When we arrived it was pissing it down and it made the whole place looked kind of average. I didn't understand the appeal. But when the sun came out the next day it looked so, so much prettier.
We decided to just have a walk around when the rain settled down, and came across a million and one food places that we wanted to go to. Eventually we just settled with a supermarket pasta salad. Exotic.
The highlight of that night was when I saw a woman on the bridge that people had decided is Amsterdam’s love lock bridge doing what I thought was ‘holding padlocks in the air trying to sell them and looking really happy about it’ – she was actually taking a selfie. Alice found it way too funny, but it definitely looked like what she was doing.
Our hotel was right next to Museumplein, and attached to the concert hall. Museumplein is where the huge ‘I amsterdam’ sign is, just to put that in more English words for you (Mum). Despite the horrible reviews and the being scared for potential bedbugs, the hotel was actually alright. The shower was a bit grotty, but hey ho, no bed bugs.
Wednesday was lovely and sunny. We went to Pancakes! For breakfast, and I had traditional Dutch pancakes made with apple and raisins, with a topping of raspberry jam. Alice had a pancake with chocolate sauce…. Boooring. To be fair to her, she did try to be adventurous, but they didn’t have the ingredients in. We then spent the day wandering around Amsterdam. I’d like to say it was a relaxing walk, but when you’re constantly aware of being potentially knocked down by bikes, it’s definitely an on-your-toes walk. They are lethal! We really wanted to hire a bike out on the last day, but they didn’t accept debit card as a form of ID, so we couldn’t :( Ah well, I want to go back anyway to visit the Ann Frank Museum.
We had to take a wander to the red light district. We didn’t quite realise we were there until we were down an alley way and I turned to look in the window and there was a girl staring straight back at me. Some of them were beautiful, they looked like Barbie dolls. Others, erm, more honey boo boo than Malibu Barbie. And I’m pretty sure one part should have been labelled ‘big black and beautiful’ – half of them looked like they couldn’t be arsed though, which is bad considering they pay about 150 euros for 8 hours rent of the windows. So, I know that because we went to the museum of prostitution, not because I had a chat with them (even though I reaaalllllllllyyyyyyyyyyy wanted to). The museum looked terrifying to go into, but luckily some people went in just before us and so we clinged onto them and ran in after them. It was really, really interesting. But don’t worry, I’m not contemplating changing any future aspirations just yet.
After that experience and half (including a trip to a condom museum – yes, really), we carried on wandering. We went into a “coffee shop” which was just a bit strange, and spent a bit of time in the Dam, which is the main square bit. I decided to go and see the famous flower market, because it said famous, and flowers are pretty. It was terrible. The only flowers there were wooden, and the whole market was just flower bulbs and seeds. It wasn’t entirely a waste of time though, we did get some frites (chips) which are apparently famous in the Netherlands – they were pretty good. Still not as good as those ones we had in Devon though Mum, so don’t feel as if you’re missing out.
I had to have a photo with the Amsterdam sign, so we wandered back, but there were still loads of people on it (pssh, tourists), so we sat and watched for a while, before heading back to the hotel for some chocolate and a bit of down time, and returned to the sign as it got quieter. Getting a photo with it by myself was a mission and a half. I decide dto give up and head back to the hotel when all of a sudden it became free.
WE DID IT! Our last day just consisted of sitting in Vondelpark, after our failure of bike hiring. Now we’re on a train to Berlin with a stack of sweets, cat shaped pom bears which aren’t actually pom bears, because they’re cats, and my trusty notebook (Wayne!!). Only five hours to go, woo!.......
Amsterdam verdict? Little bit strange. Bikes are lethal. It’s ridiculously expensive. I want to go back and visit the Ann Frank Museum. Stroopwafels are the bomb. They have burger vending machines. BURGER VENDING MACHINES. There are urinals on some streets.
P.s. I’m really sorry Nessa, I forgot to get you a postcard. I failed on my second place. I suck, I know. Sigh.
P.p.s. Nanny, I didn’t go to the Van Gogh museum, I wasn’t prepared to spend 17 euros to see paintings I used to see in your bathroom
P.p.p.s. Tell Evan not to worry about food, there are Mcdonalds, KFCs and Burger Kings everywhere.
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