Amsterdam

Amsterdam, also known as the Venice of the North, is an incredible city. First settled in 1000 this city’s 1,019 year history has been full of lots of ups and lots of downs. Amsterdam was traditionally a trading town. With the Amstel river (the river helped name the town) running through Amsterdam and into the ocean, this small city became a main trading port on the world stage during 17th century. During this time the Dutch had a golden age in which wealth and prosperity flowed through the city as well as art and technology. Only when there ability to trade was cut off due to a French invasion did Amsterdam’s economy fall, but with the fall of their economy came the rise of their democracy and a future full of freedom. Amsterdam has a long history of freedom: they promoted religious tolerance in the 17th and 18th centuries when no one else would, during World War I they became known as northern Jerusalem due to the amount of Jewish refugees they took in, during World War II they were the only city in Europe to hold a united protest against the Nazi’s, and in 2001 the first gay coupled was married in this very town. Amsterdam today is only about half Dutch. That is nearly 50% of Amsterdam’s residence are apart of the 176 different nationalities living in Amsterdam, making it one of the most diverse countries in the world.

Putting aside Europe’s record breaking heat wave (thanks global warming) my time here has been unbelievable. The people are some of the kindest and most open you will ever meet. I cannot tell you how many wonderful conversations I’ve had with complete strangers – each one more interesting and insightful than the last. A lot of these conversations were possible due to Amsterdam’s predominantly bilingual population. There were times in which I thought I was speaking to an American when in reality they had lived in Amsterdam their entire life. While still on the subject of people, I feel I should quickly apologize to my roommates who slept in my hostel room. I am a morning person, so waking up at 7am is commonplace for me but, not so much for my roommates who had to deal with my getting ready while they tried to sleep in until late morning. In addition to the people, the history ingrained into these cities streets is fascinating. There were times when I would simply wander the city and run into amazing art galleries, historic statues, or unparalleled sights. If you ever travel abroad and have the time and or energy to simply wander a city with no plan, no idea of what you are going to find, please try it out. Some of the best experiences and some of the best finds are behind that door we’ve never opened.

All of my three days here have been filled with amazing food, wonderful sights, fascinating facts, interesting people, and so many more indescribable events. Below you’ll find a few of the places I visited in my time here and my reaction to them.

Museums: There are sooo many museums in Amsterdam!!! It’s so great 🙂 If you can’t tell… I love museums.

Allard Pierson

I want to preface this with I went to this museum while it was under construction so take this with a grain of salt because I am almost certain it will be different in about a year. The Allard Pierson museum is connected to Amsterdam University College and mainly focuses on Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian history. It was an odd experience for me, not because of the artifacts nor the history, but because I was completely alone. There was not another soul in that museum which made it strange walking around and reading about the artifacts. In regards to the actual content of the museum I thought it was extremely interesting and gave lots of incites into those specific cultures – though it is not exactly unique to Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Museum

If you are searching for a historical museum to visit this is the one you want to go to. The Amsterdam museum goes into depth about the entire lifespan of Amsterdam (1000-present). First settled in 1000, after a flood that created the means for a port, Amsterdam has ebbed and followed being one of the greatest and most influential cities in the world to being broken to where it is now which is a pretty happy medium. The free audio tour, informative videos, and the detailed descriptions of events that occurred within this city truly makes this one of the most informative, if not one of the best museums in Amsterdam.

Anne Frank House

The main thing to know about this museum is that it is the most popular museum in Amsterdam so you need to buy tickets close to two months in advance or else you will be like me: refreshing your web browser to get on the ticket line for the day of tickets. Unlike me, even if you do get stuck trying to get tickets day of, you will get those tickets and not get stuck at 7th in line when they run out of tickets.

Cheese Museum

Alright, this is not a museum. I do not care who says otherwise. This is a marketing ploy by a very smart cheese company. Not worth any time… unless you want cheese from the store on the main level.

FOAM

This is probably the strangest museum I have ever visited. The first exhibit I entered into is an attempt to replicate the feeling of a psychedelic drug that is commonly used in South American rituals. As I continued on… side note here it will look as if the bottom exhibit is the end but, there are a set of stairs that will take you to the upper levels… I entered into a photography exhibit which displayed provoking photographs of women in the mid 90’s as well as short films about the photos. The third and final exhibit was one that used a three dimensional medium combined with an electronic medium to provide a consuming piece of artwork. If I’m being honest this place was not my cup of tea but, if you like pushing the limits when it comes to art check it out.

