AMSTERDAM
Amsterdam's appeal lies in its dualism. Amsterdam can be viewed on one hand as a pot smokers' haven or a red light district connoisseur's festival grounds. On the other, it's known as a wonderful place for kid-friendly fun, a great escape for art lovers and culture chasers. If you value a mix of city life, awesome museums, walking or biking, and great food then Amsterdam is the place for you. Naturally, it was the perfect location for this foodie and art lover.
I spent five days exploring the city on a solo trip last Fall. It would be just what I needed to reset from a busy year and connect with art and nature. Autumn is a beautiful time in Amsterdam and I thoroughly enjoyed the crisp air, average weather and trees covered in beautiful burnt orange and golden hues. I slowed down a lot and took a very chill approach to this trip. I spent hours at museums, ate and drank heartily and just spent time with myself doing things I love. I know what you're thinking, "that girl was high as a kite the whole time" :). But no, I took long walks and a bike ride through the city and Holland countryside that made so happy and felt really in tune with this part of the world :)
My first stop had to be the famous "I Amsterdam" sign.
The "I Amsterdam" sign located at the back of the Rijksmuseum is an introduction and declaration of the very essence of Amsterdam - a city that's very inclusive and welcoming of all people. It's bustling and busy like any other major city but people are calm and patient and you immediately sense the welcoming spirit of Amstadammers (yes, this is a word, google it!).
Amsterdam offers great museums and amazing art displays. I walked just steps from the "I Amsterdam" sign to the Van Gogh museum and spent about five hours exploring this wonderful museum filled with Vincent Van Gogh art and history.
The Van Gogh museum holds the largest collection of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings, drawings, and letters. Pictures aren't allowed inside but I snuck and took a couple of shots. Probably shouldn't post the evidence here though. Sowwy!
I was fascinated by his oil paintings and how vividly he utilizes colors. I love his depiction of flowers and nature. Mostly, I enjoyed reading about his personal life from his letters posted all over the museum. It was inspiring to know how openly he discussed his internal struggles and mental health. At times, he was desperate but oftentimes, hopeful. I drew great inspiration from that and realized how important it is to stop and smell the roses - literally.
Ok, I will post this. They had quotes from Van Gogh all over the building and this one was particularly meaningful to me. We all need to do things from a deep feeling of and for love!
Amsterdam has unique architecture and there's no better way to view it than from a canal boat ride. I opted for a nighttime cruise that was beautiful. It was a great way to view the city and take in the canals that connect the city together. It's a well-planned city with immense charm. The champagne and pizza offered during the ride helped a great deal as well. I was a happy girl :)
View from the canal boat ride.
A trip to the famous Anne Frank House is a great stop on a tour around the city. The Anne Frank House is where she and her family hid during World War 2 and the place she wrote her diaries. What a courageous young woman. I made a valiant effort to visit the house but by the time I arrived, the line was hundreds of people long so I settled for pictures outside.
Planning tip: Try to visit when the museum first opens. After lunchtime, the line is snaked around the block.
The door to the Anne Frank House.
A statue in her honor just steps from the Anne Frank House/Museum.
The next day and the best part of the trip was a 19-mile bike ride from Amsterdam to the Holland countryside. I was nervous but it's a simple bike ride, right? Wrong!. Amsterdam streets are filled with bike riders who ride very fast and zoom through the narrow streets. But, a sturdy bike and functioning brakes got me through. I'm glad I put my fears aside and took the ride. It was an amazing experience. I booked the bike tour via www.viator.com and it included stops at parks, through the country, and a cheese and clog making factory.
Before we ride, first, we selfie :)
Heading out of Amsterdam, the bike lanes are less crowded and you start to see the scenery shift to more green with lots of trees.
And people walk horses on the road. I love!
I sang tunes from "The Sound of Music" on this bike ride. You would too. The bike plus the steams and greenery brings out the Maria Von Trapp in anyone :)
Picasso sculpture at the Amsterdam Vondelpark. The Vondelpark is pretty much the Central Park of Amsterdam and yeah, there are Picasso sculptures just chilling in the middle somewhere :)
Halfway through the 19 miles, still smiling! I loved my pink and green bike (wink).
A community of boat homes.
People live and reside here all year long. It was fascinating.
As we got further into the country, the farm side pastures were so green and lush. Here is a herd of sheep grazing in the distance, happy and uncaged :)
The clog making factory was fun. The owner gave a tutorial showing traditional methods of making wooden clogs. He called me Whoopi Goldberg the whole time though. Hmm. He did say she had visited his factory and he showed me a picture of her at the factory.
He said back in the day, men gave women a pair of clogs to show an intention to marry. Ehm, look at the size of the pair he gave me. What?!
Yeah, who can walk in these things?
The tour included a visit to a place with some of Holland's famous windmills.
Amsterdam is renowned for its tulips and the most beautiful floating flower market exists in the center of the city. In addition to the shops filled with every tulip bulb that exists, the floating flower market is a sight to behold.
Amsterdam Floating Market on the right.
Tulip bulbs everywhere!
Beautiful fresh flowers are sold here and shipped all over the world from Amsterdam's flower market.
I don't know what the other seasons are like in Amsterdam but I was so glad I went in Autumn and highly recommend making a visit at this time of year.
I was comfortable in light jackets and pants the entire time. There was a slight chill in the air but not too bad, thankfully.
Until the next adventure,
Moni