot of fun. This weekend it was Amsterdam, known as the Venice of the North. When we first arrived, I noticed how different it felt from London. A canal ran through the city with many bridges. Near Central Station there were thousands of biked parked outside. They had bike lights, bike police traps, and bike lanes. It was great to see bikes as such a part of the lifestyle there.
After finding our hostel (which actually turned out to be more like a bed and breakfast), we were free to explore. The best thing about our hostel was that it was on a boat… or what I like to call a botel. After hitting up a few flea markets, we then went to The Heineken Experience, an interactive museum to learn all about Heineken. On the tour, complete with a “ride” through a bottling factory, we were able to taste the beer, learn how to pour a tap and taste the hops that go into making the beer.
After our tour we explored the city a bit more and had some delicious falafels. There is a whole street of really unhealthy, delicious food items. We did partake in many of them. We then danced to some Dutch tunes. After awhile, it got a bit draining because there would be a siren and the bartender would ring a bell every half hour just to add to the party environment. We went to quite a few places where they would do this.
The next morning, after having the best sleep in my boat bed, we headed out to the Zaanse Schans so see some authentic windmills. There was a tiny Dutch village there complete with sheep, an authentic cheese-making store and delicious hot chocolate. After exploring the area and capturing some unique Holland photos, we took the train back to go to see the Van Gogh museum. This is such a place to see! Van Gogh is so familiar, it was interesting to see something up close that you just see in books or put on your wall. Van Gogh will always hold a special place in my heart because last year my apartment had a Van Gogh mural painted in the living room. At the museum, these works really came to life.
It was a very full, very fulfilling weekend. One of my most interesting experiences there (besides accidentally taking a turn through the red light district), was my last, unhealthy delicious item. I tried a Turkish pizza. I can’t only tell you briefly what it includes (lamb and vegetables) all in some seasoned bread with some garlic sauce. The man who made it kept coming up to me to improve it. He said that people drank Yogurt milk with it so he brought some over. He came over again and said that he liked his with some lemon so he brought that over as well. It was a very delicious item indeed and a very interesting man.