Winter Vacation blogpost #2: All Alone in Amsterdam

 Since Alex was only staying until the 8^th and I had until the 13^th before school started up again, I didn’t want to waste any precious vacation time staying home. A number of months ago I had spoken to my British friend Sarah about meeting up in Amsterdam at some point during the year, since neither of us had ever been there and it was pretty central and easy to get to for both of us. Unfortunately she wasn’t able to meet up (however we are looking forward to visiting when I’m in Scotland!), but I decided that I would go anyways and take advantage of my holiday time, even if it was on my own.

I’ve never travelled on my own before – aside from comings and goings in between places and running amok in Paris when I was 16 (having broken the “stay with a buddy” rule numerous times), I’ve never really branched out and explored a new place all on my own. So what better time to start? I did briefly ask around to see if anyone wanted to go, but since all my friends had their vacation plans pretty much fixed for the whole 2 week period, I knew I had little luck in finding a travel buddy. But I wasn’t concerned, it would only be for a few days, and I’m a pretty seasoned traveler. Plus I thought it would be nice to enjoy some quality time with me, myself and moi. The only thing I was hesitant about was what I was actually going to do once I got there. Since I was spending all my free time travelling with Alex, I really had very little time to actually research the city. All I had was a little pop-out map guidebook I had bought here, and aside from talking to various people and doing a tiny bit of internet research, I really didn’t know the city at all. It would have to be 95% blind exploration!

“I am a passenger, and I ride and I ride…”

I was lucky enough to find a cheap Eurolines bus (European equivalent of Greyhound) that went from Nancy to Amsterdam for only 66 euros round trip – bonus! Plus after much Couchsurfer hunting, I was accepted by a nice couple, so I had free accommodation all set up. Double bonus!

So at 6am on the morning of March 8, after a teary goodbye to Alex at the train station, I walked to the bus dropoff to await my coach. I was picked up just before 7, and off we were! For the next 9 hours we passed through various cities and 3 different countries (try doing THAT back home!), stopping at various points to pick up or drop off people and take short breaks (thank god, because I REFUSE to use public transport washrooms). As much as I prefer the train, I really enjoyed driving through the countryside, with marvelous views throughout Luxembourg, Belgium, and finally the Netherlands. It was also nice to get a mini-bus tour through so many new European cities I haven’t yet visited: Liège, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Den Haag (The Hague)…while we were only in each briefly, it made me really want to go back and see them properly!

The Dutch countryside was my favourite – flat, flat, flat! But beautiful, little country homes and farms with old windmills dotting the landscape.

 

can you spot the windmill?

I was also able to read a little bit of my guide book on route (which normally makes me very carsick, so I had to read a sentence then either close my eyes or look out the window for a few minutes before I could read another one), which gave me a better idea of things to do and see.

The Arrival:

We were dropped off at Amstelstation around 4:30, I was so happy to get off the damn bus! I navigated my way onto a tram and to my Couchsurfers place, who lived not too far from the Centre in a very pleasant, quiet neighbourhood off of the Overtoom.

I was immediately greeted by two very smiley and friendly people, Lorraine and Attila Gorog, both in their late 20s-early 30s. Attila was just about to head out for a run, but Lorraine showed me around their cute little 2^nd floor apartment in a building well over 100 years old (not that it showed it). We sat down for awhile in the beautifully decorated living room/dining room and got to chatting. Lorraine is a social worker for homeless people with mental illnesses and Attila works at the university doing linguistics computing research. The two have a very cute couples story: Lorraine was working in a hostel in Amsterdam about 10 years ago, and on her 1^st day of work, Attila, originally from Hungary, came to stay. And he never left. They’ve been together 10 years and married for 8, and you can tell that they fit together perfectly. They have travelled extensively together, and after one of Attila’s business trips to Canada last year, they’ve decided they want to give up the Dutch life and move to Canada to run a hostel in Nelson, BC. While they’re still working out the logistics of immigration, I told them that as soon as they opened it, I’d be the first to visit!

Attila came back from his run and we all sat chatting a bit more – they were so nice and interesting! Over the next two days I had a great time getting to know them, and I couldn’t believe how much I had lucked out in getting to stay with them. I was glad I had brought a nice bottle of Alsatian wine for them, not that that little gift would even come close to showing them how grateful I was! They made me feel right at home, and as they frequently said, “make yourself at home! Do whatever makes you comfortable!”

