Some of the places we are going to see

Post: Bernie: March 23, 2011
Note: To follow our trip to Amsterdam from beginning to end, choose The plans are made from the index at right.

The Van Gogh Museum: "...In addition to work by Van Gogh, the museum has a rich and varied collection of other 19th-century art. The artists represented include Impressionists, Post-Impressionists and others: Van Gogh’s friends and contemporaries, those who inspired him, and those who drew inspiration from him...". There is a Picasso exhibit going on right now. We are so lucky!

Rijksmuseum: "...While the restoration of the main building is underway, the Rijksmuseum is displaying the crème de la crème of its permanent collection in the newly furnished Philips Wing. 'Rijksmuseum, The Masterpieces' offers the unique opportunity to view all the highlights of the Golden Age in one place..."

Tulips: Maybe if we are lucky (See: The Botany of Desire, by Michael Pollan)

Canal Cruise: it's a bit touristy but it looks like a great way to get our bearings in the city and get an overview.

Barney's Coffee Shop: multiple winner of the cannabis cup. The coffeeshops seem to be crazy weird creative spaces and we are just going to have to see a few.

Picnic to the North Sea town of Schoorl: involves a train ride an hour north of the city and renting bikes. Hopefully we will have a nice day to do this (and Bernie's back will hold out). Apparently the tulip fields are more traditional and less industrial there. It was recommended by a virtual tourist member - someone who lives in the Netherlands.

Red Light District: just has to be seen.

Vondelpark: the most famous park in the Netherlands - guessing it's like central park but we'll see. It's supposed to be a great place to try out Amsterdam 's baked goods.

Follow the Good Thief: but not through any locked doors.

Restaurant Oud Holland: one of the few restaurants in Amsterdam that serves traditional Dutch food. We are recommended to try the capucijners which is some kind of beans.

 

(People in Amsterdam eat a lot of Indonesian food since it was a colony.)

Other restaurants we may try are:
Tempo Doeloe, Indonisian Rijsttafel 30 small dishes

Bitterballen, mushed meat, potatoes breaded with other ingredients and deep fried. French fries with mayonnaise (which were apparently invented by the Belgians not the French). And pancakes of all kinds. We are going to be walking everywhere so hopefully we won't gain ten pounds from all our taste testing. :)

Waterlooplein: The oldest and most interesting outdoor market in Amsterdam about 15 minutes from Dam Square near our hotel. 300 stalls selling everything and anything.

The Magerevrug (skinny bridge)the most famous of the 1,280 canal bridges.

And if we have time: The Erotica Museum and the Marijuana Museum (we'll make time).

Of course I hope to get some nature pigment drawings done created from locally gathered materials (I may have a hard time of it) too.

Mulligans: serves the only real pint of Guinness in town and great Celtic music.

Here's a link to a guide to Amsterdam that you may find useful...

"Beer-lovers should try a witbier (white beer) like Hoegaarden or Dentergems, with or without a slice of lemon.

The Dutch invented gin (it was introduced to England when William of Orange became king in 1689, and spread from there); it is called Jenever after the Dutch word for juniper. There are two types: Jong (young) which is the closest in taste to gin, and normally drunk neat and very cold, and Oud (old).

The Dutch also invented Brandy (Brandewijn means 'burnt wine') which they call "Vieux" (Yes, the Dutch call it by a French name and the French call it by a Dutch name).

There are three micro-breweries in Amsterdam Brouwerij 't IJ in a windmill just outside the centre (with a bar, and large terrace in the Summer), De Bekeerde Zuster (formerly Maximiliaan) in the heart of the red-light district (actually as part of a bar), and De Prael (no bar, but they do keep a list of bars that serve their beer)."

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