Three days in Amsterdam!

We left Bath early to get our short flight from Bristol to Amsterdam, followed by a wait that was longer than the flight to get through immigration at Schipol Airport.

Our accommodation was at The Blossom House, a 17th century house in Jordaan that has been given a modern twist on the inside. Thankfully, our room was on the ground floor, and so there was no lugging of bags up the treacherous staircase when we arrived. We were given a warm welcome by our hosts, Mark and Paul, who gave us a few tips on the non-touristy places to go to. We had a quick lunch of Dutch meatball (bitterballen) sandwiches (I don't know what makes a meatball Dutch, but it was very nice) at a Cafe they directed us to around the corner.

For a change, we explored a lot of the city by foot. We couldn't get over the charming old buildings lining the cobbled narrow streets and canals that are all leaning forward or sideways, and seem like they are only standing because they are leaning on each other. You feel like if you took one out, the whole lot would go! I also hadn't really appreciated the extent of the canals (or cay-nals, as the Dutch pronounce it) or just how many bikes one city can have! We also came across some clever parking ideas - one automated car park lift system (see pic) and many very tiny cars.

Later, we went for the first of many visits next door to Café Chris, a local pub that dates back to the 1600s. For dinner, we followed another suggestion and had a delicious Indonesian meal, also around the corner (we are staying in the best district for restaurants). Indonesian restaurants are a thing here because of the colonial history of the Dutch East Indies. They didn't quite hit "Indonesian hot" for us, but the flavours were amazing.

On Day 2, we headed out to get breakfast on our way to our pre-booked entry time of 9.30 to the Van Gogh Museum. It was lucky we booked because it was sold out, and this was one not to be missed. The museum has an impressive collection of VG works having been established by his family and is one of the best we've been to (we did the audio tour, which was really well done). The exhibition takes you through his life and evolution as an artist. The final room poignantly covers his death while telling the story of "The Almond Blossom" which he painted for his newborn nephew as a symbol of new birth and hope. Knowing he took his life soon after left us feeling quite emotional.

From the Museum, we explored a bit more of the city and then followed more of Mark and Paul's suggestions to find a good area for lunch, this time pinxtos (Spanish snacks of meats and vegetables on croutons or pastry). For dinner, we went to a Dutch restaurant we'd booked called Moeders (mothers) and enjoyed a hearty Dutch meal of pea soup, beef stew, ribs, slaw and potatoes (as I said, hearty, but we've done a lot of walking!). It was mostly tourists in the restaurant, but it was a cosy space with walls adorned with photos of mothers, and the food was very homely and authentic. It was a lovely way to end the day.

On Day 3, we headed out for a late breakfast and wandered through the local markets, which were a mix of fresh produce, food, art, and second-hand clothes. So much cheese we couldn't buy!

In the early afternoon, we opted for a wine and cheese canal cruise. The sun broke through for the first time, and we enjoyed a lovely hour of cruising, gouda, red wine and some facts, namely:
- the houses are narrow because they were taxed based on width when they were built (so they built skinny, tall houses);
- the windows at the top are narrower to make the houses look taller;
- the houses that lean forward are built that way so the rain doesn't rot the windows and things can be hauled up via the hook at the top without causing damage; and
- the houses that lean sideways are due to the wooden poles that Amsterdam is built on either being too short or rotting away and so sideways leaning is not as intended.

On the way home, we stopped in at Cafe Chris, and Peter, the barman, told us more history of the area. The bar itself (called a brown bar, for its brown interior) was originally an office for the construction of Westerkerk in the 1620s. The workers were paid and then sold beer from the same office (obviously no concerns about wage theft in those days!).

And so with a casual pizza and a last drink in Cafe Chris, we said goodbye to Amsterdam. Staying in The Blossom House has given us some sense of what it is like to live in Amsterdam, and we can't speak highly enough of our hosts, Mark and Paul, and the staff at Café Chris. We've not done many touristy things but we feel like what we've done has given us a good experience of life in Amsterdam.Read more