That evening Lorraine made an amazing dinner, couscous and vegetables she made in her tajine. So delicious! And we had red wine and chatted some more, and they both gave me advice on things to see in the city and how to get to places. This is what I love about Couchsurfing – you get the inside scoop from locals! I also made sure to have Lorraine teach me how to say please and thank you in Dutch. While I could read and understand a fair bit of the language just from knowing German, I had no clue how to speak it. So while I wasn’t going to try (I knew I could get by just fine with English, Amsterdam is quite touristy), I at least wanted to make a small effort.

Later than evening we all went for a short walk around the neighbourhood, which is in a very safe residential area, and certainly tranquil. I enjoyed listening to Attila and Lorraine point out all the neighbourhood hotspots and points of interest, and a bit of history as well.

Back at the apartment, I was exhausted from my 4:30am wakeup and the long busride, so after a very pleasant evening I went early to bed.

Day 1: These feet were made for walkin’

The next morning I dragged my tired ass out of bed around 8 – I wanted to make the most of my day! Attila and Lorraine (hereafter A&L) were kind enough (and trusting enough!) to give me a key to their apartment so I could come and go as I please and not have to worry about leaving when they did and waiting until they got home. They both had to leave for work around 8:30 but in the kitchen had left out all sorts of breakfast options for me and had made coffee – so nice! So I grabbed a little yogurt and muesli and a coffee, and out the door I was!

I was a little disappointed that it was rainy (the forecast had called for rain the whole time I was there), especially since it had been so nice and sunny the day before when I was on the bus – no fair! But at least it wasn’t cold, and I broke out the umbrella and walked through the lovely (albeit wet and dreary) Vondelspark to Museumplein (Museum Square). What surprised me was the number of people bicycling in the rain. I mean, the sheer number of cyclists is amazing in and of itself, but in the rain? I really can’t think of anything worse…plus it was windy! But in a city where a 1hr public transit ticket costs the equivalent of almost $3.70, I could maybe begin to understand the public’s choice of transport…

I stopped to see the Rijksmuseum, which was under construction, and Attila advised me it probably wasn’t worth visiting, since only about 200 works were being exhibited out of the 2000 that normally are. And I didn’t really feel like paying 12 euros ($17) to see a fraction of the museum. He suggested I visit the Rembrandthuis instead, which I would do later. (See? This is why staying with locals is awesome!) So I snapped a few pics and headed instead to the Van Gogh museum, which at 9:00 already had a lineup (it opened at 9:30). I got my ticket (a whopping 14 euros = $20, and no youth or student discount!) But it was well worth it – I was in the museum for over 2 hours and witnessed an amazing collection of more than 200 works by Vincent Van Gogh, from the beginning of his artistic career to its tragic end. It was interesting to read a bit about his life along the way on the walls and plaques of the paintings, and I also listened in at a couple points to some of the guided tours going on. The museum also displayed an impressive collection of other 19^th century painters and sculptors, including Gaugin, Monet and Toulouse-Lautrec, and had a very interesting Picasso exhibition. I very much enjoyed taking my time, wandering from painting to painting, taking in all the incredible artwork. Definitely a worthwhile visit!

When I exited the museum I was happy to see that it had stopped raining, and the streets were already drying up. Perfect. I headed down to the Albert Cuypmarkt, which was recommended by A&L, a lovely (and very long) outdoor market. It was already busy with people, and while I wasn’t so interested in the vendors selling cheap clothing or tacky souvenirs, there were quite a few fresh fruit and vegetable stalls, cheese booths, flower stalls and various delicacies being sold. I wandered up the street and the delicious smell of food wafted my way, and I stopped to watch a man making Poffertjes, mini pancakes with butter and icing sugar. I hastily got in line and got my own set of 8 for only 2 euros, and savoured every bite. Unfortunately the man had been a little too generous with the icing sugar, and each time the wind blew (in my direction, of course), I got the sugary white powder all over me. 

at the market

Poffertjes!

I also ended up buying a Stroopwafel (upon the insistence of A&L), freshly made by a vendor pressing dough into a very thin waffle iron. The result is 2 very thing waffles with warm caramel between them. So good (but messy…I was now covered in icing sugar AND caramel…)

Stroopwafel

 To round off my “healthy” lunch, I bought frites with mayonnaise. Don’t judge. The smell was killing me (and, according to A&L, I got the best ones in Amsterdam!)

