Amsterdam, Ik Hou Van Je

Europe » Netherlands » North Holland » Amsterdam
May 24th 2010

Published: May 24th 2010

With the volcano, flights had been canceled all over Europe, and my host parents were stuck in Italy. My host dad had taken about 10 trains in a very roundabout route, but got home at some point on my in between traveling day. I spent the day resting, mostly...I was sick from Morocco but determined to go on the rest of my travels. I also spent several hours trying to get my pictures from Morocco onto facebook. Either my internet connection or facebook was having major issues with that idea. I wound up taking forever to unpack and repack, and didn’t sleep at all, not wanting to miss the night bus to the train station or the train itself, and figuring I could sleep on the train. I took a shower around midnight, then packed up my things for Amsterdam and Bruges. I walked to the ATM and to make sure I knew where to catch the nightbus. I decided to take one an hour earlier than I had intended, so that I would be sure not to risk missing my connecting bus, as I didn’t know exactly where the stop was for the connection and didn’t want to miss my train. It came right on time, and it turned out the connecting one ran more frequently, so I probably left early for nothing - but better safe than sorry!

The train station was different than others I have been to in that all the platforms were next to each other...no running up and down stairs. I have definitely been in the situation where I was on one platform, and they changed it last minute, having to run for the train, so this was a nice surprise. However, being quite early, I decided to look for a warm place to wait inside, but had no such luck. I sat on a bench, half asleep and freezing for over an hour.

The train was right on time, and I slept most of the way there. I still wasn’t feeling 100%!,(MISSING) but I figured if I took things a bit easy and didn’t push myself too hard I would be okay. We went through Belgium and into the Netherlands, but no one ever checked my passport, which I found odd. We arrived a little late, but it wasn’t too bad. Amsterdam Centraal is a huge station, and I figured that to go to Bruges, I would need to leave plenty of time to make sure I could find where I needed to go.

The train station is very beautiful from the outside.

Right across the street were all the trams, and across from that, an office to buy tickets. I knew I needed at least one to get to the hostel, since my email with directions didn’t include walking from Centraal, plus I was running late to the check in time I had given them when I booked the room. I walked into a very crowded room where I had to take a number. When my number came up, I was looking at a brochure and before I knew it, they had called the next number, so I had to take another. However, the wait wasn’t too bad. I had originally planned on walking the city, because I was not sure how I would fare on a bike with a full backpack. The next day I planned to leave it locked in the hostel and use a bike. However, a 3 day pass for the tram was not very expensive. If I was feeling better, i probably would have stuck to the original walking plan. The other benefit was that if I got lost, I only had to find one of the several tram lines that goes near my hostel.

I waited for the right tram for a bit, but noticed that none of the ones coming were 1, 2, or 5. One of the tourist guides in red “I Amsterdam” apparel told me they were over by the other side of the train station. Oops. The trams were similar to the one in Paris. The main difference was the need to scan the pass when you get off as well as when boarding. There was a display and announcement of the stops, and unlike Paris, a TV with advertisements of what to do in the city. Through that I discovered the hemp museum, which I thought I would try to fit into my plans.

The hostel was easy to find with the directions, and has a very pretty view over the Vondelpark. It is made up of 2 buildings, one of which is very architecturally pretty, and happens to be the one I was to be sleeping in!

I waited in line a bit to check in and found out the time I gave the website didn’t matter. I received a keycard so i could come and go as I pleased, as well as a map, and discount cards. They offer a free walking tour, which I planned to do the following morning if I was up to it. There was also a Red Light District tour which I believe was not free, but worth it to get cool information and not be wandering around there by myself.

I decided to first visit Anne Frank’s house, since my guide does not list it as something to wait for in the early AM. I asked the desk how to take the tram there. I took the right one, but i didn’t manage to get to the door in time to get off at the right stop! I learned to be ready the stop before! The next one in the opposite direction wasn’t due for a while, so I followed the tracks back and caught the right connection.

I had heard the line for the house could be quite long, but it wasn’t for me! I was worried they would say my backpack was too big, but I was fine. The first part of the museum talked about the nazis and the circumstances that led the Frank family into hiding. Next we got to walk through the actual annex where the family hid. It was unreal to be in rooms I read about in a book years ago. Quotes from Anne’s diary were spread around the walls that related to the room and objects in it. The rooms were unfurnished as per the wishes of Otto Frank - the nazis had confiscated what was there after the arrest. Instead there are scale models to show how each room was arranged. I liked walking through the rooms, seeing how small the spaces were that people managed to live in. the stairs were so steep it was almost vertical! (I learned later that people paid fewer taxes for narrower buildings, so they built up rather than out, and many staircases in the city are the same).

The museum continued with stories of the concentration camp. It was heartbreaking. It was also saddening that it is not known to this day who turned the family in to the Nazis. The very last room was dedicated to the original diary. It was so amazing to see it sitting there in front of me, albeit in a glass case. I couldn’t take any pictures inside the museum, so i bought a couple of postcards. They sold the diary as well as other books about Anne and her family in almost any language you could think of!

