So it turns out posting consistently on this was harder than I expected. Finding time to chronicle all of the cool things I did, near death experiences I encountered, and the plethora of food I consumed was nearly impossible. So as I sit in my new dorm in London (which is beautiful btw), I'm going to throw together one last post about my time in Amsterdam and the best things I was lucky enough to experience.
1. Cheese
Holland is known for their cheese, or in dutch, kaas. I cannot even count the number of times we wandered into cheese shops, which are scattered literally EVERYWHERE and just sampled cheese for fun, without paying a cent. You can find these cheese shops in Dam Square with all the tourist shops and you can find them hidden in more residential areas. There is even a free cheese museum in Jordaan where you can learn how to make cheese and proceed to adorn yourself in Dutch clogs and aprons for a photo op. If you ever visit, taste some cheese.
2. Art
The Museumplein in Amsterdam is gorgeous. We've all seen that I Amsterdam sign, which is front of the very famous Rijksmuseum. The Rijks houses countless famous pieces including The Milkmaid, other Vermeers, and plenty of Rembrants. Two friends and I spent an hour wandering around on an audio tour. Not only was the art interesting, but the actual building was breathtaking. We had so much fun just wandering around and reading about the pieces and talking about how fun would it be to go on a date to a museum - you would always have something to talk about! The Van Gogh exhibit and the Stedelijk Modern Art Museum are in the same area. Unfortunatly I did not have time to make it to these two. i would have loved to see the Van Goghs, but the line was insanely long every time I went. I ended up buying a really cool oil painting copy of my favorite Van Gogh from a stand in the square so that's going to have to be enough for me.
3. Biking
In Amsterdam, there are 1.5 bikes for every 1 person. Biking is a way of life, and the locals are animals on their freakin bikes. They ride with no hands, sipping coffee, talking on cell phones, and weaving in and out of traffic. Us on the other hand ride at a snails pace, wait at red lights like losers, turn left when we're not supposed to, and almost get hit by cars. I literally almost got hit by a car, saw my life flash before my eyes, and listened to a man yell "hey fuck you and take care of yourself". A little bit of a conflicting statement but I assume something was lost in translation. Biking home from the bars is always a bit of blur. And one time I got hit by a bike when I was walking. But if you're in Amsterdam, you HAVE to bike. It's the fastest and cheapest way to get around and it is so FUN. Going out at night on your bike is always an adventure and it's also a great way to see the city. I felt like I freakin owned the world when I was on my bike, despite the fact that I literally sucked at it. But whatever.
4. Pie and Waffles
Apple Pie at Winkel. That stuff is the best. The crust is literally the best I've ever had and the pieces are giagantic. Winkel is in Jordaan, near the Anne Frank House and you must must must go if you want to have a truly Dutch apple tart. I went three times while I was there and honestly I wish I was eating it right now. Waffles are also all the rage in Amsterdam. They're so sugary and you can find them anywhere. We would get them during our lunch break sometimes at this little juice bar in Dam Square called la fruteria
5. Anne Frank
At first I wasn't really interested in seeing the Anne Frank House - I assumed there wouldn't be much to see and it seemed a bit cliche to me. However, a lot of my friends really wanted to go so I started thinking about it and decided while I'm here I might as well check it out. And I am so glad I went. Quotes from the diary are posted all over the museum and in the house, and you can a really eery feeling of what it must have been like to live there. The story of Anne Frank is one of the most fascinating in history if you ask me. Being able to look into the mind of a girl so young, living in a time so stricken with panic and disaster and hate, is so sad and so intriguing and so educational all at once. When I saw her room, still baring the postcards and pictures Anne hung on the walls, I was overcome with emotion - this is where a girl who so deeply understood the importance of freedom was forced to hide and suppress the person she was. It was really eye-opening and I highly suggest that if you have a chance, you visit.
6. Canals
We spent most of our afternoons wandering around the Jordaan neighborhood and sitting on the edge of the canals, yelling at people to let us on their boats. We would eat ice cream, or tan, or just talk and watch the boats and bikes go by. There's something about being near water that is so soothing to me - I'm instantly relaxed when I'm near it. Maybe that's why I was so at ease in Amsterdam. All I know is that I'm going to miss sitting at those canals more than anything in Amsterdam.
7. Albert Hein
I didn't make this list in any particular order, but if I had this should probably be number one. I could probably write a novel about the glory of Albert Hein, but I'll refrain. AH is the main grocery store in Amsterdam, and it's pretty much the best part about the entire city. First of all, they are EVERYWHERE. Secondly, everything in them is cheap. You can buy 3 liters of sparkling water for 58 cents! You can buy wine for 2 euros! But the best part about Albert Hein is the prepared food. They have so many salads that are all so yummy and they are all like 5 euros each. We would buy lunch and dinner from AH at least 4 times a week I would say. The fruit was always fresh and cheap and glorious. The salads made my heart sing. Their fresh squeezed juices rocked my world. Oooooh man I miss Albert Hein.
8. Chupitos
Everyone in the world needs to go a shot bar. Why had I never been before?!?! This place literally only sold shots and they were all insane. For the ones I ordered, they lit the bar on fire and gave us marshmallows on a stick. You roast the marshmallow, take the shot, and chase with your charred beauty. They had over 50 shot concoctions and most of them involved fire. We probably ordered a few too many but we had sooo much fun dancing in the tiny cramped little corner.
9. Freedom
While Albert Hein was good to me, the absolute best part of Amsterdam was the freedom. The Dutch people are so relaxed, comfortable with themselves, blunt, and free. The liberal social policies in the Netherlands give the people the oppurtunity to embrace themselves without any repercussions. While weed, drugs, and prostitution are at your finger tips, few Dutch people actually partake in those activities. The social policy turns risky behavior into a systematic business with regulations to protect those that do engage. When nothing is novelty, people aren't so tempted to taste the forbidden fruit. I have never felt so comfortable in my life. It took two weeks to adapt to my surroundings, but once I did, I was so at peace. I wasn't constantly worrying about what I looked like or if I was gaining weight or if I should talk to boys. I truly lived every moment that I had in Amsterdam without focusing on unimportant static complexities. And that is how life should be. And I owe Amsterdam for finally allowing me to realize that. For setting me free
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