Write up: Amsterdam, a City adventure

AMSTERDAM

From our perspective

Slowly pushing open the heavy set apartment door to our home for the next five days, we realised that we had struck gold.

A week before we were due in Amsterdam I spotted an email letting us know that our Airbnb booking had been cancelled about a month prior. Last minute accommodation booking in Amsterdam can be pretty challenging as Airbnb hosts are understandably very wary of young twenty something year olds staying in their personal homes, especially in the summer months. Having convinced a host that we were not coming to Amsterdam for its twenty four hour debauchery, he agreed to let us take over his top floor apartment, sixteen floors up and twenty minutes cycle to the canal’s.

At the top of the Concrete Tower

Natural light flooded the apartment, pouring in through the panoramic windows which wrapped around the perimeter. Below, perfectly positioned in the centre, was the dining table sunbathing in all of its glory. The three-in-one open plan kitchen, dining and living room space was meticulously simple and spacious. A cute and cosy balcony sat comfortably in the far right hand corner, decorated with comfortable outdoor furniture to chill on. We always look for an inclusive kitchen/living area; an integral requirement when you love to crack open a bottle, play music and have fun experimenting with local food.

For as long as I remember I have always taken notice of a good bathroom. A sacred place where you can restart your day, or equally lay it to rest in the best way - collect your thoughts and meditate. So imagine the excitement when we discovered that there was a big wet room with a separate open shower at the back, and a massive bath tub in the front. Both facing into views stretching from the far side of Rembrandt Park, over Vondlepark and into the city horizon. A bathroom designed to enjoy the glory of looking into one of the best cities in the world.

Getting Around

One of the first three things you do after arriving in Amsterdam is get yourself a bike.

You have been warned

In Amsterdam bicycles are the ruler of the road. They are hands down the best way of getting around and have right of way above everything else. If you have ever been to Amsterdam and explored by foot, you have almost certainly had a close encounter with a cyclist. Be warned - they cycle on the opposite side to what you would expect if you are from the UK.

Our morning ritual

The beauty of being able to get around on bike is that you end up with so much more freedom to travel through local hangouts, and move away from the hype of the centre. Don’t be afraid of trying something different.

In the outer neighbourhoods there is a sense of character and community. It is a place where the ingenuity of simplicity, and quality, comes to life at the same time.

We would often find ourselves on the look out for places that had no more than a one page menu and no photos! A reflection of fresh and tasty food made to order. Starting the day right before continuing with the daily ride around.

Vondlepark

Making the most of Local Produce

To keep costs at a manageable level we would make two meals a day ourselves. A trick I learnt from my parents who had to feed a family of six on holiday. Exploring streets to find all sorts of bakeries, grocers, veg stores, butchers, wine shops… is definitely one of my favourite things to do when I am somewhere new. We would design our menu, picking up pieces of the puzzle through the day as peoples cravings came to play. Down a random backstreet we discovered a market offering the the most delicious freshly squeezed orange juice for only one euro a bottle! Perfect side to go with the home made sandwiches we had made for lunch.

Spontaneous Stop Offs

Making your own food inevitably free’s up your budget to enjoy spontaneous stop offs throughout the trip. One journey home we discovered The Foodhallen - the Netherlands first indoor Food Market - a place filled with the mouth watering street food stalls and two central island bars which come to life with people, live music and conversation in the evening.

This particular stop was just as the sun was reaching its peak after lunch in the heat of summer. Looking through the Gin menu we spotted that they had one of our favourites - Brockmans Gin.

“The aim was to create a gin so smooth and sensual, you would want to drink it neat over ice” - Brockmans is an independent English gin company set up by the founding partners, Neil Everitt and Bob Fowkes.

Welcoming in the evening

Once back at the apartment we would savour our findings of the day, and enjoy everything that comes with having our own dinner party to welcome in the evening.

Places and The People

When you picture Amsterdam you cant help but imagine the beautifully lean canal houses. Tilting structures, wide stretched windows and a delectable Dutch style. Shooting with film camera is lightweight making it easy to carry my camera around my neck, casually swinging it up to my face when i get excited by what is around me. I found myself drawn to capturing everyday people in their ordinary surroundings. It is a place that I feel so at home in that there is no awkwardness in lifting my camera.

Coffeeshops

Majority of people you cannot think about Amsterdam without inevitably thinking about Marijuana.

Firstly you need to know that a “coffeeshop.” is different to a “coffee shop,” “café,” or “coffee house.” Cafés are usually the equivalent of a bar, and coffee shops not selling marijuana are called koffiehuis (which translates to coffee house in English).

There are such a vast variety of Coffeeshops in Amsterdam that people often find themselves drawn into the first spot they come across - especially considering that there isn’t much by way of signage as its illegal to advertise.

However there is real pleasure in getting out there and finding Coffeeshops that are intimate, offer a good atmosphere and ultimately have strains which you like, or would like to try.

Grey Area

A spot that is known for its quality cannabis, signature strains, and iconic sticker decor. Surrounded by a selection of beautiful independent and artisan shops this is more of a ‘grab and go’ Coffeeshop. You will likely have to queue to get in (testament to Grey Area’s somewhat cult following) but the wait is made worthwhile by the knowledge of their staff and quality/range of what is on offer.

420 Coffee Shop

Also known as Dutch Flowers this is an intimate, unassuming and laid back coffeeshop that also offers a hot drinks selection that actually tastes really good (Their Espresso and Hot Chocolate are highly recommended). It’s preferred for people not to smoke tobacco inside so they offer a nice herbal alternative in a jar on each table. It only seats around twenty people inside, but also has a quaint outdoor seating area which is the sweetest little sun spot when you catch it at the right time of day.

420 Coffeeshop is surrounded by equally small, (and equally tasty) little independent cafés that are that aren’t going to burn a hole in your pocket if you choose to have lunch and a bottle of wine out! A worthwhile visit if you are in the centre canals and wanting to take a seat, smoke and enjoy the entertainment that comes with a gentle flow of people that pass by this cross road corner. A contrast to the cosy bustle of Grey Area.