Sometimes you arrive somewhere and just think ‘yep this is the place for me’, well this was exactly how I felt in Amsterdam. After just a few hours wandering the pretty canals and soaking up the relaxed atmosphere I was scanning estate agent windows and working out how easy it could be to learn Dutch. But I digress, so let me take you back to the start when me and Greg decided to take a road trip for a few days.
We started the day with breakfast in France, lunch in Belgium and then dinner in Amsterdam. So exciting for a girl from England where our floating island restricts us to do this a little. Five hours later we had arrived at our hotel after dumping the bags and acting oh so mature jumping on the bed we hit the street. Girls in skimpy underwear stood seductively in glass boxes, distinctive marijuana aromas wafted past you as the chirp of bicycle bells filled your ears. This is the place where anything goes and no one bats an eyelid.
We hired bikes and set off exploring the narrow streets and canals stopping for a cheeky drink or two on the way, you know to er help our bearings. I have never been a fan of spinning classes in the gym but I just loved sauntering around on my bike that was both a workout and fun way to get around.
We got our culture fix at the Stedelijk art museum which looks like a huge bath tub from the outside and was full of modern art that varied from the inspiring to the down right bizarre.
We ate and drank like it was going to be taken away from us, but I figured that after all the cycling and walking we were doing then we needed more energy! A real find was this adorable Dutch bakery called Bakken met Passie, not far from our hotel that baked everything on site and was full of warming comforting pastries, cakes and savoury snacks that we stuffed ourselves silly on.
I was initially a little worried that Amsterdam is just a place full of rowdy stag parties, stoner students and tacky sex show bars but I was completely surprised just how beautiful the place was and how although I am sure these things do go on they are not shoved in your face. Amsterdam just seems like the place that caters for all whether you are in a couple on a romantic break, having a girly weekend or on a family trip. Or like me who wants to move there, ride around with a fluffy dog in my bicycle basket and eat al fresco overlooking the canals each evening, right I’m off to learn Dutch.
Tomorrow I want to share my tiny ‘The Fault In Our Stars’ Amsterdam tour for anyone who loves the book as much as I do!