I also bought some farmer’s gouda, a giant slice for only 1 euro! What a buy! And I dropped into a small bakery at the end to buy a bun, so I could chow down on some cheese and nice bread later on.

After strolling up and down the market, I headed to the Centrum (downtown area). The streets were large and busy with traffic and cyclists, and I enjoyed crossing over all the canals full of houseboats and lined with bicycles, cars and sandwiched between the beautiful architecture of tall Dutch houses.

 

I went first to the Katten Kabinet, a museum created by a man who so loved his cat, he opened up an art gallery dedicated to them. I didn’t actually go in as I had already spent 2 hours in a museum and still had 2 more to go, but it’s been noted for next time…

I then wandered up to the famous Bloemenmarkt (flower market), with tent upon tent of vendors selling plenty of tulips and bulbs. On the other side was touristy restaurants and shops and cheese stores. Of course, I popped in to sample the many flavours of gouda and edam, cow, goat and sheep’s cheeses, but I wasn’t prepared to blow the very inflated price $20 on a small wheel of wax-encased cheese. Free tasting would have to do!

so many bulbs!

 The day broke out into full sun and it was warm and pleasant as I walked up past the Munttoren built in 1620 at sat in front of a canal to take a break and consult my guidebook on my next plan of action.

I headed next to Rembrandtsplein (Rembrandt Square), a nice little corner with bars and cafés and a statue of the master himself, and took little pedestrian-only back streets and crossed many canals to reach the former house of Rembrandt van Rijn (Museum het Rembrandthuis), recommended by Attila. 

Despite the hefty museum prices in this city, I was really glad I went in. While the Rijksmuseum would have easily been overwhelming (although I appreciate it, I’m not a huge fan of 17^th C Dutch masters art). Rembrandt had lived in the house from 1639-1658 and had paid an enormous sum for it…so much so, that he went bankrupt and was unable to pay the mortgage any longer, and so it was repossessed and most of his possessions had to be sold. Because an inventory was drawn up, they were able to know exactly what had been in his former residence and thus recreating the house into a museum was easy, so I was able to see pretty much exactly what the place would have looked like a few hundred years earlier. The house was large and luxuriously decorated, and had an impressive collection of works by many Dutch masters (including Rembrandt himself) and those of his students. We even got to watch a live demonstration of how etchings were done, and on the top floor of the house was the largest collection of Rembrandt’s etchings in the world, (which, actually, I prefer much more than the paintings!) I learned a fair bit about the man and his life from my handy free audioguide, and I feel that I gained much more of an appreciation for him and his work just by getting a little glimpse into his daily life.

Rembrandt's impressive art collection

 

After my tour of the museum I headed directly to the #1 place I wanted to see in the city: Anne Frank Huis. I walked through the centrum and got a glimpse of the Dam, National Monument and Koninklijk Paleis (the royal palace built in 1665, under construction), all the way up past the old Westerkerk (West Church) and to Prinsengracht 267. I had been warned that the house would have a large lineup, but luckily I only had to wait about 10 minutes to get in. The Diary of Anne Frank is a book that has always stuck with me – I had read it as a little girl and, somehow, had a profound effect on my psyche – maybe because I was the same age as Anne when I read it. Even more so, I had the opportunity to see a theatrical version of it in school, and I never forgot it. Having studied German history and a fairly thorough knowledge of the Holocaust through my German studies, I feel this is one of the most important places I could have visited to really reinforce, or rather, give a more realistic feel to my education. The house is very tastefully set up to visitors. While it was Otto Frank’s wish to leave the house unfurnished after the war (it had been emptied out by the Nazi’s), through various displays and models you could get an idea of how it had looked when the 8 people lived there, crammed in an Annex for fear of their lives for 2 years. Quotes from the diary followed you throughout the house and you learned a bit of the history of the family and the events throughout the tour. It was chilling, knowing what happened to that poor family, and could feel in each room the hardship they endured just trying to have what everyone has the right to – a will to live. I think Anne’s room affected me most, the magazine pictures and photos she had pasted up around the walls to make it a bit more cheery still there, worn with age, trying to make life a little brighter. I got a bit teary, as I’m sure, that’s something I would have done in her situation as well…

In the attic you learned of the fate of every family member after their discovery and arrest by the German SS. And at the end of the tour on display was the original diary and loose-leaf pages Anne had written on. It was a very emotional and moving visit, one I surely won’t forget anytime soon.

a house with a powerful history

 With my day coming to a close and my head swimming with all I had done and seen during the day, especially the last 2 very eye-opening hours, I made my way to the closest tram stop to get back before dark. Along the way I popped into a supermarket to buy a salad (to make up for my less-than-healthy lunch) and so as not to impose on my hosts – I wasn’t expecting dinner every night!

