Walking the Canals in Copenhagen

“Copenhagen is the coolest kid on the Nordic block. Edgier than Stockholm and worldlier than Oslo, the Danish capital gives Scandinavia the X factor,” the lonely planet claims and after experiencing it firsthand I have to agree. After a full day at sea on our cruise through the Baltic Sea, København, Denmark was our first port of call and I was amped for the adventure. We had two days in this modern yet classic capital finding excitement, beauty, and a touch of hippy love as we walked through the streets from the canals to Christianshavn.

“Tails” from Langelinie Park

Travel Tip >> If you’re on a cruise and didn’t pick up a Copenhagen travel map, simply follow the crowd and you’ll find your way to the first main attraction to kick off your explorations. Be one with the “sheeple” 

The Little Mermaid

It’s the basic principle of accepting being a sheeple, once you find your way to the first main stop there will be some resource or tour guide company begging for your business. In this case the first main stop was the iconic Little Mermaid statue, perched by on a smooth rock by the sea with the old shipping island of Refshaleøen behind her. If you’re coming from city center, it’s a bit far, but walking is never a true chore in cities like Copenhagen, especially when you’re too distracted by its colorful culture and architecture to worry about your feet. For as much hype as the statue has in tour books, it’s smaller than you might imagine once you reach her domain. I could still appreciate her spirit as I took a few shots, especially knowing that she recently celebrated her centennial year in the city representing the great Hans Christian Anderson, who wrote her classic story and lived many days of his life in Copenhagen. I always appreciated his talents in the classical nostalgic sense, but I recently found a new appreciation after discovering he wrote series of travelogues back in the mid 1800’s, including a visit to my beloved Spain in 1866. It’s incredible to think how many lives his works touched and to see one of his most famed fairy tales memorialized with such permanence was pretty special.

Memorial to Workers in Langelinie Park

As we trekked on we walked through Langelinie Park where there were towering sculptures sprinkled throughout the grounds, a playground, and a pier. Many of the artistic creations had angels atop, including a tall pillar with one waving gloriously toward the bay that stood as a proud tribute to sailors coming in and out of the channel. Another triangular sculpture with a winged goddess perched memorialized local workers and their life’s labor that they dedicated to the local economy, their families, and beyond. Down the park path we found a beautiful statue of Princess Marie of Orleans (1865 -1909) that stands tall with a mother and baby sitting at her feet. She was a French princess by birth and a Danish princess by marriage to her husband Prince Valdemar. Briefly learning about her legacy she seemed like a pretty amazing woman and although she never did learn the Danish language, she broke the mold of traditional women in court life by actively participating in political movements and is described as “impulsive, witty, and energetic” introducing a more relaxed style to the stiff royal lifestyle. Even in stone there is something regal about her presence and as a mother and child sit at the foot of her sculpture. Although I am indeed a proud American and believe in the foundations and purposes of democracy, moments like these remind you why little girls dreamed of being princesses one day and why monarchies tend to be almost romantic in our minds.

Steeples and Regals

Travel Tip >> Consider the Danish Royal Guards in the same regard as the iconic English Royal Guards. They are not allowed to talk to anyone like their fellow funny hatted friends, though if you’re lucky you may get a minor smirk. 

Gefion Fountain in front of the English Church

The walk through the park ended with a grand finale when we found ourselves staring down at the Gefion Fountain in front of a quaint old church. It was designed by Danish artist Anders Bundgaard near the turn of the 20th century and depicts the mythical story of the creation of the island Zealand on which the city was founded. There are three tiers with water flowing down to the bottom in short falls and the fountain sends arches of water along the edges that when standing at the bottom, seem to go as high as the steeple of the church. Like many fountains around the world, many use this one as a wishing well and although I didn’t throw a coin, I can imagine the high expectations for results for those who try as it is the largest monument in the city. My favorite part of it is that it was created to commemorate beer! It was donated to Copenhagen by the Carlsberg Foundation to celebrate the brewery’s 50th anniversary in the city. If the fountain flowed with beer I may have bowed to it!

