Our Amsterdam holiday began with a rude awakening. Literally...
A 7:45 AM departure from Gatwick means a 3:45 AM wake-up call. Ouch. Out the door by 4:30, catch the bus, catch a train, arrive at the terminal extra-early for an international flight, get through security, and then relax-- our holiday has begun!! Four hours of sleep is a small price to pay in order to get the most out of our weekend in Amsterdam.
We had time to kill at the airport, so we were able to enjoy a leisurely breakfast; full english for me, bacon and egg toastie for James, and two Americanos. That was the first time I ever ordered an Americano, and geeze louise! it seriously got the blood going... WHEW! It was strong! James, on the other hand, he drinks like twelve of those a day, so it doesn't even phase him.
Throughout breakfast, we talked and daydreamed about our impending trip. I can't believe we are going to Amsterdam! I have heard so many great things, and now I am going to experience them too!
Traveling is a big priority for us while we are in London because we don't know where we might be headed once October arrives. I am so proud that we set our sights on Amsterdam, took the steps to make it happen, and now it's here! But traveling is expensive and we have to spend our money wisely. They say, 'Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer'-- and I fully believe this.
Our time at the airport passed quickly and before we knew it, we were boarding our British Airways flight and settling into our seats. The flight was insanely pleasant due to BA's invariably good service. We must not have looked at the flight details correctly because when they told us it would be a quick 45 minute flight, we were sure it must have been a mistake. But sure enough, 45 minutes later we had landed in Amsterdam, and they had already provided us with complimentary breakfast and drinks. I love BA. It's the little things, you know!
We arrived at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport around 10:00 AM. By the time we got through customs, bought our train tickets and picked up our iAmsterdam City Card it was after 11:00. Luckily, once all the logistics were sorted, there was only an easy 10 minute train ride between me and my ultimate destination. Central Station, here we comeeee!
From the moment you step out of the Central Station you are in the heart of Amsterdam. You are immediately in awe of the architecture and get butterflies in your stomach from the exhilarating vibe of the people rushing by. (Or at least that's what I experienced.)
What you see is what you get. Amsterdam is surrounded by water, and there are canals flowing throughout the entire city. I loved that my first visual of Amsterdam was exactly what I imagined; perfect weather, beautiful traditional Dutch architecture and the canal flowing peacefully straight ahead. In other cities, you have to make a big effort to get to the most beautiful areas, but in Amsterdam, it's the first thing you see.
James and I previously discussed that if the weather allowed, we would just walk and take the scenic route to our hotel. Thankfully the light rain that we experienced while flying into Amsterdam had stopped and it was perfect weather to do some sightseeing. We were only a 30 minute walk from the hotel, but we just decided to meander around for a couple of hours with our bags in tow.
I will say, I love my new weekender bag, but there is something to be said for a bag on wheels. Convenience, people! Convenience.
Amsterdam is known for it's cycling culture. Driving a car in the city is actually discouraged, so it's no wonder I only saw one gas (ahem, 'petrol') station the entire time we were there. Once you get your bearings, getting around the city is pretty simple. Between walking, biking and using the tram, there is really little need for a car. Both James and I knew that Amsterdam was a biking city, but we didn't realize how much emphasis on safety they put into perpetuating the culture. In most cases, bikers have the right-of-way, they typically have their own bike line on the street (separated by a median or trees) and there are even bike 'highways' throughout some of the parks. From James' engineering perspective, he found this very intriguing.
After our two hour walk, we found a Starbucks near our hotel to rest our feet (and our arms) and recharge. I know it sounds tacky to go to Starbucks when there are so many quaint and unique cafes in the area, but Starbucks is a godsend while traveling because they provide you with free wifi and I needed to get in touch with my friend Kristen who was also in Amsterdam that day. Luckily, we were able to check into our hotel a couple hours early, so we dropped off our bags and got settled in. We were both exhausted from our long walk and our early morning wake up, so we decided to rest for an hour and then figure out our next move.
We knew we had dinner reservations at 8:00PM, so that gave us almost five hours to kill. Instead of sleeping the day away (like we most definitely could have), we decided to make the most of it and hit up the Van Gogh Museum. Our hotel was only a 5 minute walk to the Museum District, so we took to the streets like champs.
We made a quick pass through the Van Gogh Museum. It is spread over four floors and is very easy to navigate. His artwork is very easy to appreciate. James says that Van Gogh and I would get along because we both like hats. But I like the fact that he was a little bit crazy-- aren't we all? _700x770.jpg)
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We both really enjoyed ourselves, but after we had our cultural fill, we headed back towards our hotel to get a snack and freshen up for dinner. James and I stopped into a restaurant called the Screaming Beans; we sat in the lounge area and ordered wine and some small bites. I wish I hadn't been so damn hangry because the restaurant and the food deserved some camera time, but oh well, maybe next time!
We enjoyed a delicious cheese platter with nuts and fruit, a bread basket with fresh butter and olive oil and marinated olives. It was all amazing. I wish we had more time to relax and enjoy the wine and food, but time was ticking and showers were in order for both of us.
A few days before leaving for Amsterdam, we found out that my friend Kristen and her friend Nick would be in Amsterdam the Friday night of our trip, so we decided to meet up for dinner. One of Kristen's friends recommended that she eat at Razmataz, so she made a reservation for four!
The food was delicious, and the company wasn't too shabby, either! A couple of bottles, clean plates and hours later, we headed out the door to explore the city at night.
Transportation is so convenient in Amsterdam. James and I took the tram to dinner and then we walked with Kristen and Nick to find a pub to post up at for a few after dinner. We were all feeling adventurous, so we headed to the Red Light District to see what it is all about. All I can say is, that place is one-of-a-kind!
Overall, we had an amazing first day/night in Amsterdam. The weather was perfect, we enjoyed a decent amount of sightseeing, had delicious meals and shared it with awesome company. I couldn't have asked for a better first impression of Amsterdam!
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