After the museum, I wanted to find something to eat. There was a café a short walk away, and I had a toasted bagel with tomato pesto cream cheese and a really good herbal tea that I don’t think exists in the US called zonnature. It definitely had anise in it and had a natural sweetness. I sat there for a while warming up.

Afterward, I went to the nearby tulip museum. It was only 2€ to get in. I definitely learned a lot about tulips that I never knew, like that the name came from tulbhan or turban because someone was reminded of the flower by the shape of the turbans! I also learned that tulips can grow in really harsh conditions and that they are not from the Netherlands originally. It was very interesting. It also took longer than I thought, so I didn’t have time for the canal ride too.

I decided to head back to the hostel, but I got on the wrong tram. I recognized the Dam stop, so I got off there - my guide said Dam square is a good place to go and people watch. Much to my surprise, I found it was filled with a carnival including a ride swinging people impossibly high. It was fun to run into, but I didn’t feel like riding anything, plus I had my backpack. I headed to the correct tram and went back to the hostel.

I wanted to learn more but they were closed 😞

I was in a room with 20 beds, and it was nicer than I expected. The room had a keycard lock, and a dry place in the showers where I could keep valuables. There were also lockers that I could fit my luggage locks on, so I could leave things there during the day. The room was on the very top floor and there was a neat balcony, but unfortunately the door onto it was locked. I had a bit of an adventure bed-making, I was on the top bunk and the sheet wasn’t fitted, but I eventually put something together that wold work. I headed downstairs planning on eating and finding someone to hang out with. There were a bunch of British girls in my room on some sort of sports team, but they didn’t invite me to hang out with them.

I met some guys, but we were waiting for one to finish doing something on his computer, and by the time he did, the brasserie in the hostel had stopped serving food. We found a place like woktime and it was good, but a ton of food. Afterward, we wandered around, exploring.

I slept well that night, but woke up extremely thirsty. I also felt like I was coming down with a cold. I ate breakfast, which was okay. So far, I liked Amsterdam a lot. It is small and quiet, and there is a lot to do. The dutch are a really happy, friendly, people.

I went to the Van Gogh museum after breakfast. It was alright. One whole floor was closed, so there was a lot I didn’t get to see, but I liked what I did see. It showed paintings in chronological order. A lot of the museum also wasn’t Van Gogh, such as the Gauguin exhibit, which I liked a lot, and another collection that had been obtained from another museum, but it didn’t interest me very much.

After the museum, I headed to my canal cruise. I got a discount through the hostel. I turned my voucher in for a ticket, and had some time to kill, so I went and got some falafel. The boat ride was okay; it was in a closed boat so I didn’t get a full 360 view. There was no guide, just a recording in 4 different languages announcing things we were passing. I learned some interesting things. I never knew they drained out and aerated the canals. The soothing motion of the boat made me quite sleepy, and I decided to nap back at the hostel.

After a refreshing nap, I headed to Centraal Station to meet the tour of the Red Light District.

The tour was a lot of fun with our guide, Mason. He told fun stories about the places we saw, and interesting history, such as when they decided to have male prostitutes and got thousands of applications. A few were selected, but only got to stay open for half an hour due to the massive amount of press that showed up. The condomerie had condoms in the wildest shapes and sizes imaginable. We saw the world’s first stock exchange, Amsterdam’s oldest church, coffee shops, and of course, the prostitutes. Some of them looked very bored, talking on a phone or reading while waiting for customers. We also passed by sex shows, which we were told are very pricey. This is because they are not allowed to have both a “sex license” and a liquor license, so they charge more at the door and the drinks are “free”. The tour ended at a bar with a free shot. I’d never tried Jagermeister before, but I liked it. I had fun talking to people and hanging out drinking. Afterward, people decided to go to Leidseplein, which made me happy since it was very close to my hostel. Somehow I inadvertently chose a hostel very close to party central. I grabbed a bite with some of them but decided I didn’t want to drink away more money and I was pretty beat, so I headed back.

Last wooden building in Amsterdam that somehow survived the fire. Nicknamed In the Monkey

strange location for a christian hostel IMHO lol

Strange place for a kindergarten too

Prostitution Information Center

The next morning, I woke up late. I had kept my alarm under my pillow so it wouldn’t bother other people and efficiently muted it from myself. I barely made it to breakfast before it closed, and there was quite a line, possibly also because it was the weekend. After breakfast, I only had 10 minutes to get ready before the walking tour pickup. I didn’t make it, but I caught a tram to Dam square where the tour starts, and got there before the starting time! I was very happy that I did, because the tour was very enjoyable as well and I learned a lot about the history of the city. The weather was perfect. I only wish I had thought to bring my sunglasses. After the tour, the guide and a few others again went to Leidseplein, and I had a drink of Heineken (which I enjoyed but I did NOT need a whole pint, also...what are pints doing in Europe?) and my first traditional Dutch dish of Stamppot, consisting of mashed potatoes and some kind of sausage. It was very yummy and filling. I had fun talking to Nick, our guide of the day.

National Monument

Leaning House

“Jewish Broadway”

Pee Deflector!

Narrowest house in Amsterdam at 1.8 meters.

Amsterdam, Ik Hou Van Je

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