Two days in Amsterdam
Wednesday, July 13th, 2022
After passing the border between Germany and the Netherlands the air conditioning on the train cut out. If you have ever been on a modern European train then you will know that the majority lack windows that can be opened. This was true for this train. Normally, it’s not a huge deal, however Europe has received a massive heat wave this summer. Needless to say, the rest of the ride into Amsterdam was a rather sweaty and uncomfortable one. T made multiple trips to the small compartment in between rail cars because they had “air conditioning” in the form of wind.
Once we departed the train, we were immediately grateful for the cool breeze that floated over the water directly next to the central station. We were also impressed by the cleanliness of the train station and the subsequent metro stations. We arrived at our accommodation, the Van Gogh hotel, in the late afternoon. It was located a block away from the Van Gogh museum which T had as her number one wish as a place to see while we were in Amsterdam.
After dropping our packs in our room, we began planning to visit the museum, but were taken aback that there were no tickets available for the timeframe that we would be in Amsterdam for. We thought this surely must be some kind of mistake. Since the museum itself was not far, we decided to go and inquire in person. The museum staff informed us that the information regarding available tickets was correct. I cannot express how much this devastated T. Van Gogh is her favorite artist, and to be this close but unable to visit the museum containing his works was crushing for her. So much so that she broke down a little. Upon seeing this one of the staff, an older woman with short gray hair, told us that we should attempt to look for tickets online again tomorrow at 5 pm.
After gathering herself together T and I returned quite defeated to our hotel room and began searching for any alternative method to purchase a ticket for the museum. None of the options were good.
Finally, after multiple dead ends we resigned to check tickets again the following day as the staff member had suggested. Hunger had crept up on us while we were attempting to acquire tickets to the museum so we set out in search of a market. We were pleased to find one situated clandestinely underground beneath a large park area. After purchasing dinner and snacks we returned and spent a quiet night planning.
Thursday, July 14th, 2022
We had requested recommendations during our night of planning from a dear friend on mine that had lived for some time in the Netherlands and happily took her advice. T had booked us a canal small boat tour and we set off in the late morning for it. We found the pick up location early so we grabbed some Fabel Friet to satisfy our now grumbling tummies while we waited for the boat to appear.
We were the first to board the small ship and meet our captain and guide. He asked us where we were from and we said the United States. He asked where withing the U.S. and upon learning we were from Nebraska he excitedly exclaimed he knew of it! This was surprising as most often when we tell people we are from Nebraska we met simply by glazed eyes and a vague look. Our captain had however, learned about Nebraska from the film which shares the name. He had deeply enjoyed the soundtrack of the film and it meant a great deal to him due to the unlikely coincidence that he had been listening to it when both of his children had been born.
After chatting about this with him for a brief while, other passengers had begun to appear and the captain returned to the work at hand. In no time at all we were cruising the canals, enjoying the beautiful buildings and learning more about their history and construction. The dancing houses, buildings which leaned in various directions that is did not seem they should be leaning, he assured us were not intentional. They were instead the result of the shifting foundation, built of 20+ meter (60+ ft) wooden poles submerged vertically down into the peat and sand beneath. These poles are kept submerged to ensure they did not rot out. For that reason the canal water levels are constantly monitored and adjusted accordingly.
He additionally explained the early history of the city, the wealth is achieved due to trade and how the loss of sailors eventually led to the widowed wives of sailors lost at sea lighting a red light behind their homes after a year of mourning. This explained how a rather tragic series of events resulted in the creation of the Red light district of the city. A bit later we passed by the house which hid Anne Frank situated directly next to a church. The sound of the bells is mentioned in her diary which given the proximity between the two is understandably described as a nuisance.
Shortly after seeing the house and the church, we returned to our original location having circled the city via canal. It was now near 5 pm, so we waited with anticipation to check for tickets to the Van Gogh museum. Sure enough a minute or so after the clock struck 5, a number of tickets for the following day appeared available on the ticket website. The staff member had taken pity on us by stating that specific time and we will be forever grateful to her for it. After purchasing the two coveted tickets, we grabbed a quick drink from Gollem, an ancient looking pub to celebrate. Then we headed back to the hotel for a cheap dinner and called it an early night.
Friday, July 15th, 2022
We woke early, T was eager to use our tickets to the museum asap. We entered the museum and spent the next few hours pouring over the his paintings. The museum presents his work in the order of his life, which allows the observer to better understand his development as an artist, presenting also paintings from artists of the time which influenced Van Gogh and aided the creation of some of best works. It also presented the various events of his life which impacted his work. Altogether it is a wonderfully established museum. The only surprise was that perhaps the most famous and recognized of his works, Starry Night, was not present in the museum (being on display in New York City). Still it was a great experience.
After milling about the museum for hours we had worked up an appetite. We headed off to find Bakers and Roasters, another recommendation of my friend. The small shop is owned and operated by a New Zealander and a Brazilian and has some of the best brunch and baked goods around. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to order a flat white which as expected was most excellent. While I would have liked to have had a chat with the New Zealand owner who was originally from a city that I love deeply, they were not present. Instead T and I were lucky enough to chat with another Kiwi who came from Auckland.
After chatting for a bit, we cashed out and set out in search of a new pair of hiking boots for me. T had wisely purchased a new pair of boots prior to our trip, which fit her very well. I on the other hand, had hopped into an old pair, the leather had unfortunately shrunk and the waterproofing was no longer viable as I had learned during our hike in the highlands.
We found an excellent pair of Zamberlan boots. T picked a pair that looked especially snazzy and I happily agreed after trying them out a little. After purchasing the boots, we walked to a small park by one of the canals where willow trees dipped their leaves into the water. We were soon joined by a pair of birds which were quite friendly and definitely not afraid of me. T laughed as they approached me and joked that I must have been channeling my inner Disney princess since they practically hopped into my lap. After hanging out with us for a bit, the pair hopped back into the canal and swam off. We walked back to the hotel and dropped off the newly acquired boots.
Then we set out to spend the golden hour of the evening sitting outside of a small pub surrounded by random expats and other travelers. Covid and the lockdowns of 2020 had an enormous impact on travel, as we all know, but the damage to the travel community, the network, the group of vagabonds that existed prior to lockdowns is something that I still felt as we began our travel in 2022. Sitting there among various accents swapping information, tips on where to go, sharing bouts of raucous laughter made my heart crack a grin. Things are not the same travelling now, and there is still a long way to go before it will feel quite as free as it once did, but I have hope that others will feel that freedom again soon.
Saturday, July 16th, 2022
We woke up a bit late. Before we knew it we were aboard a train, thankfully air conditioned, and en-route to Brussels in Belgium. T and I could almost smell the waffles from the train.