#1866| Photo Diary: Amsterdayummn!

Amsterdam, Holland.Amsterdam was a flash decision, one of those things you’re convinced is a really good idea after a bottle and a half of wine two nights before actually renting a car and hopping cross border. So much so that the night before we drove down I was still flipping through accommodation options online.. but all worked out well with the discovery of CitizenM hotels. Four girls one bed, the kind of thing dreams are made of, right? Or just my dreams? Anyway.

I loved Amsterdam for many reasons – a girly weekend getaway with pillows and cute cafes, quirky interior design, the general chillbros feel of the city.. but i think one of the things I appreciated most about Amsterdam was its ability to stand out architecturally from the blur of European cities that have consisted our last few months. There are only so many chapels and domes you can see, you know? Amsterdam was like a vibrantly colored children’s pop-up picture book, and walking around the city i felt a wave of vague and relaxed happiness wash over me. Happiness is oft the most dull emotion to pen down but it is what it is.

Eager to continue our weekend adventure trope, we drove down spontaneously to Liege, Belgium on our way back in search of the famous Liege Waffle, but the entire experience was a disappointment, with closed shops and suspicious glares. Oh well. I guess Amsterdam really is a difficult place to live up to – though what happens in Amsterdam stays in Amsterdam eh? Majorly resisting the urge to make a gossip girl reference right now. Here, some recommendations for our favorite Dutch city:

Cafe Winkel
Best Apple Pie in Holland (testify)
Noordermarkt 43, 1015 NA Amsterdam, Netherlands

Aneka Rasa
If you remember that the Dutch colonized Indon, you’ll understand why the indonesian food in Amsterdam is so good..
Warmoesstraat 25-29, 1012 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Red Light District)

Cotton Cake
Concept store/cafe in Amsterdam for people watching and good coffee
1e van der Helststraat 76-hs
1072NZ Amsterdam

Anne Frank House
You can’t leave Amsterdam without at least visiting this historical site once. I thought i had enough of museums by now, but this was one of the better ones that left me guilt-wracked about supporting Germany so publicly in the world cup match the night before..
Prinsengracht 263-267, 1016 GV Amsterdam, Netherlands
Book your tickets online or be prepared to queue for two hours.

Amsterdam seems to have become one of those cliche places you have to visit on your student exchange or self discovery type backpacking trips, but honestly? I didn’t expect to enjoy this cliche as much as i did.

Thanks for the memories Amsterdam – till we meet again x

x
♥jem