The English Church

I say all this with the English Church, aka St. Alban’s church, standing in the background with its high steeple towering over overhead. The prominent religion in the country is Christianity, but similarly to the Church of England, the country has its own Church of Denmark. In comparison they are both of the Episcopal polity however the Church of Denmark is categorized as Lutheran in orientation. St. Alban’s Church is completely dedicated to England’s Anglican foundation and was built in the late 1800’s for the growing English population in Copenhagen. It is beautiful when reflecting off of the nearby Kastellet moat. It was designed by British architect Arthur Blomfield in the Gothic Revival style with its dark grey flint stone walls highlighting the white piping and window framing around the exterior. Once inside you can actually feel the silence and reference that was invested to create the soul of the structure, magnified by the contrasting sound your footsteps make when walking down the center isle on the wood floor. The extensive detailing of the carved altar seemed to brighten with the traditional stained glass windows streaming light in from behind. It was a sight my mother-in-law would be proud of as a Priest in the Episcopal faith with the perfect mix of beauty and spirituality.

Creating our own tour of the city, we walked on, and like most modern cities it was easy enough to navigate to the next main attraction – the Amalienborg Palace. It’s easy to recognize once you enter the massively wide open cobblestone square, with a large oxidized bronze statue of King Frederick V reaching to the sky in the middle of the space, and identical buildings all facing one another. Set perfectly on the waterfront, it is home to the Danish royal family complete with around-the-clock Royal Life Guards that strongly resemble the Queen’s Guard and Foot Guards in England. Although we did not stay for the ceremony we did see the Guards marching in commute to the palace the next day, we followed them as far as the rain and time would allow before ducking into a shop to let the water pass. The changing of the Guards ceremony that occurs daily at noon and by all accounts it’s a great display if you want to plan your day around the event. The guards also appear to have similar rules as their fellow fuzzy-hatted counterparts with little-to-no facial expressions allowed at all times. I snapped a single shot of my husband leaning in for a photo opp and it rightfully turned out as awkward as photobombing is meant to be.

Amalienborg Palace

I love how accessible cities in Europe are by foot. Each day we averaged 8-10 miles of just walking around and exploring the different cities and Copenhagen gained a gold star for pedestrian travel in my book. Walking along the canals I fell in love with the vibrant colors on the buildings even for a cloudy day they seemed to brighten up the sky. Although there are far less of them than in Amsterdam, they surpassed my expectations and some even beat out its neighboring port, including the stretch where my husband snapped the primary picture to this post.

From the Heavens to Hippies

Travel Tip >> Although it may be Bob Marley’s modern dream town complete with liberal trade of paraphernalia, for your own safety do not take pictures in Freetown Christiania. 

Church of Our Savior Denmark

On the opposing shore of the Kobenhavns Havn waterway in the Christianshavn district we found the Church of Our Saviour, clearly recognizable by its twisting gold trimmed helix spire pointing toward the heavens. Although we did not take a tour, it is available for those who do, instead we just marveled at how the design demanded attention of anyone in its radius. Visitors can walk all the way up and take in amazing views of the city. Despite its beauty and stature, ironically the church has its own urban legend that haunts ghost-seekers that states that the architect committed suicide by jumping off the top of the tower when he realized that the spiral staircase turns the wrong way. Another attraction of the church can be experienced if you have a romantic dinner at a nearby restaurant. Listen closely to hear the church sounding melodies every hour from 8 pm until midnight, not a bad soundtrack to an evening in Denmark I say.

Noma ranked as the Best Restaurant in the World by Restaurant magazine.

Speaking of restaurants, most foodies associate Copenhagen with the world renowned, two-Michelin-star restaurant Noma, led by chef Rene Redzepi. I became familiar with the award-winning spot when I fell into the PBS production of The Mind of a Chef. He was featured on a few episodes, one being when one of this best friends, chef David Chang, hangs out with him in Season 1 Episode 6 and explores his tactics and the local cuisine. We tried to make reservations and missed the mark but wandered that direction anyways to say we had at least seen it. There was a small domed greenhouse or similar structure behind the building where we guessed the restaurant grew or stored ingredients that may be used in the dishes. There were also a handful of contained bee nests where we assumed they farmed their own honey from, and although Noma is closed on Monday’s, its staff was buzzing around inside clearly setting up for some event either that evening or the next day. My brother and sister-in-law were able to make reservations shortly after our trip there and as foodies themselves, they assured us that it was well worth its ranking and price tag.

