Amsterdam Love in Voldenpark
Champagne and Caviar Toast to New Adventures!
Honeymoon time! Obviously we were on cloud nine from the moment we woke up, it had been exactly one week since our wedding day and we were ready to kick off our trip in the famed sin city of Amsterdam. We actually started the trip by splurging just a tad and enjoying some caviar and champagne at Petrossian in LAX that was absolutely delicious! Although I am no caviar connoisseur, served as traditional as possible on mini pancakes it tasted amazingly fresh. We also accidentally ordered some salmon flat bread which was pretty legit as well. The funny part of the whole beginning though was that we nearly missed our flight after underestimating the timeliness of departure. We of course got to the airport early, but didn’t expect for the plane to prepare for takeoff as early as it did, we actually had to ditch the last few sips of champagne to run for the plane’s “final boarding.” Luckily though we made it on just fine and settled in for our ten hour flight.
Jet Setting and Norwegian Air
Travel Tip >> Don’t assume all international flights automatically come with meals. Do your research and check if you are expected to book extra services online in advance.
Some travel tips for those looking to travel out that way on Norwegian Air. First off I don’t have anything negative to say about the airline, the staff was pretty friendly and the aircraft was awesome, but we did learn a few things. We were blown away by how affordable round trip tickets were through the airline so the affordability is definitely there. What we did not realize however, was that part of the reason why the cost is so ideal is because they leave it up to the passengers to determine whether they prefer to buy up for certain items or not. The great thing about this is that you get to spend as little or as much as you want without being forced to, the downside is that if you don’t plan accordingly things could be a little inconvenient or more expensive than expected. For example, although I am a pretty efficient packer, for a three week trip, we did have to check one bag which was $100 on the day of the flight, or we learned later $50 if you reserve your bag before departure online. The long flight also does not automatically come with a meal, and unlike the baggage you cannot purchase one the day of departure so you have to plan that one ahead of time if you want some grub. We ended up just grabbing food beforehand and bringing it on the flight which was much cheaper anyways since Norwegian meals run about another $50. You would pre-order that online as well.
The Dreamliner itself was one of the most technologically advanced air crafts I’ve traveled on. It boasts that there is more room for your legs as well as your luggage, although we bought up slightly to give my six-foot-five husband even a little extra room. The cabin pressure and smart lighting is designed to reduce jet lag and there is even fresher air to enhance the whole experience. I think my favorite feature though was the high-tech windows, even though I was in the middle section I found the idea so cool. Not only are they bigger for those who want to peer outside, but they also have an electro-chromatic dimming system that tints the windows to block out the light almost completely without pulling down the shade. Crazy cool! Did all these features help reduce the jetlag? Thinking back to other trips I’ve had, yeah I’d say it helped a bit although you can never eliminate the exhaustion of traveling. One last interesting thing I’ll note for those heading to Amsterdam and happen to transfer in Stockholm, Sweden, is that if you get any drinks on the flight or before you arrive is to be sure to finish them completely. We were pretty surprised when we transferred at the airport to be stuck in a 45 minute line to go back through security x-rays and throw out all liquids. It seemed kind of wasteful to me not only in timing but also since we had to do all this before we even got to the terminal to transfer to our next plane. Some people in line were actually worried they may miss their connection. It’s just something to think about if you find yourself needing to transfer there on your next excursion.
Voldenpark Studio and Frenzi Cucina
Travel Tip >> Consider living like a local and ditching the fancy hotel. Find an Air BnB residence and take advantage of tips from your host.
Voldenpark Gazebo
We made it to Amsterdam in the early evening and of course we were absolutely exhausted. I had a little bit of energy as I always do when I arrive at a new destination which was good because we still had some work to do to find our studio apartment. It was the first time we both had ever used Air BnB and I’m including it in here because we really had a fantastic experience. Our host, Jasper, was great at communication and gave us very detailed directions on how to get to the place. Although our minds weren’t sharp enough to be super detailed oriented so we actually took the scenic route through the city instead of the express route planned out for us. It was fine though, especially since there was still plenty of daylight left for us being so far north and all. We stumbled upon our first canal near the outskirts of town as we followed our digital map toward the saved location pin of our apartment. Passing modern design studios, a skate park and some fountains we made our way through Voldenpark, the city’s beautiful central park, and finally to our home for the next three days.
