Region / Continent: Northwestern Europe
Capital City: Amsterdam
Official Language: Dutch
Population: 17.99 million (2024)
My Visit: Arriving into Amsterdam I was a little apprehensive. I had been in this airport for a layover when I left Portugal and I found it to be very confusing. There were no signs indicating where to go and no one around to help. However, this time I had no problems. There were signs indicating the direction for baggage claim. I retrieved my luggage, went through customs (received a stamp) and was on my way.
I stayed at Cityden Stadshart in the neighborhood of Amstelveen. The hotel was great! It had a kitchen where I was able to cook my meals, couch, table and 2 chairs, and laundry facilities on site. It was about a 1 block to the Tram (#5) and from there about a 5 minute walk to the mall that also had a grocery store inside.
My cousin (Jenee) arrived the following day and I showed her around the neighborhood as if I was a local. We ventured out the next day on the Tram to head to the city center of Amsterdam. But on our way, we saw an area that seemed to be bustling, so we got off. I’m glad we did. We stopped in shops and inquired about their product. There was a cheese shop that had sample of each of the cheese wheels. I love cheese so needless to say, I was in heaven. I decided to buy 2 slices of one with the idea of adding it to a sandwich later. And as luck would have it, we eventually made our way into a sandwich shop… umm umm good!
We boarded the Tram again and finally made it to the city center where it was everything I had envisioned. There were the bridges and canals, the particular style of homes along the canals, and cafes everywhere. We walked up and down so many streets until our bodies were screaming for rest. We found a spot and did as the locals, we sat facing the street filled with people. I already knew this about Europe. They like to eat outside (no matter how chilly) facing the people. They take people watching to a higher level.
On our Tram journey we passed by what we termed the ‘museum district’ and planned to visit the next day because I definitely wanted to see the Van Gogh museum. I had seen his exhibit at home in Atlanta and bought one of his prints (Irises). That’s one of the items I did not sell or give away. But there is nothing like going to the actual museum in Van Gogh’s hometown. Although we had to wait another day due to ticket availability, it did not disappoint. You learned a lot more about his and his family’s life. If you’re ever in Amsterdam, you must go to this museum.
Every day was a ride on the Tram to a different area of the city, but one day we rode the regional train to Rotterdam (about 45 minutes). We managed to find the bustling area while riding on the hop on/off bus. At one stop that looked to be a lot of shopping and restaurants, I say to Jenee, let’s get off. She was on the same page, especially since she saw a Zara store.
After 6 days in Amsterdam, it was time to part ways. Jenee was heading to Nice,(France) and I was heading to Brussels (Belgium). (Interesting side-note, Jenee and I have traveled to Europe before, along with my sister Janell and cousin Tony. We visited London, Rome. and Paris in 2013.)
My time in Amsterdam was so enjoyable that I could see myself visiting again.
The People: I found the people in Amsterdam to be very friendly. I remember asking a cashier about a grocery store nearby and she didn’t fully understand me. A woman in line heard me and said she could help. She didn’t just give me directions, she walked with me to the area. Whenever I asked for help, the people stepped up, even in the hotel. And although English is not the native language of The Netherlands, it is spoken by most. Oh, I also found out that the locals identify the country as Holland but we identify it as The Netherlands.
The Weather: During my stay in June, the weather fluctuated. The day would start out cool (around 65 degrees) and get warmer throughout the day (68-70). On sunny days, the temp was very nice and warm. It’s best to start out wearing a jacket that you will carry later in the day. Also, the days are longer. It doesn’t get dark until around 10:30 pm, and daylight starts around 4:30, 5:00 am (full on sun). This has thrown off my internal clock. I find myself staying up until 1:00-2:00 am but I still wake up early at 7:00 am. If I don’t have something schedule for the day, I lie in bed for a while.
Pictures below are of Amsterdam; none taken while in Rotterdam.
