Saturday, April 30, 2016

TRAVEL | April 2016 Part III | Amsterdam

Amsterdam has been on my wanderlust list for many years - canals, markets, architecture, museums and so much more - and it took me a few moments after stepping out of Station Amsterdam Centraal to accept the fact that I was finally here.

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - Sunset canal

The city is pretty much exactly how I imagined it would be - beautiful and alluring, with blue skies and the sun reflecting off the tree-lined canals, and big intersections crisscrossed with narrow alleyways, dominated by the bustling bicycle culture that proves why Amsterdam is the "bicycle capital of the world". The city is mapped out in the shape of a fan, with canals and bridges forming concentric segments outwards from the city centre. Everywhere we went was so wonderfully picturesque that it was tough to say goodbye after our four day visit. The city is also unique in the sense that it's a melting pot of religions, culture, sex and drugs - where else in the world can you visit the Biblical Museum, the Anne Frank House, the Sex Museum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Jewish Historical Museum, and the Erotic Museum all in the same city? 

(And trust me, watch where you are going because it is so unbelievably easy to be navigating the streets and alleys looking for Chinatown, and find yourself instead in the heart of Amsterdam's Red Light District. With your dad. And his friends. And they're starting to ask questions. Awesome.)


TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam
Strolling down Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal on the first morning

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - Damrak avenue
Damrak Avenue, the main street leading from Amsterdam Centraal into the city center

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - Canal cruise
Hopping on a canal cruise (such a tourist, I know)

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - canal cruise, Church of Saint Nicholas
View of Church of Saint Nicholas from the cruise

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - canal cruise
The corner of Reguliersgracht and Herengracht canal, where you can catch a view of 15 of the city's bridges all at once

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum
Visiting the Van Gogh Museum 

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - Mannekin Pis
Trying out Holland's #1 Fries (pretttty tasty, I'd say)

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - De Goudvis Club
Lovely dinner at De Goudvis Club

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - De Goudvis Club
De Goudvis Club again the night after - my dad couldn't get enough!

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - Banketbakkerij van der Linde icecream
Possibly the creamist, fluffiest, most amazing whipped milk ice cream I've ever had in my life from Banketbakkerij van der Linde (my dad and I had this twice a day, no joke)

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - shopping
Shopping, shopping, shopping

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - Dam Square
The famous Dam Square

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - Haesje Claes steak
Incredible steak from Haesje Claes, one of the oldest Dutch restaurants in Amsterdam that's been open since 1520

TRAVEL | April 2016 / Part Three / Amsterdam - sunrise
Sunrise on our last morning

See you again, Amsterdam. You were incredible. 

Another one checked off my bucket list!

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