That evening over my salad, gouda and some fantastic fresh-baked breadrolls that Attila had just made, recounted my day to my host, and they were quite amazed at all that I was able to pack into the day and how much I walked around!

I was exhausted and again, went to bed early. I had literally walked all day, from 9am-7pm with very little rest in between. Had to rest up for day 2!

Day #2: Getting lost (or losing oneself?)

I started off the next day much like the first - breakfast and out the door before 9. Luckily, this time it wasn't raining (and even though the forecast had called for showers all day, it didn't rain one drop!)

My goal for the day was just to get lost in Amsterdam, to enjoy the city as it was, and, since I wasn't sure if the weather would hold out, to stay outside as long as possible (which turned out to be pretty much the whole day). 

I started out walking from my hosts up to the Leidseplein, the entertainment district with many bars, pubs and concert halls. I continued up the Leisestraat, one of the main shopping districts full of chic boutiques and modern stores. Most shops still hadn't opened for the day and I wandered until I happened to come upon the Spui, or the university area, surrounded by cute cafés and small pedestrian streets with cute shops and used bookstores. Probably my favourite area of Amsterdam, small, quiet and trendy!

The Spui

When you let yourself get lost (which is an easy feat for the directionally challenged, such as myself), you happen upon the most interesting places you may have never found otherwise. In this case, in a small backstreet off the Spui, I found the Begijnhof. I think this was one of my favourite spots in the whole city. It's a small enclosed courtyard of houses and a very old church where Beguines lived in the 14th Century. Beguines were pious catholic women who had not taken their vows and therefore did not live in a convent like nuns.While the original wooden houses in the Begijnhof were destroyed in Amsterdam's great fires of 1421 and 1452, the houses there now date from the 17 and 18th centuries, including Amsterdam's oldest house, built in 1528. The church dates from 1392. While the last Beguine passed away in 1971, it is still only women that live in the houses. While you are around to wander in the courtyard and church, entrance to the paths to the houses is only permitted to residents and is blocked by metal gates. The houses, church and gardens are beautiful, a gem neatly tucked away in a large city, peaceful and unassuming. As soon as you walk in, its as if you've been instantly transported back in time from a large, modern city to a tiny, 17th century village. The complete silence is almost eerie. The plaque on the wall before you enter through the gates explains the history of the Begijnhof and reminds you to respect the peace and privacy of the residents, and that it should be a place for peaceful contemplation and self-reflection. I spent a good bit of time wandering around the gardens and admiring the houses and church, and felt very calm and peaceful.

the Begijnhof

 The rest of the day I wandered all around the city, mostly the downtown core, ducking down tiny side streets and the large, pedestrian ones filled with tacky tourist shops and coffeehouses where you'd catch an unpleasant whiff of the goings-on within. It was interesting seeing old century homes, beautifully built, juxtaposed overtop of cheesy tourist shops selling their overpriced, kitchy goods.

this is the REAL Amsterdam

 I also stumbled upon the red light district, which, while I knew I would probably come upon it eventually, was never quite sure where it was. I was actually just looking for the Old Church, and passed sexshop after sexshop and window after window of girls sitting or standing, trying to catch the attention of potential customers. I actually found it to be quite sad, just because something is legal doesn't necessarily make it good, or right. Most of these girls come from desperate situations in underdeveloped countries in Eastern Europe or further, and while legalizing prostitution may make it seem more legitimate, it's more of a way for the Dutch government to make money off of the taxes of the girls rather than provide any real solution.

