Netherlands
Amsterdam, September 2014 and July 2016,
Kinderdijk, September 2014
Accomodations
- The Albus Hotel: 4-star hotel located outside of centrum, about a 20-25 minute walk to the train station, but the hotel is still within the canal rings. The hotel and rooms are an updated, modern/edgy feel. I had a single room and it was small but fine for my needs. There's a downstairs bar and restaurant. I didn't try the food but the bar was pleasant enough, small, but pleasant. I will probably look for something that has more dutch character next time but I wouldn't be opposed to going back here.
Sites/Tours
- Boat Tour: I've done the giant glass covered boat tours and the very small open boat tours and definitely enjoyed the smaller open air boat tour much better. There were less than 10 people in the boat so easier to have flowing conversation with the guide and group. Plus, pictures are going to turn out much better on an open air boat for the obvious reasons.
- Anne Frank House: I read a lot of WWII history and of course read the Anne Frank Diary as a child so this was impactful for me to see.
- Rijkmuseum: Even if you don't get a ticket for the actual museum inside, the grounds of this area/building are beautiful. If you want the Amsterdam letters selfie, it's behind the museum. The Van Gogh museum is also nearby.
- Kinderdijk: A UNESCO heritage site, if you want to see windmills, this beautiful area has numerous working windmills. Kinderdijk is outside Amsterdam but doable to get there by public transportation and personally, I thought one of the highlights of my trip. From Amsterdam you need to take a train to Rotterdam, then the metro and connect to a bus. Sounds complicated, but really, it's easy - don't be lazy. Once there, you can walk, you can take a boat or you can rent a bike and stroll down the paths passing the windmills one by one. It's a beautiful area of the country so plan on just taking in the scenery that the windmills call home.
Food
- Traiterie Chef: I am in love with this place!! After I found this on my first trip I went there every subsequent day for lunch before I left. It's super duper small cafe but the owners are lovely and right behind the counter. I fell in love with the beef stew and tried a new dessert on the side every day (walking several miles a day I did not feel bad about this).