Peace and Love from Freetown Christiania

From white table cloths to picnic benches and homemade houses, it is amazing that just 10 minutes walking distance you can find yourself in Christiania, often referred to as the “city within a city.” It is a place where artists, families, musicians, students, and hippies all co-exist in community. When the community was established in the early 1970’s locals basically took over former military barracks so the buildings aren’t much to look at. In fact at first glance it looks like a run-down town under a bridge, decorated with colorful graffiti art, scrap metal sculptures, skate ramps, and residents from all walks of life. For some maybe that’s all it is. My husband for example wasn’t terribly impressed with the scene but was happy enough to indulge my curiosity. The grounds practically scream granola with people lounging in the gardens or the grassy hilltops while plumes of smoke rise from below. There are organic eateries and small pop-up shops lining the streets so take some time to wander and find your own place in the community.

Christiania is also home to the “Green Light District,” the cannabis cousin of Amsterdam’s “Red Light District.” If you walk through the community on your own or with your travel buddies, take special note of my travel tip here and tuck away your lens. Although “Don’t Panic it’s Organic” may be a mantra along this stretch of dusty pavement, it’s still illegal in Denmark so don’t give the nice hippies a reason to kick you out. Read and respect the rules that are posted at the entrances and although people watching is amazing, don’t be an ignorant idiot and stare at every strange thing or person that you pass. Be open-minded and enjoy the scene. There are guided tours provided by local residents if you feel more comfortable tagging along with others for an insider’s perspective. Check out fellow travel writer Tim Richard’s account from catching a tour through Christiania.

The European neighbourhood that declared independence @Aerohaveno https://t.co/qRCwoQWXzQ via @TravellerAU

— LindsayAmanda (@LindsayAmanda) July 27, 2016

Before traveling I did a little bit of research which is how I found Christiania in the first place. I found it incredibly interesting that you could not buy property in Christiania, instead if you want to live there you have to apply for the opportunity, then if approved your residence is gifted to you. For decades the neighborhood has been privy to self-government established by the Christiania Law of 1989, however as of 2013 the slow process of assimilation into normal Danish society is beginning to take place. Once fully absorbed, intended for business development purposes, it will be interesting to evaluate how the community will be effected. As with all things, only time will tell.

Recap: Top Things to do in Copenhagen

As with all experiences, it’s difficult to cover every detail in such a short time however I hope you gain a little insight from this Copenhagen travel log. The remainder of our time and the in-between stops were at local eateries, bars, and crepe carts all delicious spots in their own regard. Here’s a recap and top favs to check out on your next trip to Copenhagen:

Stops and Attractions

• The Little Mermaid  – A memorial to Hans Christian Anderson. FYI there are also a few more mermaids lurking about, try and find them while you’re exploring.
• Langelinie Park – Near the Little Mermaid, full of gardens, statues, a pier and a playground.
• Gefion Fountain – Make a wish, honor the old and the new, dedicated to the modern beer gods of Denmark
• St. Alban’s Church – Just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the fountain. Check out the charm of the English Church.
• Kastellet – Walk around one of the best preserved star fortresses in Northern Europe, complete with a traditional water-filled moat.
• Amalienborg Palace – The home of the Danish Royal Family, watch the changing the guards at noon daily.
• Church of Our Saviour – Take a walk up the twisted helix spire and listen to nightly chiming coming from the church.
• Christiania – Be one with the hippies, respect the rules and people, but enjoy the laid back atmosphere of this alternative community.

Foodie Finds

• Noma – Visit the world’s best restaurant. Reservations are tough to get and the price is there to prove it, but for the foodies out there it’s a challenge to conquer that’s for sure.
• Crepe Carts – From what I can recall, the quality is comparable to those near the Notre Dame. We enjoyed ours from a vendor in front of the English Church
• Chilimili – Our lunch stop with fresh, healthy, and simple food. Portions are extremely generous and inside is cute, welcoming, yet intimate for passing travel companions.
• Charlie’s Bar – A British Bar. We stopped here to grab a beer. It has a genuine local pub feel like somewhere in Oxfordshire and plenty of unique brews on tap.

