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Published: February 12th 2016
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I may be back on European soil for the foreseeable future, but I have not limited myself to staying in one place for too long. There are many pros to my slightly less jet-setting lifestyle; seeing my family, catching up with old friends, not having to apply for visas all the time - but also, not having to spend days on planes. Amsterdam is a mere 45 minute flight from London Gatwick (just ignore the fact that it takes two trains, three tubes, five hours and a million pounds to get from York to Gatwick).
Having managed to get on the correct bus from Schipol airport to our hotel in central Amsterdam, we were feeling confident about conquering the Dutch transport system. Needless to say, the first day was a bit of a shock. Trams criss-cross the city like racing caterpillars, buses and cars dash across intersections, and bicycles come at you from every direction with no apparent rules. Even the pedestrian crossings tut at you impatiently as you cross, as if they are doing you a favour, because ultimately, bikes and scooters rule the road, if not the city. However, once we’d almost been killed a few
times and vaguely worked out the road system - be in constant expectation of death by bicycle - we managed to relax, and look at our surroundings. Amsterdam is stunning, with the picturesque canals, tall houses, and gabled facades that are so synonymous with Holland. These elaborate facades dwarf the narrow houses behind so much that it almost looks like the whole city is constructed of rows of 2D cardboard cut-outs, and in many places the houses appear to slant away from themselves, as if someone has somewhat haphazardly sliced up a perfectly decorated cake.
There are far too many cultural activities, historic sights, and fun things to do to possibly fit into one visit. We managed to fit in a bus tour, the Westerkerk, the Anne Frank house, the Rijksmuseum, a Bodyworks exhibition, the Ice Bar, the Van Gogh museum, the Flower Market, Vondelpark, and many, many, shops, bars and restaurants in four days, and still felt like we could have easily entertained ourselves for a good while longer.
First stop was the Westerkerk (Western Church), a gorgeous Renaissance-style landmark. The building is an odd juxtaposition between the imposing beauty of the church
itself, and the tacky tousist stalls and ticket touts packed around it. Inside, you can take in the poignancy of Rembrandt’s grave, and admire the huge silver organ and glittering chandeliers, bathed in light thanks to the large plain glass windows - or buy an instant coffee from a grumpy lady with a trestle table nestled between the marble pillars.
Another incredible and thoroughly unmissable building is the Rijksmuseum. Aside from the innumerable priceless works of art, the Rijksmuseum was full to the brim with groups of schoolchildren clustered around guides magically keeping them all in rapt attention. This may be annoying if you are the kind of person who think that an art gallery experience consists of the prim and tense silence - interrupted only by a discreet tut if someone coughs or walks too loudly - of British museums. However, it is refreshing and encouraging to see young people engaging with the arts with such enthusiasm. Can there ever be too many crayon copies of The Night Watch?
The only area where silence is demanded is the library, a gloriously aesthetically pleasing fire hazard, with ancient-looking texts lining four storey walls, accessed with ancient-looking wooden balconies.
A select few intellectuals inhabit the ground floor, reading, one assumes, highly intellectual books for their third or fourth PhD theses. Simple tourists can gaze on this scene in blissful ignorance from behind a glass barrier.
After visiting the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh museum on the same day, intersected by lunch in an achingly cool Dutch cafe, we headed back to the hotel. To our intense relief, we were able to get a swift dose of British culture thanks to Mary Berry, David Attenborough and an episode of Pointless. After that, we were ready to hit the town - everyone speaks perfect English anyway. Amsterdam has plenty of excellent bars and restaurants, which can easily be stumbled upon or researched on TripAdvisor, according to how organised or impulsive you are. One of our best meals, however, took place in the Cheese Museum, where you can spend hours sampling tiny pieces of delicious cheese. Who knew that pesto and lavender, nettle baby goat, or truffle cheese would taste so, so good? Other must-tries are a warme chocolademelk met slagroom (hot chocolate with cream), and of course the famous double fried chips with frietsaus.
For more information, I strongly recommend you visit Amsterdam yourself, whether your primary motivation is the artwork, the food, the Red Light District, or merely its proximity to glorious Gatwick - there’s something there for everyone.
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