2011 – One of the best years of our life (till date) … The year started with us getting to know about my wife’s pregnancy (we got to know of it on 1st of January 2011!!)… Everyone around had told us that the second trimester of pregnancy is the best time to travel and have some fun, and then forget all that for at least next 1.5 years… So we planned two vacations during the golden period.. First of them was a trip to Keukenhof Tulip Festival with the Amsterdam City.
Reached Amsterdam
We took the early morning (6:30 AM) KLM flight from Stockholm to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and reached at around 8:30 AM. The weather forecast was perfect (Sunny/25 degrees) and we had decided to visit the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens straight away. After all this was the only “not to miss” destination on our agenda.
Visit to Keukenhof Tulip Gardens
Pics: Various colors of Keukenhof Tulip Gardens
We deposited our luggage in an airport locker and from the airport information counter bought the combined bus and park entry ticket (~20 Euros per person). The bus left at around 9:45 am and took approx 45 minutes to reach the Keukenhof Gardens, the place which was on Eva’s “Must visit before i die” list… Also known as the Garden of Europe, it is the world's largest flower garden. According to the official website for the Keukenhof Park, approximately 7,000,000 (seven million) flower bulbs are planted annually in the park, which covers an area of 32 hectares.
As soon as we entered the park, a slight disappointment struck us… We were early in the season and the tulips were not in full bloom… But still, the place looked BEAUTIFUL…. Tulips of all shapes/sizes/colors in variety of different formations … The whole place gave the impression of a beautifully carved canvas by the world’s best painters.. It was so surreal!!… Outside the park were huge tulip farms and Eva reminded me of the songs from bollywood movies DDLJ and Silsila shot in similar settings
At around 4 in the afternoon, we took the bus back to airport and then after getting our luggage, took the train to Amsterdam Central railway station, an approx half hour journey (~4 Euros). Outside the train station, I took out the map which I had obtained from Airport information and started walking towards our hotel (Hotel Rokin), an approx 15 minute walk. We needed some rest and got ourselves some packed food from the famous Falafel Joint Maoz which was on the way.
As soon as we entered the park, a slight disappointment struck us… We were early in the season and the tulips were not in full bloom… But still, the place looked BEAUTIFUL…. Tulips of all shapes/sizes/colors in variety of different formations … The whole place gave the impression of a beautifully carved canvas by the world’s best painters.. It was so surreal!!… Outside the park were huge tulip farms and Eva reminded me of the songs from bollywood movies DDLJ and Silsila shot in similar settings
At around 4 in the afternoon, we took the bus back to airport and then after getting our luggage, took the train to Amsterdam Central railway station, an approx half hour journey (~4 Euros). Outside the train station, I took out the map which I had obtained from Airport information and started walking towards our hotel (Hotel Rokin), an approx 15 minute walk. We needed some rest and got ourselves some packed food from the famous Falafel Joint Maoz which was on the way.