Jasper, our host, like I said was top notch and although he couldn’t be there when we arrived due to some last minute travel plans, he set us up with his neighbor who welcomed us warmly. We could tell he truly loved Amsterdam when he shared some pretty interesting details about the city. We learned that Voldenpark was actually privately owned many years ago by a wealthy family who simply wanted to share it with their community so they opened their gates to the public. When they decided to finally sell it to the city, they passed it over for the crazy cheap price of only a single euro. The sale also came along with a gentleman’s agreement that mandated that the park would be a safe place for dogs to play, which is why you see so many of them off the leash, enjoying their family time. I just thought this little story was awesome! Travel like a local – my favorite way to discover!
The apartment itself was adorable. It was the perfect size for just the two of us, included extra details like museum passes and sim cards, and even a pair of bicycles to travel like a local as well. Although I have to admit I’m slightly terrified of bikes and we didn’t end up using them since if we did, I’d likely get run over or cause a major traffic accident if I tried to blend into the cool crowd with my embarrassing skills. I think the funniest part of finding our new home away from home was watching my husband climb up the steps to the second floor where our apartment was. I mean I’m relatively familiar with the steep stairs that European buildings can have, but these were at a whole different level and felt the same as if we were climbing a winding ladder. It was a hilarious sight to see Robert lug his luggage and his huge-self up this tiny, practically vertical hallway.
Although we were absolutely exhausted, we were also absolutely starving by this time and asked our substitute host to help us out by pointing us in the direction of a good place to eat. We would soon learn that the Netherlands really doesn’t have the greatest food in the world, but even if it did, the restaurant he sent us to was pretty amazing. Right down the alley way, probably no more than fifty yards or so, we found Frenzi Cucina which featured kind of a fusion of Spanish tapas and Italian dining. Of course we started out with a bottle of wine fittingly from my beloved Spain, some prosciutto, sharp cheese and a charmingly sweet preserve, then moved on to a little beet salad. We also got to enjoy one of my personal favorite tapas, Tortilla De Espana, which is just a kind of potato and egg casserole to compare it as simply as possible to American terms. These little buggers are most likely why I came back from Barcelona a bit chunky while back in college, but they were well worth it!
I’m always all about trying new and sometimes odd dishes to some so for our main course we split two different pastas, one of which had reindeer meat as its main ingredient and the other was just simple beef. The reindeer pasta actually had the best sauce flavoring to it, complimented by a creamy mushroom blend. Interestingly enough I personally didn’t find the meat itself amazing and seemed a little tougher than I had imagined, but loved the beef in the other. Combining forces of the mushroom sauce with the tender beef I think would have made the perfect dish, but I’m just a novice, barely even a foodie, and honestly everything was really tasty there. I highly recommend it to anyone who visits!
Wild Amsterdam at the Artis Zoo
Travel Tip >> Take time to reflect and capture the memories you’re making along your journey and appreciate those you’re sharing the experience with.
After our long day of traveling, we took some extra time to sleep in to rest off the jet lag which was wonderful and worked like a charm. We got up feeling pretty refreshed late in the morning, picked up our transit cards and headed out the door. Our apartment was on the main street of Overtoom where a trolley stop easily brought us down through the city to Amsterdam Central. From there we set off to get lost in the canals which were just as beautiful in person as they are in all the pictures. We found the Anne Frank Huis and although the line was worse than rides at Disneyland and I didn’t dare to wait around, we still stopped for a photo opp. Ironically, on the way there we literally ran straight into one of my colleagues from work who was there for a Viking River Cruise, and although I knew she would be there at the same time you don’t actually expect to see each other in such a busy city. But it just shows just how small the world is sometimes, even when it took you nearly a day to get to the other side!
