Amsterdam - Kick Off Your Shoes and Kick Up Your H

Amsterdam is one of those places where, within a short time, you can feel really at home. By that I mean a kick-off-your-shoes, don't care if your hair is a mess, no work till Monday morning kind of easiness. A relaxed, friendly atmosphere contained in city full of beautiful buildings, great museums and a rich history. And some fantastic bars, cafes and restaurants too.

In winter, when we generally visit, Amsterdam can be bitterly cold especially when the wind whips along the canal sides, pinching your cheeks and stealing your breath. However, it can also be extremely beautiful as the canals freeze and snow changes the landscape, muffling the streets and buildings in a mantle of white.

Outside the Van Gogh Museum people stamp their feet and breathe steam heat onto their hands as they wait for opening. The cloakroom of the Rijksmuseum drips with overcoats and hats, outer skins discarded for the duration of the visit.

Cafes are bars are beacons of warmth inviting you in. Curl cat like round a strong, sweet coffee or feel the iciness of jenever on your lips transform to flame as it reaches your throat.

July 2006 was the first time we had visited in summer and allowed us to witness a city we have travelled to a number of times in a very different light.

We arrived early and, dropping the bags at the hotel, joined the affable society of joggers and dog walkers in Vondelpark. Shoes kicked off, stretched out on the grass, feeling it tickle our palms and soles and the stress of an early morning flight soon dissolved into the blades and earth.

Inside the blissfully cool Van Gogh museum the vibrant colours of the paintings akin to the wonderful hues of the flowers on sale in Bloemenmarkt.

As the sweltering heat of the day changed to the comfortable warmth of evening we sat drinking cold beer by the canal side, the traffic on the canals hardly subsiding as all manner of crafts used them as thoroughfare and nightlife.

Falling into fresh linen sheets it felt like we had been in the city for days rather than morning arrivals and slept contentedly until the sun awoke us to another beautiful day in Amsterdam.

I have never been disappointed in Amsterdam. It has so much to offer and such a great atmosphere. Go and feel at home.

Quick Tips:

For me one of the pleasures of Amsterdam is simply to walk around. Whether it's from Centraal Station down to Leidesplein or along Prinsengracht or Herengracht there is always so much to see. A beautiful view from one corner, fine gabled houses from another or simply the hustle and bustle of trams, shops and people.

However for many it is the history and art that will bring them to the city, think of Rembrandt and Van Gogh and you think of The Netherlands and Amsterdam.

Though not born in Amsterdam Rembrandt lived in the city, one his homes is now the Rembrandt House Museum, and in the magnificent Rijksmuseum you can see some of his finest paintings such as "The Night Watch" alongside works by Vermeer, Frans Hals and Jan Steen.

A short walk from the Rijksmuseum the life and work of another iconic Dutch painter is celebrated at the Van Gogh Museum. The collection includes around 200 of his paintings, over 500 drawings plus 700 letters and gives a fascinating view into not only Van Gogh's art but his life, relationships, psyche and tragically early death

The Anne Frank House and the Verzetsmuseum (Resistance Museum) give an insight into a more recent tragic time, the occupation of the city during World War 2. In her diaries Anne Frank documented her life, her fears, her hopes and the reality of living in a situation that many would find incomprehensible and visiting the house where she wrote those thoughts is a poignant experience. In the Resistance Museum the at times hard and stark choices faced by the Dutch population during the occupation are explored as are the methods employed by those who resisted the occupying forces.

For new and regular visitors to the city the Amsterdam Historical Museum offers a fantastic overview of this trading port and its importance, over the years, in European and World affairs.

As for relaxation the canal sides, have some wonderful bars where you can sit out on terraces in summer or sit in and keep warm during winter. For beer lovers don’t miss In de Wildeman and its range of 300 bottled beers from around the world or the 30 types available at Café Belgique. And for the foodies amongst us take your pick, Indonesian, Italian, International, Pancakes and, of course, Dutch cuisine are just a few amongst the many different styles you can sample.

Best Way To Get Around:

Get those walking shoes on - the centre of the city is compact and easy to walk round and an amble round the canals is a very pleasant way of spending time. However, beware trams, buses and – of course – bikes. The latter rule Amsterdam so listen out for the tinkling of the bell – otherwise they do have a habit of taking you unawares – and get out of the way! Mind you some bikes are a tourist attraction in their known right, I love seeing children and dogs sitting happily in baskets on the front or back of bikes or, my particular favourite, large square wooden boxes at the front of a bike which can accommodate a couple of children or three or four dogs. Surely the perfect way to travel! Of you can hire a bike for yourself, they seem an excellent way of negotiating the city, but you may need confidence and/or experience as cycling thorough a city you are unsure of – particularly as many of the bikes don’t have breaks, to stop you have to peddle backwards! – may be a bit intimidating

Amsterdam has an excellent public transport system which skirts and delves into the city centre – many buses and trams conveniently start at Central Station and then radiate out to other parts of the city.