Evening with friends and awesome Chinese dinner
Pics (left to right): Souvenir shop, us with Himanshu and wok to walk restaurant
I have a couple of old Adobe colleagues settled in Amsterdam (Sandeep Singh Thukral a.k.a Sandy and Himanshu Suri) and the evening was planned with them. We had a nice coffee at a local cafe but then Sandy had to leave as he got an emergency call from home. Himanshu showed us around the city and took us to a small Chinese restaurant “Wok to Walk” which served the best vegetarian Chinese food we have had till date in Europe… Thanks Himanshu and Sandy for that wonderful evening… :)
Romantic Evening Canal Cruise
Pics: Views from the cruise
We were quite tired by now after a day full of activity but in no mood to go to bed just yet, especially when the city was buzzing with activity… So we decided to take a canal cruise, which is a top rated activity in Amsterdam as per TripAdvisor. The half hour cruise wanders through the various city canals with running commentary about the history of the city, description of important buildings on the shore and interesting facts about the innumerable beautifully lit bridges over the canals…
My 5 months preggy wife was now dead tired, and we retired in our hotel room for the night…
My 5 months preggy wife was now dead tired, and we retired in our hotel room for the night…
Day trip around Amsterdam
Pics: Floating flower market or the Bloemenmarkt
After a good night’s sleep, and a sumptuous breakfast, we started our second day with an aim to explore the city. We started by buying a 24 hour travel card (~7Eur) which in hindsight was a mistake as the whole city was within walking distance. The first stop for the day was the famous flower market or Bloemenmarkt which is famous for its dozens of flower shops on floating boats along the shore of Singel Canal. Next we decided to take a day trip to nearby attractions and bought tickets to a half day bus tour which covered Delft, Rotterdam and Madurodam (~38 Eur pp including entry to Madurodam) from a tour operator on the Damark Street… The tour was to start at around 1:30 pm and we had time for a coffee…
Delft and Rotterdam
Pics: (from top to right) Delft town, Delft Pottery factory, Rotterdam city center, Sint Laurenskerk Church, International court of Justice building, World Peace Flame
The first stop on our day trip was Delft, famous for its Delftware or Delft pottery. We (expectedly) were taken to a pottery factory which after a short interesting demonstration on pottery making, tried to sell us its overpriced products… Being seasoned travelers, we knew best to avoid such tourist traps.
Next stop was the second largest city and largest port of Netherlands, Rotterdam. We reached the historic city center, a huge square with the famous medieval Sint-Laurenskerk church, and restaurant and souvenir shops all around. We had lunch at a small pizzeria and clicked lots of photographs…
The last stop, before the much awaited Madurodam, was the world famous Peace Palace, home of UN International court of Justice in the city of Den Hague, with the worlds’s first World Peace Flame burning outside. It was a short stay with time for some photographs from outside the building.
Next stop was the second largest city and largest port of Netherlands, Rotterdam. We reached the historic city center, a huge square with the famous medieval Sint-Laurenskerk church, and restaurant and souvenir shops all around. We had lunch at a small pizzeria and clicked lots of photographs…
The last stop, before the much awaited Madurodam, was the world famous Peace Palace, home of UN International court of Justice in the city of Den Hague, with the worlds’s first World Peace Flame burning outside. It was a short stay with time for some photographs from outside the building.
Madurodam
Pics: Miniature Holland or the Madurodam
The reason we had decided to take this tour was for Madurodam, home to a range of perfect 1:25 scale model replicas of famous Dutch castles, public buildings, and large industrial projects as found at various locations in the country. The place was quite interesting with replicas of buildings, people miniatures roaming around, football field with players playing, runways with airplanes moving on them etc… reminded us of the famous Gulliver’s Travels fable “Voyage to Liliput”…. Giant traveler in the land of tiny people… :-)
At around 7 in the evening, the bus dropped us back on the Damark Street in Amsterdam.
At around 7 in the evening, the bus dropped us back on the Damark Street in Amsterdam.
The Red Light District and South Indian Dinner
Pics:(top to right) Canal in Red light district, one of the many erotic shops, and the “red light” shops, views from the Dosa restaurant
After covering all the items on Eva’s “must do” list, here we were at the place I had wanted see for many years… De Wallen or The Red Light district of Amsterdam… Copying from Wikipedia, De Wallen is the largest and best known red-light district in Amsterdam and a major tourist attraction. It is located in the heart of the oldest part of the. De Wallen consists of a network of alleys containing approximately three hundred tiny one-room cabins rented by prostitutes who offer their sexual services from behind a window or glass door, typically illuminated with red lights. The area also has a number of sex shops, sex theatres, peep shows, a sex museum, a cannabis museum, and a number of coffee shops that sell marijuana.
I had thought after hearing so much about the place, I was ready for what was to come…. But, no, I wasn’t… Never before had I imagined such commoditization of human bodies and somehow I felt bad for it.. Skimpily clad (or at times none clad) beautiful women sitting inside glass windows as items on sale with most travelers just window shopping and clicking photographs, while others fiercely bargaining to get the right price… Couldn’t spend more than half hour at the place and walked back….
