Amsterdam
(Various locations)
Happy birthday DJKung and Ozzie Wan!!! We splurged by returning to Amsterdam last October. This took quite a lot of plannng and coordinating, and we finally made it.
Amsterdam is still as pretty as ever, as crowded as ever. The cute gabled houses and the charming canals are still so story-book enchanting. Everybody's still lookin' cool as they zip around in their bicycles, in the usual Amsterdam fashion. There's stil construction around Centraal Station. One of the main changes we noticed is that the trams (http://www.gvb.nl/), now use microchip cards that you tap on the reading machines when you get on and off, instead of the strippencart that you stamp when you get on. We ended up getting a 2-day card, and supplemented with a 1-day card later on.
We booked three nights at Garden B&B in Egelantiersgracht. This area is about a thirty-minute walk from Centraal, faster via tram no. 13 or 17 (exit at Westermarkt).
Here is the cute pocket-sized garden visible from our room.
Our room at Garden View. Fresh baked bread is in the foreground. This room was equipped with a stocked fridge and coffee pot. A local family runs this b&b; they were friendly but reserved. The room was certainly comfortable and it's in a great location in Prinsengracht, an up and coming area with lots of cozy restaurants, shops and art galleries.
DJKung and I pretty much just crashed on our first day from fatigue and jet lag. Next day, bright and early, we headed off to the Antiques Market at Nieumarkt Square.
DJKung enjoying a cuppa coffee and a cookie, while I went ahead . . .
... with a fresh glass of De Koninck for fortification.
The market was quite lackluster, I suppost because the weather was already quite nippy and the shoppers already quite thin.
DJKung espying some records. No luck for him, though. I was lucky to snag a bunch of vintage scarves at one euro each.
From here, it was off to Rijksmuseum for us. What DJKung and I really liked about Rijksmuseum is that it is quintessentially a Dutch museum.You can tell from the works displayed that the Netherlands was a major power back in its day. You can also tell that commerce and trade, not religion, served as the backbone for its growth (to this day, still).
Amsterdam has loads more awesome museums that are worth checking, including the Van Gogh and the Steljik Museums.
Don't ask us why, but for some reason we were not too keen on trying Dutch fare. Just not in the mood, I guess. We did have plenty of gyros and falafels (they are ubiquitous here). And we were just simply craving rice. We found Waring's Kitchen, a takeout thai joint, on Rozengracht. We got their plate specials.
We were so hungy, we scarfed down half our plates before stopping to take pictures. Amazingly, even though everything was pre-prepared (as opposed to cook-to-order), evrything was pretty good.
Later on we, met up with Ozzie Wan Kennozi and The Fasciester. It was funny how they picked a b&b a few doors from us (a jaw-droppingly gorgeous third floor apartment overlooking the canal), and we did not even know until we all got there!
Hanging out at the local watering hole.
On our last full day here, DJKung and I checked out Albert Cuypmarkt. It is an outdoor market that stetches over a few blocks. This did not disappoint. Besides your typical flea market socks and underwear, there were lots of other goodies as well: dry goods, fruits and veg, etc.
On our last full day here, DJKung and I checked out Albert Cuypmarkt. It is an outdoor market that stetches over a few blocks. This did not disappoint. Besides your typical flea market socks and underwear, there were lots of other goodies as well: dry goods, fruits and veg, etc.
Cheeses,
For fortification, we stopped at Moos Cafe, one of the restaurants lining the street.
funny-shaped chocolates,
nuts,
several types of fowl and various other feathered creatures.
For fortification, we stopped at Moos Cafe, one of the restaurants lining the street.
Chicken soup and fresh mint tea for DJKung,
and an Amstel Bock for me. This was actually full-bodied and very pleasant to drink, unlike the light version we have here.
I think I blindly picked a sandwich from the menu. This looks like some type of a ham sandwich. 
Here's my favorite part of Amsterdam, the Bloemenmarkt. Flower culture is huge here, going all the way back to tulipmania. Here you can get bulbs and flowers at a sweet discount compared to when you get them back home. Of course, you have to make sure you get those approved for import into the US.
And then you know what, it was our last day. We had an early start to catch our Thalys train to Paris.
Pistolet rosbief, DJKung's pick. He said that the meat here was good. Happy cows, I guess, make for happy and tasty rosbief.
Here's my favorite part of Amsterdam, the Bloemenmarkt. Flower culture is huge here, going all the way back to tulipmania. Here you can get bulbs and flowers at a sweet discount compared to when you get them back home. Of course, you have to make sure you get those approved for import into the US.
Pretty fall arrangement with chinese lanterns, protea, and orange roses.
And then you know what, it was our last day. We had an early start to catch our Thalys train to Paris.
Ready to go!
One last drink, a Leffe ("Le-FFF," as the train attendant corrects me) Bruin for the road. Next stop, Paris!
The big draw here is Rembrandt's NIghtwatch, which was recently restored. A special loan from the Six family was a portrait by Rembrandt, which was a nice bonus.
