Abroad in Amsterdam, Netherlands

What is the first thing you think of when someone says Amsterdam? Come on, admit you thought of legal weed and legalized prostitution. Although that is an option for those who partake, no judgement here, there is soooo much more to Amsterdam.

When I arrived, I realized that like London, the train system is incredibly easy to maneuver. I was staying in Central Amsterdam and the train took me practically to the front of my hotel.This was looking good already. So after a bit of a nap (had a bit of jetlag) I wanted to walk around and explore. The first thing I  noticed is that there are more bikes than cars. I also noticed that EVERYTHING is on the canal and I would have to pay close attention to where I was wondering or I would need an Uber to find my way back.

Now back to exploring. As I was wondering and doing my new found love of finding cafes and finding delectable backed good to try. I was amazed at how pretty the city was and how nice the people were. Although there were tons of people speaking in Dutch, there was also a ton of people speaking in English.

As I was walking I was making mental notes of things to see when things were open the next day. It really was a beautiful city to explore. As the day ended. I decided to make it an early night and get a fresh start the next day. The first stop was to food. I read about a great place to eat my way through Amsterdam. I went to a cool area called the Oud-West. It’s a mecca of arts and fashion and more importantly at that moment FOOD. I was in heaven when i made it to Food Hallen. It is a food and drink spot were i could munch through a TON of upmarket street food. It was delicious.

After I was full I headed over to the museum. No trip is complete to Amsterdam without visiting the Vincent Van Gogh, as he was a Dutch impressionist. The museum is really cool and has over a 1000 personal paintings, drawings and letters.

After the museum, I took a walk over to the Museumplein. It is one of the most popular museums and definitely the most grandest of them all. It houses over 800 years of Dutch history including Van Gogh of course but also Rembrandts as well. After touring the inside, the gentleman suggested I take a stroll in the gardens. It was a great way to relax for a moment and take in the surroundings and stroll to see the sculptures and it was free. When I was leaving I noticed the cool “I AmSterdam” sign. I must take the obligatory picture.

I spent the evening just taking in the sights and enjoying random conversations with the locals it was great. They were so nice and everyone kept sharing things i have to do while I am there on holiday. After grabbing dinner at a little local shoppe, I was off to bed. The next day was to get a bit of culture at the Anne Frank Museum then a trip to the infamous Red Light District.

A must see when visiting Amsterdam is really not complete without visiting the Anne Frank Museum. My first memory of Anne Frank was reading the book as a child. If you remember, Anne Frank was a Jewish girl living during World War II. She and her family had to go into hiding to escape the Nazis. Anne kept a diary while hiding at Prinsengracht in Amsterdam. The Franks went into hiding on July 6, 1942 shortly after Anne's 13th birthday on June 12th. One week later they were joined by Hermann and Auguste van Pels, their 15-year-old son Peter and Peter's cat. Dr. Pfeffer joined them on November 16, 1942, bringing along his dentist's drill.

Sadly in August 1944 the police raided their secret place and found them in the annex. They were all taken into custody and loaded on a freight train to Auschwitz. Anne and her sister would die the following year in 1945. Otto Frank was the only one of the 8 who survived. He died on August 19, 1980 in Switzerland. If you think about what’s going on in our current society, that is not that long ago. The moments there were a bit surreal.

It was really sad and sombering then but to experience the hidden annex via the moveable bookcase was an experience in itself. You are able to see the exact place they stayed and understand the magnitude when you are in the exact spot they were in for over two years before they were discovered and sent to concentration camps.

As I prepare to leave the museum, I see a powerful quote from Otto. It sadly resonates in today’s society. “ I think it is not only important that people go to the Anne Frank House to see the secret annex, but also that they are help to realise that people are also persecuted because of their race, religion or political views”

With that, I leave and go in search of a large glass of red wine.

After a glass of wine, ok three glasses. I wanted to make my way to see Amsterdam Lights Festival before I headed over to walk over to observe the Red Light District.

Amsterdam is traditionally transformed into a beautiful open light museum during the Amsterdam Light Festival. You get to see modern artists from all over the world make spectacular light artworks that can be found all over the city center of Amsterdam. A closed heated boat was going to be the best way for me to take the tour. It was a bit chilly. And what better way than to than to take a canal cruise. It gave me an open view of the light art while I enjoyed the effects of my three glasses of wine. It was spectacular.

After the canal tour, it was time to see a different part of Amsterdam. The red light district to see it with my own eyes. It is very likely that you have heard about this neighbourhood and to be frank, everything you have heard is probably true!!. From brothels to sex shops, to museums, the Amsterdam Red Light District has it all. And yes, there are women in the window offering their services. I was a total creeper and listen to a man negotiate 40 euro for 30 minutes of “fun”.

What i also noticed was there are quite a few coffee shops near and around the red light district. Now, when i say coffee shop, i am not referring to your starbucks or dunkin donuts. Pinky swear- I did not indulge, but I did go in to see for myself. Since location is key, you can easily recognize a coffee shop. most of the coffee shops have a cannabis leaf or a Jamaican flag on the front door. Yea Mon. Great place to discover the history of coffee shops in Amsterdam and the best places to experience that is in the red light district.

My night ended with me sneaking a picture of one of the women in the window (yes I ran afterwards) and heading to the Museum of Prostitution. It is a MUST SEE. It is a former brothal, in the center of the Red Light District and is LITERALLY around the corner from the Old Church which dates back to around 1213 and is the oldest building in Amsterdam. Sit in the “window” and listen to some sordid secrets of former prostitutes. Confess a secret and leave your own.

I did :-). As I leave the Museum, I walk past the Old Church and head back to my hotel. I would enjoy a classic dutch breakfast before I head back to the airport.

So where is the next trip abroad… stay tuned and subscribe to be the first to know where I am headed next.