My Hubby at the Artis Zoo in Amsterdam
The weather was surprisingly pleasant, if not just a few degrees too hot for as much walking as we had done, so we stopped at a local café for a beer break. By that time we found our way to Artis Zoo, which came recommended by our substitute Air BnB host for being somewhat historic to the city but recently modernized and upgraded. It had been so long since either of us had been to a Zoo, even living so close to LA and San Diego, that it sounded like a really fun activity for the day and it was. The grounds were beautiful with tulip gardens and finely kept pathways and of course an array of exotic animals including giraffes, reindeer, birds, reptiles and cheetahs. We even picked up a new traveling gnome to join our family adventures as we go on to create new memories. So this is the official announcement of retirement for my previous piñata traveler El Segundo. Thanks bud for all the good times! Haha yeah I’m still a child at heart.
After the zoo we actually decided to try and find the famed red light district since it’s a must-do for most travelers to Amsterdam. On our way there we rested our feet again, this time taking in the atmosphere of Rembrandt Square, close to a bar I actually found researching hot spots locals tend to gravitate to called Savoy. It was closed, but ironically helped us find exactly where we wanted to be in that moment. We sat at a café called Escape, checking out the scene with a bottle of wine and some appetizers as residents enjoyed the same sun lying on the grass in the court yard with friends. While we watched and listened to some nearby musicians, I thought of just how lucky we were to be in Europe for our honeymoon and how many exciting more times we have together in the future. We were absolutely spoiling ourselves, and I wouldn’t have it any other way, after all this was a once in a lifetime trip, what else was there to do but enjoy it?
We did eventually make it to the red light district which was relatively close to Rembrandt Square. I don’t actually know how we missed it earlier in the day since it felt like we walked around every single canal on our way through the city. It was around 7pm so a little too early for the ladies of the night to be out, and the red lights were dull in the still sunny evening, but it was novel to see anyways. By then we realized what the difference was between a Coffee Shop and a Coffee House, and saw plenty of Head Shops and Seed Banks. We laughed at the clearly lit sign for the Erotic Museum and definitely smelt the reefer aroma bellowing from every other storefront, a true sensory signal that we were in the famed city of Amsterdam. What we did find interesting however is that the folks in Holland really don’t seem to drink much despite the sinful reputation of the area, or at least not much from what we could tell. It was a pretty awesome full day of exploring, and nearly getting run over by more than a few bikes we finished our ten mile walk and headed back to our apartment for some much needed rest. We still had another full day in the city the next day after all.
Rijksmuseum Madness
Travel Tip >> “Sh-ee-ple” – A crowd of people being herded around a popular attraction. Sometimes you just have to learn to embrace being part of the sheeple or you’ll let others bring down your fun.
Liberating Art from the 20th Century
For our last full day in Amsterdam we set off to dedicate our time to art by visiting some of the famous museums that the city was well known for. We walked through Voldenpark on our way there and stopped at one of the smaller i amsterdam signs that are so iconic to take a few shots. Although it wasn’t the main sign, which we saw shortly after at the Rijksmuseum, it’s still impossible to get a picture without tourists. Oh well, we’re them ourselves so it’s all part of the experience and honestly it prepared us for the sheeple life to come. The Rijksmuseum was pretty impressive housing of course classic Rembrandts, Van Gogh’s “Self Portrait,” super intricate wooden boat replicas, and even an interesting display of art from the 20th century that had some liberating pieces. Like the picture to the right – I mean really…there aren’t many words that you can use to appropriately express its design… Go for it though I’d love to hear your commentary! All commentary aside though, I must say that it was a special feeling being able to gaze on such amazing canvases, murals and sculptures. The pure talent and skill that goes into every piece is practically unfathomable for modern day spectators.
By then we had worked up a moderate appetite so we ventured off into the side streets to find a place to eat and found a quaint little English pub of sorts. I always like to find places just off the beaten path and from the looks of it, the restaurant seemed to have promise but my husband can attest that I was terribly terribly mistaken ha! Mine wasn’t too bad since it was a wrap that was pretty much completely filled with brie cheese which is very difficult to screw up, but his – was by far the worst “hamburger” in the entire world. I wish I could remember the name of the place for the mere fact of warning readers to stay away, far far away, but I think we blocked it out of our memory it was so bad! After washing down whatever it was we consumed with some brew, we continued on to check out some more places including beginning our search for some art of our own to take home.