More Travelogues?

Check out my previous posts Amsterdam Adventures: From Mainstream to Microbrewed and The Hague: The North Sea in South Holland. Thanks for reading and please share.

Our View from the Train to Den Haag (The Hague)

Classic Countryside

This part of our trip was a little bit of an intermission of sorts in the best way possible – family time and some much needed R&R. The Hague is the capital city of the South Holland province, less than an hour train ride from Amsterdam. The city is home to the Dutch government and over 150 international organizations and the International Criminal Court. I ended up reading a book recently that was partially set in this environment which gave me interesting perspective as I could imagine the scenes with relative clarify. As we set off toward the Hague, I peered into the countryside through the window of our train to find fields of tulip beds and the iconic windmills that you find on nearly every postcard of the the Netherlands. It was peaceful, easy, and gave me a time to reflect on how blessed I am to be on such an amazing journey.

Speed Bump

Travel Tip >> Use the Google Maps app to download offline maps, then use them to navigate around the area you are exploring. Even when your phone is not using data, you can still see where your location is in relation to the map.

Walking the Streets of the Hague

It was a perfect break between Amsterdam and our voyage to the Baltic Sea. My brother gave us perfect directions to his house in The Hague, from Central to Statenplein “After the Big Museum,” pretty simple! But our heads were foggy from the Beer Tree and we forgot to tap out at the train station then jumped off the trolley too early, venturing on about a three mile walk through the city. Thank you offline GPS tracking and apple maps for the save! Lugging our bags behind us this little error forced us to slow down and really take in the city. The Hague is very metropolitan but definitely has its quiet spots. Like Amsterdam the different buildings connect and form huge walls that frame the streets and people on bikes race around, some with a clear purpose and determination, and others roll leisurely to their destinations.

After finally making it to the correct trolley stop by foot rather than rail, we were happy to throw our bags aside and use the remainder of our energy finding a local spot to eat. Although my family wasn’t coming in for another day, we were greeted with a generous welcome basket, note and recommendations for restaurants that can fill our bellies. I’ve heard this a few times on my various travels, but food is generally not the best in the Netherlands so we were relieved to have this list. We decided on Dim Sum and settled at an outside table at Chinees Indisch Restaurant Walong, which was a perfect recommendation, of which I pass right along back to you! It was definitely worth the trip. From there we retired with our basket of goodies, bottle of wine, and enjoyed a much needed chill movie night.

Foodie Finds

Travel Tip >> Try the raw herring. If you down this delicious fish in three whole bites you can basically consider yourself a local! 

Pastanini Pizza

We spent much of the time resting and enjoying time outside of the exciting but busy wedding festivities the previous week. My new nephew and adorable niece had to adjust back to their time zone after a long flight from SoCal so we went off to explore briefly between nap times. Our time there actually fell within a governmental holiday so many of the shops were closed in town. We did however find the BEST pizza I have had since my trip to Italy when I was 18. If you are ever in this area GO TO PASTANINI! Just think of pasta and panini and combine to help you remember. It’s on “The Fred,” or Frederik Hendriklaan street, like almost all establishments in this part of the Hague. Although the menu isn’t featured online, I had a pizza made of a spicy meat that was utterly to die for. I rarely eat crust (yes like a child) and that was even great at this restaurant. I’m not a food critic so it’s difficult to find the words to describe how amazing this pizza was, but believe you me, its pretty mind blowing!

Although it’s not surprising when I think about it, I was surprised to find Indonesian food available in the region. My father was raised in the islands and actually speaks dutch, gained from when he was a child and the country was colonized by the Netherlands, so another meal consisted of authentic grub from a

To be Dutch you must consume the whole herring in 3 bites! I came mighty close…

local shop. An added bonus was the fact that my sister-in-law Amanda Darby had the chance to cook for us that evening and as a nutritionist made a fantastic ramen noodle soup. We were simply getting spoiled right and left, add in a wine night and we’ve got ourselves a fabulous time.

