This weekend brought me to the Netherlands: land of blonde hair, spacecakes, Anne Frank and yes, the most delicious caramel and cookie combination in the world.
A compulsive list maker, I have composed a list for you of how to find beauty in Amsterdam.
Embrace your inner nerd. A while back on Flavorpill I found a list of the most breathtaking bookstores in the world. What's cool about this semester is that I'm going to have the chance to visit most of them in Europe. Case in point, the American Book Center in Amsterdam. Centered around a tree trunk, this store is just as charming as Amsterdam itself. Nooks and crannies make it a gem. The New Yorker was 13 euro and Glamour about 9 euro. Whatever, gawking at bookstores should be everyone's guilty pleasure.
 |
| Books upon books upon books. |
Navigate via your fixed-gear. Well I didn't actually do this, but if I had been in Amsterdam during the spring, I would have most definitely rented a bike and tooled around the city. Amsterdam is so easy to navigate; it was a relief to look at a map that had actual street names, whereas in Spain you make a few turns and hopefully end up in the right place. Bikes arguably have more rights than pedestrians or cars in this city, so listen for bells so you're not clipped or yelled at in Dutch.
 |
| Puts Madison's snooty hipsters to shame. |
Eat your heart out. I love traveling with Katie, because she has just as much of a sweet tooth (if not bigger) as I do. Thus, frequent stops at candy stores and searching for the most delectable treats has been the standard on our trips. This did not stop with the Pancake Bakery. A bit touristy, but who gives when you have the chance to eat this?
 |
Hot chocolate, tea and pancakes adorned with cinnamon ice cream, nutella and bananas.
|
Learn something. Amsterdam has expensive museums, but rightfully so. And really, museums cater to anyone. You have to find something you like between sex, weed, art and history.
 |
| Illegal picture in the Van Gogh Museum. Whoopsies. |
Do as the Dutch do. Think about what you do after work and/or class. Go to the grocery store, shop, take a nap. Now add picking up a few grams of weed, because that's what you can do in Amsterdam. Blunt (ohhh I'm so punny), yes. What is so normal to the culture here is such a brain fart for me. I can't even imagine what would happen in the United States if buying weed from a reputable shop were legal. Sure, it'd be cool. But Americans probably couldn't deal with that type of freedom, we're a bit too uptight and anal-retentive.
 |
| You'll overhear great things in coffeeshops. Best memory was the guy rattling off about how he just moved from Switzerland and is NEVER moving back to FUCKING AMERICA. |
Also, nom on some stroopwafels. No explanation needed.
 |
| Fresh from Albert Cuyp Market. |
I recommend Amsterdam to anyone who needs a relaxed weekend. Be a voyuer, space out a bit, stumble upon a few hookers, you're sure to have a great time.
 |
| Goons at the Tulip Museum. (Just 2 euro! Do it!) |
|
No comments:
Post a Comment