We did end up skipping the modern art museum and had a funny moment when we got rejected from the Van Gogh museum because we didn’t look or act nearly as close to the names on our free museum cards that our host left for us, but the crowds were crazy anyways. We contemplated if we would even enjoy some of the exhibits with so many people buzzing around. We did end up finding a pretty cool piece of art that we both liked from a store called Lumas which held some pretty unique modern pieces. In the basic sense it was a picture of a wave, but instead of traditional brush strokes, each color was constructed by different pieces of a world map. It was called Rachel’s Wave by Matthew Cusick and we did in fact end up buying it the next day before setting off to my brother’s house in Den Haag and couldn’t be happier about the decision.
Foodhallen and The Beer Tree
Travel Tip >> Explore the outskirts of your destination, where the real people of the city live, befriending the locals can give you some of the most amazing experiences.
Robert and I had been on the move practically nonstop since we arrived in Amsterdam and we decided that it was time to take a pit stop to chill back at our apartment with some cheese and wine. As we flipped through a small city book that we picked up from Lumas we tried to figure out what our next course of action for the evening was and decided to check out a local spot called foodhallen. We were glad to see it wasn’t all that far from our place and I have to say that it was a pretty cool spot. I’d venture to say that most Americans would love it and it’s a little more of a hidden gem than other spots, making it more unique. It’s actually an indoor market that can be difficult to find if you’re not keeping your eyes open since it is tucked away in an old warehouse type of building. The vendors can be compared to our craze in food trucks in the States, serving up boutique foods from around the world. From pizza, slow roasted meats, specialty baked goods, to Asian fusion, there’s something for everyone, complete with a gin bar and industrial sized espresso machines. Although honestly Robert and I don’t understand how the gin bar can even stay in business the way the Amsterdamians drink. They seem to love soda and coffee more than they like liquor from what we could tell.
There was actually so many options that we were at a standstill on deciding what to eat for dinner and ultimately just had some drinks before heading back to Voldenpark. But as fate would have it the evening turned into a pretty epic night. The best way to travel in my opinion is always to experience a place from the perspective of the locals and we definitely did so in the evening. We ended up finding a place called the Beer Tree, which we actually saw a postcard of hanging on our apartment fridge since we got to the city. When we walked in, it didn’t look too much like a bar, more like a shop filled with walls of individual brew bottles, prompting Robert to simply ask a guy sitting at a table, “Hey! Is this a bar? Can we drink here?” And he responds by explaining that technically no, but his staff is gone, and as the owner of the bar he can do what he wants and invited us to have a few drinks with him. And that was the beginning of a beautiful alcoholic friendship that evening!
The Beer Tree – Amsterdam
We sampled a ton of beers, all uniquely owning some amazing names like Brouwerij ’t IJ IPA, Brewdog Punk IPA, an emelisse blond, panty, and my personal favorite Raging Bitch Belgian IPA. The owner even pulled out a growler full of his personally brewed beer which was pretty amazing. From here you’ll have to forgive me, although I normally do my best to describe some of the awesome beers I’ve tasted, we drank our memories into foggy remnants of a truly great time. Our kind host introduced us to three of his friends who ended up stopping by to party a bit with us while he told us all about his plans to expand The Beer Tree, his past eight or so years in Amsterdam, and snippets about his homeland of Australia.
I can’t help but proudly recommend for future visitors to Amsterdam to check out our new friend’s business at The Beer Tree. With quality brews and quality people, you really can’t go wrong.
And Off We Go…
After the Amsterdam adventures and shenanigans were said and done, I can say we definitely indulged in experiencing the true taste of Amsterdam in all its glory. Thank you to those readers who stuck with me to the end of this travel log! Next stop…Den Haag for some family time!
