Here\u2019s a little more about why I loved Amsterdam and what I suggest you check out if you\u2019re visiting.<\/p>\n
The Nine Streets<\/h2>\n
There\u2019s so much to love. First up (you know me and I know what you really want to read about!), the shopping! No visit to Amsterdam is complete without a visit to The Nine Streets (De Negen Straatjes). I didn\u2019t even know about them so I\u2019m glad I stumbled upon them and would hate anyone to miss them.<\/p>\n
This delightful area of nine side streets connecting the main canals is full of fashion and homewares boutiques, cool cafes, bars and delis. It is an absolute pleasure to explore, even if you don\u2019t buy anything. A good proportion of these stores sell homewares, which will please the true interiors addict, but there\u2019s something for everyone. Think Melbourne laneway shopping but so much better! The atmosphere is upmarket but not intimidating.<\/p>\n
We stopped for pancakes at Pancakes! Amsterdam, which is allegedly one of the best places to try the traditional Dutch crepes. They were delicious. Expect to queue, but not for too long. Make sure you sit a while and watch the world go by inside or outside one of the cafes (they all have the cutest interiors).<\/p>\n
The canals and architecture<\/h2>\n
There\u2019s just something about cities that sit right on the water, don\u2019t you think? And there\u2019s a reason Amsterdam\u2019s canal district is on UNESCO\u2019s World Heritage List. If you love design and architecture like me, you could gaze at all the amazing houses for days and weeks. They\u2019re unlike anywhere else and I love how different they all are, which makes for a unique and beautiful skyline. These truly impressive and huge buildings were stately homes in the Golden Age but are now largely offices and museums (I daren\u2019t imagine how much a whole one would set you back!).<\/p>\n
We went on a canal boat tour (everything touristy in Amsterdam seems to cost 15 euros!) where I mostly tried to look through windows and imagine living in one of these fine structures in a bygone age. Dreamy. You really must take a\u00a0canal boat trip<\/a>\u00a0as you get a unique view of the city this way. But make sure you wander around by the canals on foot too. Amsterdam is a museum lover\u2019s dream! We went to the\u00a0Van Gogh Museum<\/a>\u00a0(we queued for an hour despite having the \u2018fast lane\u2019 tickets) and the Stedelijk (no queues at all) and neither disappointed (15 euros each per ticket). Van Gogh\u2019s famous Sunflowers are currently on loan to The National Gallery in London.<\/p>\n As we didn\u2019t have time to do ALL the museums, we spent ages deciding between the newly renovated\u00a0Rijksmuseum<\/a>\u00a0(where everyone tells you you have to go!) and the Stedelijk, deciding the latter might be a better contrast to the Van Goghs. I\u2019m really glad we made this choice as we loved this museum (commonly referred to as the bathtub because of the way the building looks a bit like one from outside), which housed not just modern art but furniture, graphic design and every kind of design really. There\u2019s also a brilliant shop at the end (you can go in without visiting the museum) full of great design books, gifts, art posters and things for the home. The highlight of our visit would have to be the Marcel Wanders exhibition, on until 15 June 2014.<\/p>\n I strongly recommend you do go to the Rijksmuseum if you have time. The building alone, built in 1885, is stunning and impressive. The national museum reopened last year following a 10-year multi-million dollar renovation. It houses an amazing collection of art by the likes of Rembrandt and Vermeer. It\u2019s certainly something for the Dutch to be very proud of. There are many more museums in Amsterdam, from those housed in the impressive old canal houses to the seedier sex and prostitution \u201cmuseums\u201d.<\/p>\n The Dutch are very friendly and helpful, plus pretty much everyone speaks English and doesn\u2019t mind doing so. This makes for a very easy and pleasant experience when shopping and eating out.<\/p>\n We weren\u2019t brave enough to hire our own bikes, although kept threatening to. Everyone cycles in Amsterdam; all ages, from kids to pensioners, mums and dads with kids in their \u2018bakfiets\u2019.<\/p>\n Cycling is a way of life in Amsterdam, as the bike rack with room for 7,000 at Central Station proves. You\u2019ll see bikes everywhere, chained to every possible railing (even when signs read \u2018no bikes\u2019!)! They look so pretty and the women manage to look so stylish while cycling. It helps, of course, that Amsterdam is flat and the bicycle paths are everywhere, making it really easy and safe. We regret not\u00a0hiring bikes<\/a>\u00a0so if you\u2019re visiting soon, please make sure you do, for us!<\/p>\n The system is easy and the trams are frequent. We really enjoyed travelling this way. It\u2019s great watching the world go by as you go between attractions or to and from your hotel. We bought a 72-hour ticket but, in hindsight, may have been better off with a 72-hour\u00a0I amsterdam City Card<\/a>, which also gives you free entry to and discounts on various tourist attractions. Yes, it\u2019s seedy and kind of gross, but when in Amsterdam, you really have to see it! And you\u2019ll see tourists of every age having a peek too. The women in their underwear in the windows just seemed really surreal to me and we couldn\u2019t help having an embarrassed giggle. It\u2019s a very safe place to visit in fact, with plenty of police, just don\u2019t take any photos or you\u2019ll find yourself in trouble. As red light districts go, with a canal down the middle, Amsterdam\u2019s has to be one of the more quaint (not that I make a habit of frequenting these places!).<\/p>\n We didn\u2019t have a bad meal while we were there. We suggest you go for Indonesian at least once as this is one of the best cuisines you can try here. We had a traditional \u2018rice table\u2019 (rijsttafel) one night and it was really enjoyable. It consists of many small dishes served with rice. Dating back to colonial times, during their presence in Indonesia, the Dutch introduced the rice table concept to impress visitors with the exotic abundance of their colony. You must try Dutch pancakes too, of course (see above).<\/p>\n We ran out of time to visit the immense Keukenhof Tulip Gardens. Luckily, they\u2019re everywhere in the city anyway when in season. Some of the best can be found in the beautiful Vondelpark.<\/p>\n It really isn\u2019t, so leave those preconceptions behind. Yes, Amsterdam is known for these naughty pursuits, but it\u2019s such a small part of what is a beautiful and very chic city. It\u2019s a real pleasure to visit, just make sure you don\u2019t stay or hang out too much in the area immediately around Central station or the red light district (you won\u2019t stumble upon it, you have to go looking for it!) and bear in mind that coffee shops are for smoking, not getting your caffeine fix! I\u2019d recommend you stay a little further out (we stayed at\u00a0The College Hotel<\/a>, about 15 minutes from the hustle and bustle by tram, and highly recommend it).<\/p>\n Happy travels!<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
The museums<\/h2>\n
The people<\/h2>\n
Bicycles<\/h2>\n
Trams<\/h2>\n
\n<\/p>\n
The Red Light District<\/h2>\n
The food<\/h2>\n
Tulips!<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s not all about the red light district and pot<\/h2>\n