A minimum stay of 2/3 days is advised. The choice of accommodation
is diverse and for all tastes and scholarships. Transport is frequent and
functional.
Amsterdam is
indescribable, has a personality of its own. The architecture is stunning
ranging from Gothic to Renaissance.
We are soon
also facing the romanticism of the canals and we are surprised by different
situations such as watching out of their dwelling houses in the boat parked at
your doorstep!
Canal travel by
boat is a must and at Central Station you can choose what you want to do! There
are circuits for all tastes, the offer is very varied, from routes with meals
included, animation or simple routes through the canals.
The flat
streets invite you to ride a bike and that's what most Dutch do! Bicycles for
one or more people, family bikes, carrying several children or animals, with
the naturalness of those who choose to preserve the environment and exercise!
It's
interesting to see the huge car parks with hundreds and hundreds of bicycles
next to the bus and train stations!
If you
are a Van Gogh admirer I recommend a day to visit the museum. It is impressive
the painter's journey and his quest to portray in such a characteristic way the
world around him. We can admire one of his most famous paintings, the
sunflowers such as the extensive fields of wheat or the varied self-portraits
that are reported to be due to the painter's lack of financial capacity to pay
for models. The "Potato Eaters" painting portraying the farmers, the
roughness of the calloused hands by the hard work of the fields impresses with
the realism it conveys.
Van Gogh
shortly before his death offered a painting, depicting the almond trees in
bloom, to his brother Theo at the time of the birth of his son Vicent. It was
this, his nephew Vicent who would later found the Van Gogh museum in honor of
his uncle.
You can also
visit the famous Rijksmuseum, an imposing building with the most classic Dutch
works, with the greatest exponent of paintings by artist Rembrandt.
When traveling
it is necessary to make choices. Many museums deserve to be visited. A must see
is the visit to the Anne Frank house museum, the attic and the closet where the
family was hiding transport us to their sad and well-known life story.
To regain
strength just follow the smell, everywhere, of the famous Dutch croquettes
scattered throughout the city, there are for all tastes, meat, shrimp or
vegetarians but always freshly fried! Always accompanied by traditional onion
fries and curries and mayonnaise. A delicious specialty.
Scattered
around the city there are also many cheese shops where you can taste and buy
the famous Dutch cheeses. Gouda and Edam are the best known and there is a wide
variety of flavors as a multitude of spices, nuts and other products are added
to the delight of cheese lovers. This product is important for the economy of
the Netherlands as it is shipped worldwide.
Another
attraction is Bloemenmarkt, the only floating flower market in the world. If
Holland reminds us of flowers, it is the market that people will buy them to
beautify their homes and gardens. Tulips are the most popular purchase. Bulbs
and seeds can also be purchased for planting.
The visit to
the red neighborhood satisfies curiosity and raises many questions. Mature and
young women in lit shop windows dressed sensual or almost naked, looking
natural ...
Also
coffeeshops are a reality, with which most people live with an apparent
naturalness! Cannabis
is widely consumed here, displacing many onlookers here.
Photos: Natacha Brigham