Anyways, marching quickly past, I found the beautiful Oude Kerk (Old Church), situated right in the midst of the red light district, slightly out of place. But then again, it's been there for over 700 years, so I think it has a little more right to be there. Although you had to pay to go in, I was glad I did. You could feel it's age as soon as you walked in. The floor is made up of hundreds of tombs, centuries old, (including Saskia, Rembrandt's wife) and the original wooden painted ceiling still stands as it was from the 14th C. It is Amsterdam's oldest church, and while it's under construction on the inside, I was still able to wander around 70% of it.

the Oude Kerk

the floor of graves

Saskia's tomb - 1642 (Rembrandt's wife)

Back outside I wandered around the old city, popping into a cheese shop every so often to taste the goods. However, I was determined to find the best cheese shop in Amsterdam (as it said in my guide book), which sat on a little side street near the Spui and far from the throngs of tourists. De Kaaskamer has over 200 types of cheese, and I bought 2 little pieces of heaven in the form of fresh farmers gouda (a sizeable wheel for only 6 euros, half the price they were selling it for in the Centrum) and some edam. Yum.

 I also stumbled upon the cutest little second-hand/vintage boutique on the Spuistraat, La Rosa Curiosa, which reminded me a lot of the Weezi store back home. It was the only shop I went into (despite the huge amount of stores in the city and my shopaholic tendancies.) I bought the cutest little vintage purse and wool beret (my hair was a mess from the wind).

I decided it was finally time to take a break, so I went back to the Spui and enjoyed a cappuccino in a nice little café overlooking the square - a much needed rest after over 5 hours of straight walking! Afterwards I ate the lunch I had bought at a supermarket in front of a little canal, just enjoying the sunshine. Thank god the weather report was wrong!

My last hurrah of the day was a canal boat tour, which took you from the downtown port all through the canals of the Centrum and old town, explaining a bit about Amsterdam's history, architecture and famous spots along the way, (including Amsterdam's smallest house, only 5 feet wide!) and all the way out to the big port. The tour was just over an hour, and again it was nice to not have to use my feet for awhile!

looking out the boat window towards the "9 bridges" lined up in a row

I had a little while before sunset, so I walked back to Konigsplein, a nice little square, and sat in one of the coziest and cutest cafés I have ever been in, called the Brederoo. It was in the bottom level of a house but still let in a lot of light, and was full of small wooden tables and plush benches with pillows. I found myself a tiny corner spot and enjoyed a fresh mint tea and chocolate cake, the perfect way to round off a perfect day!

I made it back to the apartment before dark and sat and had dinner with A&L (who had made a delicious vegetarian noodle soup!) and we all went for a walk after down to the Leidseplein and around a nearby neighbourhood, and even came across the Manège, where we stood and watched students taking horse-back riding lessons for a bit before returning back to the apartment. I stayed up later that night as A&L told me all about their 3 month trip to South America, and Attila even brought out the photo albums of their incredible adventure. (and now I want to go!)


"All good things must come to an end"

After such an amazing 2 days, it was hard to leave. I walked once more to the Spui in the morning and sat and had a coffee and croissant in a nice café before I caught a tram to the station, and my bus home. I was a little sad that another vacation had ended, as I had had such a wonderful 2 weeks first with Alex, and then alone by myself discovering a new city.

I was, however, content that my little solo-journey had come off without a hitch, and how much I really enjoyed my own company. While I still prefer to travel with friends and to share experiences, it was a welcome change to have all the time in the world to myself and do exactly as I pleased, when I pleased. And I never felt really "alone" per se, as every night I got to come "home" to two very warm and welcoming people, eager to hear what I had done. The more I couchsurf, the more I love it! 6 months ago you couldn't have paid me to stay with strangers all by myself, but I'm so glad I've become a part of the CS community. I don't think my trip could have been any better if I had stayed in a hostel or hotel.

So, would I travel alone again? Absolutely. Probably for no longer than a week (as will be the case when I'm in Iceland this May), but now that I've done it, I've discovered I'm quite a successful solo-traveller, and my own best travel companion. :)

Just me!

And what did I think about Amsterdam? I can only say that I loved it, and want to go back. There's so much more to discover and see, and I realized it's the kind of city that keeps secrets tucked away, waiting for you to discover them. While I could have done without the hoards of tourists, tacky tourist shops and coffee shops, I loved the old houses, the architecture, the canals and bicycles whizzing past. It only makes me want to see more of the Netherlands - a small country, but a lot to offer!

(sorry for the length...I tried to keep it brief?...)