Amsterdam: Travel Tips

A quick summary:

Places to go: 

Museumplain, Canal ride, Ann Frank House, Nemo Center, Dam Square, 

Red Light District, Flower market, Brouwerij 'Tij windmill

Time of the year to go:

April - September. We went in November and it was pretty cold

Transportation: 

Direct trains from the airport and it's really easy to get around on the trams :D 

barring that, walking or renting a bike. 

Accommodation:

We stayed at a backpacker's house on Stadhouderskade. 

Halal Food: 

Tons of kebab stores (even halal food at the red light district ahaha). And a LOT of Indonesian restaurants :)

Min number of days in Amsterdam:

 For central city, 2 days :) 

My trip to Amsterdam in November 2014 wasn't exactly a for super exploring. It was actually a last hurrah and a farewell for my bestfriend, Fish, who had just graduated from the University of East London. Fish is one of the few friends who's been there through thick and thin with me, and when he requested a bro trip to Amsterdam I couldn't say no (what? me? travelling? with my best friend? err emm pshh I'll think about it ok? Hahaha). We parted ways at Schiphol Airport - him for KLIA, me for Heathrow. But before that, we had a pretty grand time in Amsterdam! 

People who go to Amsterdam tend to go in spring. It's when you can see the beautiful tulips bloom at the Keukenhof gardens and see the windmills at Kinderdijik. I've yet to make these two trips (insyaAllah, perhaps one day in the future ^^), and we only spent 4 days in cold November, so I can only tell you a teeny bit about Amsterdam. We did a lot of sightseeing within the city, so I'll write what I know. 

First off - Amsterdam is very picturesque. The signature houses and the canals are a view you can't really find anywhere else. As an architecture student, I was overwhelmed with the dutch homes and the canals everywhere. The homes are called 'Canal houses' or 'Grachtenpand' and are very narrow and tall inside. If you look closely, at the top of the facade, there are rigs where they put ropes to pull up furniture for the second and third floors - this is because the stairs in the building are so small you can't bring furniture through it! The boat houses are also interesting to observe - how people are content with a tiny mobile space, and how the city manages their traffic and waste. 

The local culture of riding bicycles was also incredible! In the morning for work - there are no vehicular traffic jams okay, but a LOT of people on bikes. The roads are made in such a way that it has all the amenities bike riders need - like proper place to park, well maintained bike lanes, circulation, etc. I was very jakun and impressed with that culture. Of course the cold weather makes it easier to just cycle, but I can only imagine how cold, rainy and windy it could get at times. The fact that it's a deep set culture in the community is impressive and very aspiring! What a way to make everyone fitter.

Then there is the nightlife (which I've covered in this post here). Aside from the popular red light district, walking around at night is a fun outing. Being a tourist city, there's always one thing happening in one of the squares, cafes and canals. Street performers, live music, people getting high, groups of visitors taking pictures, even some of the eateries are open til late. Despite the liveliness I'm glad I had Fish with me as some of the areas seemed quite dodgy at night. There were a lot of warnings for 

So here's some of the things we checked out in the city, in no particular order. Just some suggestions that you might want to enjoy! :) 

1. Canal Ride

Amsterdam, with its network of canals, is a man-made, urban planning wonder. The canals are the main transport back in the day, and a ride on one is the best and fastest way to get a glimpse of the city. We luckily chose a ride during sunset and got to see the buildings as the day changed, and admired the sights of the bridges being lit up It was beautiful and so peaceful to be cruising. Some of the boats may have plenty of tourists, so just make sure your belongings are kept close. Also, have someone to always jaga your seat so that no unruly visitor suddenly overtakes your place midway through your journey. We got on a boat at a station directly in front of the Amsterdam station as it was convenient. I suppose it could be slightly cheaper if you book in advance. 

2. Museumplain

Museumplain, simply, is the area where the museums are located in Amsterdam. The major three are the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijik Museum, and Van Gogh Museum. In winter the lake behind Rijksmuseum turns into an ice skating rink. And at the time were were there, it's also where the famous I Heart Amsterdam installation is located. There are numerous other alleys, cafes, and attractions along this corner and it would be well to spend over a day just to reallyyy go deep in exploring. 

3. Nemo Center

It's become a common denominator in my travels to find a really nice vantage point in the location, and with Amsterdam we got lucky at the Nemo Center! I'd never heard it being mentioned before prior to getting to Amsterdam so it really was an eye opening first time going there. The Nemo Center  is a science museum and I guess it's especially great to bring kids if you're on a family trip. What Fish and I focused on was the climb up to the rooftop! The building has a slanted rooftop with deck chairs which I'm guessing is a wonderful treat during the summer! There's a cafe right at the very top and after going through the freezing winds to climb up, we rewarded ourselves with a cup of one of the best hot chocolate I've had the pleasure of tasting. 

The view from the Nemo Center. 

4. Dam Square

Perhaps one of the most famous landmarks in Amsterdam, you definitely won't miss this. It's a wide plaza surrounded by cafes, deserts shops, the Niewe Kirk (New Church) and the Royal Palace. We took a bike ride from our hotel to Dam Square and decided to go for a tour of the Royal Palace. There's a huge statue of atlas carrying the globe in the palace, which is one of the few memories I can recall, otherwise, honestly it's fine to give it a miss. I think there are way better palaces to visit in Europe hehe. Funfact: we found a really good souvenir shop right at the corner from the monument where everything costs about 5 euros. 

Around Amsterdam ....