LITTLE GEMS IN AMSTERDAM

His Perspective

There seems to be two kinds of Amsterdam. On one hand, there are the dykes, the canals, the bikes, the history, the cheese and the clogs. On the other hand, there are the sex shows, the red light district, the liberal drug laws and the all night parties.

Which Amsterdam did I see? I’m still not sure. Maybe both? Maybe neither?

As I think back to the city, I am underwhelmed with the experience. We had some great times, but these were only peppered amongst the rest of the dull moments that we (I?) had. There are certainly some very interesting aspects to it. But unfortunately I think these are overshadowed by what is now the reputation that people think of when they think of Amsterdam. This leads to an inundation of male visitors, keen to indulge in said reputation.

Everyone mentions the weed in Amsterdam. But, if you wanted to, you could just smoke where you are, right? I know people who smoke and don’t need to be in Amsterdam. So what’s the attraction? This I don’t understand.

So we have throngs of party goers, looking for their hit, looking for their ‘right now’ girl in the windows of the red light district. Sure, it’s a laugh if you’re going with friends.

Visiting Anne Frank’s House gives you a different shade of Amsterdam compared to what you see on the streets. Being immersed in history is something I’m always down for.

But even with that, I’m left underwhelmed. Perhaps I didn’t see enough of either Amsterdam to give it a fair chance. But, for me, I wouldn’t place it high on the list of places to go to in Europe. Maybe next time (if there is one), Amsterdam will change my mind…

Her Perspective

Amsterdam. You either think red light district and ‘coffee’ shops. Or you think cobblestones, bikes & canals. But for me, it was a whirlwind 4 days of freezing cold air, ice-skating & warm donuts.

If you look past the seedy European men on the streets or the rowdy British men on their stag do's you see some real gems in Amsterdam. The canals lined with beautiful trees, scatters of bikes and tall slim townhouses were so picturesque. And the same scenery at night was magical as the fairy lights on the trees sparkled against the dark sky.

We dined at Supperclub one night, without a recommendation you would easily walk past its unnamed black wooden doors. The set-menu was surprisingly interesting and delightful, as was the adult entertainment you were treated to between meals. It’s definitely a must do whilst in Amsterdam – they have since also opened up in San Fran, LA & Istanbul.

The hotel we stayed at was a real gem in itself, with beautiful views looking over the city. Apollo Ramada sits tall next to Rembrandt Park and has easy access to the city centre. I was pleasantly surprised by their exclusive rooftop terrace which showcased an ice-skating rink, bar & lounge and the most spectacular panoramic views of Amsterdam.

Besides this highest roof-top rink in Amsterdam, in the winter you find ice-skating rinks scattered all around the city, lined with stalls of local food. A must have is the warm Ollie-Bollen’s aka donuts aka ‘oil spheres’, best sprinkled with icing sugar!

Overall, I was slightly disappointed at the hype of this city, but these little gems do make me see the potential of rediscovering Amsterdam in the Summer. I hear the Tulip Festival is pretty, and can picture us cycling and canal cruising around the city... I guess it's only a 45 minute flight away from our current home, London.