The Living Room of Europe

Amsterdam has a well earned reputation befitting a port town. “The Venice of the north,” the city is lined with canals between narrow cobblestone streets. Dark alleys beckon with all manner of seedy storefronts, smoky cafes venting out to the cross streets, and red hued windowed booths. Most any manner of hedonism and debauchery could be sated in this town more promptly and openly than in most large cities. At the same time, Amsterdam brims with an old world charm that lightens the shadows that lurk in parts of every city. Tiny trucks meander past storefronts, led by a pressure washer, and the detritus of cafes and clubs is swept up clean, leaving behind only glimmering slabs and stones. Between the “smart shops” and cafes filled with sedate, red-eyed patrons sit quaint bakeries and boutique shops. The appeal of Amsterdam is hard to pin down directly; It’s complicated, like the city itself. It isn’t a place that can be easily portrayed in still photos. There aren’t the kind of iconic monuments and sights that make for perfect postcards and imprint on your psyche. Rather, a fondness for Amsterdam blooms from a culmination of experiences.

The Netherlands sits between France and Germany and would seem to represent a crossroads of cultures. You can see a bit of both places in the cuisine (cabbage dishes, sausages, as well as pastries and stocks) as well as the culture (generally laid back but yet direct in conversation and tasks). To my taste, the Dutch seem to blend some of my favorite aspects of France and Germany while maintaining a character all their own. We’re coming up on 50 countries visited, and besides Japan, The Netherlands is the first place I can realistically see revisiting several times. The only catch is the weather. Here in October it has ranged from a bit chilly to a bit bone chilling with gusts and light rain. Coming here in the spring for tulips blossoming and during temperate weather, this place would be a fantastic destination to relax for a bit.

We had initially considered taking day trips to Volendam and The Hague, but elected to just spend the few days in Amsterdam. We definitely had a great time, but capturing that in photos is a bit tricky. We visited the Anne Frank house and the Van Gogh Museum (both of which prohibited photos). Plan a full day for the Van Gogh museum, as it’s nice to move through it at a relaxed pace. We also went across town to a hospital to visit the Vrolik Museum, which is a free and open to the public massive collection of medical specimens that span hundreds of years. I’ve seen a couple collections like this at universities and hospitals, but this place was truly remarkable. Not for the squeamish and not for children. The open air markets (Albert Cuypmarkt) in centrum were also very interesting… very similar to the night markets throughout East Asia.

The food…. my oh my, the food. If you have one meal in Amsterdam, it needs to be at a place called Moeders (Mother’s). You’ll definitely need a reservation. I’m also coming away with a far greater appreciation of apple pie. I’ve realized that nearly every single piece of apple pie I’ve ever had (save a few home-cooked ones 😉 ) has been utter garbage. No grocery store or restaurant in the United States should ever claim to be serving “Dutch” apple pie. The syrup filled crust entombed stuff that would be at home at an American barbecue is an atrocity compared to some of the stuff we had here. It holds up like a cake; the apples are suspended in an amalgam of spiced raisins and nuts. The crust melds with the fillings, simply complimenting the flavor and texture. Unbelievable. Oh yeah, and frites. Apparently we don’t know anything about french fries either. Here’s the details: fresh potatoes only, fry them twice, serve in a cone covered in sauce (ideally mayonnaise). Also, it turns out that pancakes (the way they do them here) are amazing when stuffed with savory ingredients as well. But, if you’re going to go for sweet, don’t cover them in maple-flavored high fructose corn syrup… try this molasses like Dutch “stroop” (syrup). On a similar note… stroopwafels. I’ve had them from packaged tins that can be bought at European food stores. They’re fantastic this way, but there is one place in Amsterdam where they are made from scratch and served fresh off the grill. It’s a nondescript little stall in the open market, but it’s been featured in a number of travel shows. Not to be missed.

This stop basically wraps up this trip for us. We catch a train back to Paris and overnight there, but there won’t be time to do much. Then it’s back home. Until next time…