We were craving for some Indian food and decided to try out the South Indian food joint recommended by Himanshu, Dosa .. the place was a little away from the city, and the only time we used our 24 hour travel pass during the day. The ambience was nice and the food was awesome, loved it, especially since there are no South Indian joints in Stockholm… A perfect end to a wonderful day.
I had thought after hearing so much about the place, I was ready for what was to come…. But, no, I wasn’t… Never before had I imagined such commoditization of human bodies and somehow I felt bad for it.. Skimpily clad (or at times none clad) beautiful women sitting inside glass windows as items on sale with most travelers just window shopping and clicking photographs, while others fiercely bargaining to get the right price… Couldn’t spend more than half hour at the place and walked back….
We were craving for some Indian food and decided to try out the South Indian food joint recommended by Himanshu, Dosa .. the place was a little away from the city, and the only time we used our 24 hour travel pass during the day. The ambience was nice and the food was awesome, loved it, especially since there are no South Indian joints in Stockholm… A perfect end to a wonderful day.
Amsterdam City
Pic: Outside Vondel park
We had no particular plans for the final day of our trip and had decided to just be part of the crowd and wander around the city.We started the day with a walk on the famous Damark Street, which is the main shopping street right outside the central railway station. Continuing on the street, we walked towards the Vondel park with Eva taking the opportunity to do some (a lot actually!!) shopping. The park was filled with hoards of locals doing their daily jogs, exercises or just soaking in the sun. With nothing special to see, we headed towards the Anne Frank Museum, but the queue at the entry was so huge that we decided to give it a miss, and took the tram back to Damark.
Sex and the Vodka Museums
Pics: Some pics from inside the Sex museum
We had crossed the place at-least a dozen times during the last two days, and finally decided to give it a visit. The Sex Museum on the Damark Street it was. The place, well, was apt for its name…. nothing left to imagination… and at times too explicit to enjoy (especially with your wife around ;) )… But still, it was an experience not to be missed..
Just a few steps away from the Sex Museum was the next Amsterdam Special… The Vodka Museum .. The small but interesting museum gives you all the information you ever wanted (or not wanted) to have about Vodka…
Just a few steps away from the Sex Museum was the next Amsterdam Special… The Vodka Museum .. The small but interesting museum gives you all the information you ever wanted (or not wanted) to have about Vodka…
Canal Cruise Again and the Holland Casino
Pics: Views from the cruise and inside the casino
We were dead tired now, but still had a few hours to kill before our flight. After having lunch at a decent Italian joint, we decided to take the Canal cruise a second time, this time during daylight. While the stories were still the same as we had heard during our first ride, we could actually see and admire the buildings and bridges much more because of natural light… But still, if someone has the time/money to take it only once, I will recommend the night one…. Its much more romantic.
How could we have been to Amsterdam and not been to a casino.. So we decided to visit one of the various casinos on Damark, but as we were running out of time, could play a couple of rounds of slots only… :-)
How could we have been to Amsterdam and not been to a casino.. So we decided to visit one of the various casinos on Damark, but as we were running out of time, could play a couple of rounds of slots only… :-)
The french fries joint - Manneken Pis - Fries, Amsterdam
This blog wouldn’t be complete without a mention about French Fries…. Well, ‘obviously’ we had always imagined them to be of French origin, but they are actually from around Holland (current Belgium actually)… While, that almost all the food joints in Amsterdam serve them was not a surprise, the fact that there were shops selling just the fries was something new. One of the most famous ones is the Manneken Pis – Fries on the Damark named after the famous statue of a little urinating boy. Well, for us, lets just say we have had better fries than the ones we got at that place… and those better places didn’t charge extra for ketchup too…:-) …
Back to Stockholm
Finally we took the train from Amsterdam Central to the airport to catch our 9:00 pm flight back to Stockholm… Well, I wouldn’t say the city was the best in terms of natural beauty, or architecture or anything like that… Still if you ask me for one city you have to visit in Europe, its Amsterdam… Probably because the city has a very young and vibrant feel to it…. I plan to visit the place again soon…
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