Amsterdam - Getting Lost In (And Out Of) Town.

Amsterdam

Late August 2018

Amsterdam does exactly what it says on the tin. Drugs, sex, alcohol – it’s all here if you want it.

Having been here before, I was struck at how very, very touristy it all is – it clearly didn’t hit me when I was first here 7 years ago. 21 year old eyes tend not to see very far. Truth be told, it doesn’t really feel like the Netherlands, now that I’ve been outside of Amsterdam.

If you’re over the admitted luxury, novelty, and debauchery of this (obviously beautiful) city, do yourself a favour and get out of town. We were lucky enough to get away and see The Hague and Amsterdam farmlands this trip and it made for a lovely change.

Firstly, however…

Prior to getting out of Amsterdam, Amy and I caught up with some friends from Perth - Vicky, Dan, and Sophie, who happened to be travelling through. We had a lovely night drinking craft beer and wandering along the canals – particularly the famed Negen Straatjes. Sophie (being from the Netherlands) also took us to the upmarket De Hallen food hall, where we had a lovely mixed bag of Spanish, Vietnamese, Dutch, and Thai. There really is something special about seeing people abroad and breaking bread.

The next day, Amy and I spent the morning in the grand Rijksmuseum – perhaps my favourite museum in the world. Set within a triumphant 19th century building, it has a stunning array of European and Dutch art, sculpture, and artefacts – including Rembrandt's remarkable The Night Watch. I honestly can’t get enough of this place and would heartily recommend it to anyone – museum buff or not. You’ll need several hours. We were also pleasantly surprised by the nearby Moco Museum, which had a wonderfully curated Banksy exhibition.

Anyway. Getting back to our time outside of Amsterdam…

On a whim, we booked a cycle tour for the next day, feeling the need to exercise and get out of town, since we couldn’t escape the feeling that we didn’t really “get” the Netherlands yet. In fine, calm weather, we completed a 30km round trip along the canals, farmland, parks, and through the towns outside of Amsterdam and it left quite a mark on us. A famously flat country, I feel that anyone could cycle on the well maintained roads, and alongside the very well-behaved pedestrians and motorists. Locals smiled, livestock grazed, gentle winds blew. It was sublime.

The following day we caught an early train out to The Hague/Den Haag and were again pleased to see a different side of the Netherlands. The Hague was an interesting change – multicultural, yet decidedly Dutch; small yet gaudy; upmarket yet lived-in. It is certainly worth a day trip.

Stepping off the train in dire hunger, we went directly to De Haagse market, where I had some of the tastiest fish and chips I’ve had in some time. Deep fried Herring smothered in Creole spices and served with a wickedly hot Andalouse sauce. All the while the attendants were constantly shouting: LEKKER! (TASTY!) LEKKER! LEKKER! - It was a wonderfully kooky meal amongst all of the bric-a-brac, fresh food, and passers-by.

Sated, we caught the tram to the nearby high streets, which although nice, offered no surprises. The Binnenhof parliamentary grounds on the other hand, were splendid and lovely to walk through – even though the weather quickly soured. Seeking refuge from the driving rain, we went to the nearby Mauritshuis museum, a stunning, yet diminutive, colonial mansion filled with carefully curated European art – notably, Vermeer's stunning Girl with the Pearl Earring.

Upon returning to Amsterdam…

We spent the remainder of our time shopping, eating kroketten and poffertjes, browsing the Albert Cuyp market, walking through De Wallen (as you do), and wandering along the canals and winding streets. Upon returning to Amsterdam, we still couldn’t escape the feeling that we were on some kind of oasis – far removed from the actual Netherlands. It’s what I imagine Las Vegas might feel like to some – the red lights start to burn. Given that the rest of Europe is now at my feet, I doubt I’ll be coming back to Amsterdam during the high season any time soon.

Towards the end of our trip, we met back up with Vikky and Dan to visit a delicatessen that I frankly adore – Van Dobben. Hidden off the main street, it is an unassuming diner serving unassuming fayre – bread, preserved meats, soups, and fried goods. It mightn’t be for everyone, but you can’t just live off Febo while you’re here. Try the Peklevlees with mustard, kroketten, and pea and ham soup.

It always ties together a trip to Amsterdam for me rather well. Lekker, lekker, lekker.

Saying goodbye to Amsterdam for a time, we then caught the train to Harlem, which unfortunately, we couldn’t spend more time in. Briefly stopping for a phenomenal satay (for those who don’t know, the Netherlands has excellent Indonesian food due to their previous colonial holdings), we carried on to the port, where we boarded the overnight DFDS ferry to Newcastle.

With Brexit ratcheting up, Amy and I laughed as we shared a thought: We were literally immigrants arriving by boat, hoping to find jobs in the UK. Not sure if Nigel Farage would approve of us.

In either case, the United Kingdom awaited.

JC

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“I always wonder why birds stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on earth. Then I ask myself the same question”.

Harun Yahya.

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