Amsterdam

Marc's Journal

Diane's cousin Mairalee is a flight attendant for Delta and with her Seattle seniority, scheduled a work flight to Amsterdam during our visit. She was an incredible guide.

Dutch Fries

First stop, the fry stand. Amsterdam is known for its fries! Last night at dinner at an upscale restaurant, fries were included with all entrees — which we thought was odd. But they tasted marvelous. I thought Dick’s Burgers in Seattle or Shake Shack was odd  for having such simple menus: Burger, fries, and beverage. The Mannekenpis took the concept a step further and ONLY sells fries. Every time we passed the shop, there was a line down the street.

Coffee

Coffee is sort of a big deal here — in the form of espresso! We have a Nespresso machine in our hotel room, and they sell espresso in Amsterdam like Americans sell drip coffee. It’s ubiquitous. But if you want coffee, you don’t go to the “Coffee House” (which is a place to purchase pot and edibles) but rather to a Café. Yes, they are both drugs — but the former hasn't been legal as long in the US.

The Canals

We took a boat for a tour around the many Amsterdam canals. Our Danish guide pronounced it “kennels” (as in, “who let the dogs out” type of kennels).

Little did I know that the boat launch (which is directly across the street from our hotel room) is over a 6,000 stall bike garage! A sort of “kennel” for bikes. So canal or kennel? Your pick, they both apply.

Canal view #1

Canal view #2

Canal view #3

If you recall your world history, the Dutch East India Company was a global trading powerhouse. Amsterdam was home base for operations. I could feel the vibes of the intrepid captains in the walls of the locks and ancient defensive barriers.

Sip and slide(rs)

Now for a little experienced “back alley” tourism from Mairalee the pro. Sipping flavored liquors at a local hot spot. Then on to another local spot for dinner. (I didn't realize that photos were forbidden, so with the risk of being arrested, below is my naively acquired contraband. (I think that guy was pointing me out!)

Diane's Journal

We had so much fun today, meeting up with my cousin, Mairalee, and exploring more of Amsterdam.

Today was overcast and drizzly in the AM, thankfully no drizzle the rest of the day. We took our time getting ready and ate breakfast at 10:30. The buffet closed at 11 and we were not expecting much but were delightfully surprised! Fresh breads, cheeses, cut meats, veggies, mixed greens, along with an egg scramble, bacon, fruit and much more. Loved it! 

We started our day out slowly to catch up from jet lag, late breakfast, journaling, and a little nap, then met Mairalee at 3 pm in our hotel lobby.

For our first stop we bought Friet (Fries) from a little shop. Best fries ever! They serve them in a cone with mayonnaise or other flavored toppings drizzled on top and a wooden fork to eat them. YUM!

We bought a boat ticket to tour the canal (or "kennel" if you’re speaking like the tour guide).

Found out the reasons why the buildings are so crooked. First, they built the front of the buildings leaning forward to accommodate a pulley at the top used to hoist up furniture and belongings that didn't fit through the narrow doors. Secondly, buildings' foundations are set on wood pilings over the canal. Upon settling, the buildings lean.

The water is mostly fresh. The guide said there are three layers in the canal: the first is mud, the second bikes, and the third is fresh water. The City of Amsterdam dredges the bottom and annually pulls out about 12,000 bikes (with other garbage).

Then we walked the shopping area. Lots of candy stores. Coffee shops are pot places. If you want a cup of coffee you must go to a café. 

Stopped by Wynand Fockink for a liquor sipping.