Moco Museum

I really enjoyed my visit to this museum. Set in a house, instead of a traditional museum layout, this museum is mainly filled with street artists and artists who choose to diverge from the norm in regard to art. The Moco features a lot of work by Banksy, an American street artist, and other artists who share his views of anti establishment and anti capitalism. Would highly recommend.

Munttoren

An amazing find! Located close to the Anne Frank museum this bell tower is composed of original materials and provides a stunning 360 degree view of the city. The tower, which is also a church, was the first originally Protestant church in Amsterdam (Catholic Churches we’re forced to convert) and the bells that are within the church still ring today to mark the hours. Fun fact about the bells: the secret about how to tune bells was lost for 150 years after the original maker died.

New Church

This church is the physical manifestation of Amsterdam’s history. Constructed amidst the Dutch Golden Age this church has been a place of worship (for both Catholics and Protestants), a communal building, a concert hall, and even a trading post. It is located right next to the palace (previously the town hall) to show the secular and religious unity of Amsterdam. Inside the church you’ll find the tombstones of famous generals, an incredible organ, and educational videos outlining the church’s and in turn the city’s history.

Royal Palace

Unlike places like London or Paris, Amsterdam is not filled with structures of grandeur, this palace is the one exception. This palace was originally a town hall, but when France invaded and took over Amsterdam it was converted into a palace fit for the King Napoleon. It houses lavish rooms, which can be further explained on the complementary audio tours, maps etched into the floors, ranging from the world to the heavens, and dozens of documents, mainly educational, that were housed in its operation. It is a good museum, but when given the choice between this and the Amsterdam museum I would choose the latter due to the better content it houses.

Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is a wonderful museum filled with art, relics, and centuries of history. see my post about it for more info on it.

Stedelijk Museum

An impressive museum that exposes the public to modern and post-modern artists such as De Jong, Thomas Hirschhorn, Theo Wolvecamp, and so many more. The wonderful thing about this museum is the amount of mediums you will be able to view. From crafted molten lava to aged potatoes these artists encapsulate what it means to be an innovative artist in this day and age.

Van Gogh Museum

This museum is a brilliant showcase of the famous, one eared, Van Gogh. Not only does it exhibit Van Gogh’s art it displays art that inspired Van Gogh, his letters (which you can listen to in your preferred language), the science behind his art, and even attempts to recreate dream sequences. It is hard not to be inspired walking through this museum. Van Gogh’s history, his passion for art, and his devotion to that passion in spite of the hurdles put in his way is something to strive for.

Restaurant/Food recommendations: We all need to eat, might as well eat stuff that tastes good.

Moeder’s

This local favorite does not disappoint in any regard. The food here is impeccable: whatever you order make sure to get the baked potatoes because they are some of the best potatoes I have ever had. Furthermore the entire atmosphere of this place is something you’ll never forget. All of the walls are covered in pictures of mothers (moeder in Dutch) and families making the entire vibe of the restaurant homey and genuine.

Melly’s StroopWaffels

Stroopwaffels are one of the staples of Amsterdam’s cuisine and they are sold all over the place. This place however, makes them fresh to order and they are flippin’ amazing!

Back to Black cafe

I cannot recommend this place MORE. It may have changed my opinion on tea, which as most of you know is contrary to the norm, and it definitely heightened my love of apple cakes. It’s cozy, friendly, and most importantly serves impeccable food.

Bhatti Pasal

I know, I know I’m in Amsterdam. I should stick to eating Danish food but, screw that because this city is insanely diverse. It’d be like going to New York and only eating bagels. If you ever venture over here please check out this little hole in the wall. It has amazing, authentic, Nepalese food.

*little tip about this place: If you get the Momos also get a side of the crispy rice. It adds a wonderful texture element to the dish and can act as a bread substitute when soaking up the excess sauce.

Fries!

There are stands that sell bags of fries with your choice of sauce. I had the Amsterdam onion sauce and it was delicious.

Pancakes!

Another staple of Amsterdam is their pancakes. Like the fries and stroopwaffels you can find these all over town and most places will do an impeccable job. The pancakes are reminiscent of thicker, richer, crepes.

Best spots to visit: This city is bloody beautiful!

Blauwbrug Bridge

An Amazing place to watch the sunset 🙂

Vondelpark

This care free, beautiful, park is one of many scattered throughout Amsterdam. This is set apart from the rest however, due to it’s scenic structures and small ponds shaded by trees.

Love Lock Bridges

Throughout Amsterdam there are bridges covered in padlocks signifying the eternal love that couples have for each other. I happened to stumble across one of the smaller ones.

De Dam Square

The square right in front of the new church and the Royal Palace is home to street shows, food vendors, and lots and lots of pigeons. Every time I walked through I saw something cool or something I didn’t expect.