The final full day we decided to venture out to Scheveningen Beach on the North Sea, a short bike ride away from us, which is where I was introduced to the local favorite: Raw Herring. Often served straight with onions, or sometimes sandwiched between a simple piece of bread, its told that to be a true Dutch citizen you can eat the entire thing in less than three bites. I came pretty close and had just a little bit of the tail to finish. Taste-wise it was good. Very fishy of course and overall I’d say quite buttery. I love exotic foods though and loved adding it to my weird foods list right below alpaca and guinea pig yum! When in The Hague right? Life goal: eat with Andrew Zimmerman.

Scheveningen Beach Resort

Travel Tip >> Rent a bike but don’t be timid. Two wheelers often have the right of way in this town. Fake it to Make it baby! 

Scheveningen Beach – The North Sea

Unlike many places in the U.S. the main transportation vehicle is the bicycle. Mind you, bike-riding has never been a great talent of mine, I’ve tried a slick rock trail in Utah, mountain biking at camp, and beach cruisers in SoCal and none of these experiences went particularly well. It absolutely sounds ridiculous but let me just say its very difficult for a short person to fit perfectly on a bike, we’re generally too small for adult bikes, and too big for children’s bikes. – Rant complete – So this part of the adventure definitely involved a learning curve. All I can say is to try to go with the flow of traffic, if you go too slow you can feel the wind of others whip past you and a little wobble and you might cause a collision. Just live the American dream: Fake it to Make it!

Delicious Mint Tea

It is Holland’s most famous seaside resort towns and is the go-to weekend escape for many citizens in and out of the country. The icon for luxury travelers is the Kurhaus hotel which looks like a huge palace sitting on the sand. There are also options for family hotels with magnificent views. It was off-season while we were there so the vast shore was surprisingly empty and seemed to stretch for miles and miles. During peak travel months there are huge pavilions that are set up along the boardwalk where people can eat, drink, watch the ocean and simply make the most of their vacation. We set up shop at one of them where we enjoyed a tea made of two ingredients – hot water and a full bushel of mint. Although it may seem silly, but I nearly fell in love with it, as I heard my cousin did as well when he visited my brother on a previous trip. It was just so refreshing and pure it was absolutely perfect. I love how in many places in Europe they focus on quality sourcing which you can tell just by each simple sip of the tea.

Eleanor and the Seaside Pavilions of Scheveningen

Another strong suit of the region is that they are extremely family-friendly. I loved that we could sit and enjoy some quality adult-time while easily watching my niece hang out on a nearby playset with other young children. They make it so easy to enjoy quality time with those who are most important in our lives. Just look at that smile! Its addicting! After a while we moved on, stopping briefly to wonder in some of the local shops. I didn’t find anything that was much different than what you can find in my local comparable cities like Newport Beach and Huntington but it was nice to browse before facing my bike-riding fears on the trail back toward my brother’s home. Fake it to Make it! Fake it to Make it!

All Aboard the Silhouette

Travel Tip >> Maximize your time and take advantage of an excuse to take, or extend, your vacation. Got a friend for family abroad? Go visit! #YOLO right?

Farewell Holland. All Aboard the Party Cruise!

The short few days was a perfect calm before the amazing madness that was soon to come on our 12 night Celebrity Cruise through Scandinavia and Russia. It was awesome having the extra time to spend with my family after the wedding festivities subsided and it was nice to have an excuse to extend our trip abroad. After our farewells, we hopped back on the trolley (the correct stop this time) and went back to Amsterdam. Thanks to the guide we snagged from Lumas, we had a few hours to kill so we went to find a few more art shops to look around and a quick bite to eat. We soon realized that the amount of Sheeple seemed to double since we were last there so we decided it was time to board our vessel and wave goodbye to the Netherlands. Our adventures had already taken us so far already and we couldn’t wait to see what was next!

Read on. Catch my previous blog piece “Amsterdam Adventures | From Mainstream to Microbrewed.”

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 20^th 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!