If you are staying in the city for a few days and perhaps staying towards the Southern end then it is worth investing in a Strippenkaart – a strip of tickets available for sale in kiosks and shops around the city. Each strip is divided in to sections and, depending on the zone to which you are travelling, you use two or three sections validating these either in the ticket machine on board or get the requisite number stamped by the ticket inspector www.amsterdam.info/transport/strippenkaart/ gives information about prices etc.. You can also buy tickets for a single journey from the tram/bus driver but the ticket is more expensive and you alas have the difficulty of finding the right or near right change etc..

For travelling further afield Amsterdam has excellent train links with the airport at Schipol, a journey of about 20 minutes, plus other towns and cities in the Netherlands as well as intercity trains to other European Cities

First impressions were of a stylish reception/lounge/bar area. Wooden floors, subtle decor in cream, white, and a sort of grey/khaki colour. Leather sofas, a raised bar (open until 1am, a blissful discovery for two thirsty travellers who arrived at midnight) area and extra decoration provided by the displays of white tulips dotted around the place. Sublime.

The room itself was small but, like the rest of the hotel, simply and stylishly decorated. The bed was incredibly comfortable with just the sort of softness you wanted to ease weary feet and legs after strolling round the city.

Breakfast is continental – breads, cheeses, meat, eggs, cereals – but very tasty and served in an attractive breakfast room just slightly below street level. Sit in the window and you can watch the bottom of people’s legs – and the whole of small dogs – walk past!

The location is great, on a quiet residential street with a park opposite. Okay, so you are not particularly in the centre of things – it is a fair hike or a 15-minute tram ride to Dam Square and Centraal Station – however you are just round the corner from the Van Gogh and Rijksmuseum, a short-ish walk across Singelgracht to the Leidseplein and very close to Vondelpark. It is blissfully quiet – another aid to a good night’s sleep – although occasionally we could hear latecomers or early risers heading up and down the wooden stairs in the hotel.

As for the staff, well, they were great. Friendly, helpful, efficient, and another credit to the hotel.

You’ll probably have guessed that I rather enjoyed our stay at Piet Hein! I did and I would certainly go back. Very, very recommended!

This restaurant has a very special place in our hearts because it is where we got engaged! It is also a wonderful, friendly restaurant that serves fantastic vegetarian/vegan food.

Located on the very pretty canal of Prinsengracht, this is a great place to chill out on the terrace in Summer or warm up in the eclectic interior (wooden tables, ethnic style soft-furnishings, plants, and low hanging lamps) in Winter.

The menu includes Mexican, Middle Eastern, Italian, and other European dishes. Starters include humous and pitta bread, vegetarian pate, guacamole and tortilla chips. Main courses include Burritos, pasta and – my favourite – the Vegan Platter. This gives you tasters of four or five different dishes on one plate – for instance brussel sprouts or courgettes in a soya milk sauce, barley and beans, shiitake mushrooms and soya – combinations are often unusual but always interesting and well cooked. For a dessert try the chocolate and pear tart or the devilishly tasty Banana Cream Pie.

Service is very friendly and efficient, the atmosphere is relaxed and, as some tables are shared, it can be a good place to meet people. I'd recommend a visit.

It does get busy so it may be worth booking a table and it does not accept Credit Cards, do make sure you have enough cash.

There were moments when I thought we were fated not to eat at Duende! A heavy snowfall in England meant that our anticipated afternoon arrival in Amsterdam was put back to midnight and, the following evening, a huge thunderstorm as we were walking to the restaurant forced us to take refuge in another bar before we were even half way there! However, on our third night we made it and I was extremely glad we did.

This lovely local tapas bar is warm and inviting, tables are close together or shared which creates an atmosphere of chattiness and ebullience. So if you are looking for a more sedate or intimate environment this may not be the place for you! On a Sunday night the place was busy, mainly it seemed with locals from the surrounding Jordaan area. Flamenco music played in counterpoint to the conversation, candlelight illuminated hands and faces and a jug of sangria helped to lend the scene a mellow, relaxing feel.

As for the food .. it was excellent although Steve did – with a rather pained expression – chose to forgo trying a certain part of a bull’s anatomy, as had been promised in one of the guide books! The meal was gobbled up with hands and fingers and when eventually we stepped back into the chilly Amsterdam evening we felt that we had taken a little bit of the sunny Med with us. Recommended!

We had

Marinated Anchovies – they kicked like a mule and had us slapping o0r lips – and thighs – in tasty delight!
Sausages in red Mojo (a spicy salsa)
Prawns in Olive Oil and Garlic – Oooohhhh, soooooo nice!
Spanish Tortilla – yum!
Goats Cheese from Muria
Bread and Butter – great for dipping in the oil/garlic left after we’d eaten all the prawns
Jug of Sangria
2 espresso coffees

You may have to ask for an English menu

Open: Mon-Thurs 4pm-1am
Fri-Sat: 4pm-3am
Sun: 2pm-1am

We had intended to go to a different restaurant on the night we visited Zomers but it was closed for renovation. Walking back along Prinsengracht we happened to glance inside, which seemed inviting, took a look at the menu, which seems inviting and made a reservation. Our un-indented visit turned out to be a very delightful surprise as Zomers proved to be a fantastic little find!

The feel of the restaurant, and the flavour of the food, is bistro-style dining. The décor is plain but nice, white walls, silver topped tables and groovy lights (kind of metal and Perspex cylinders with coloured glass underneath).

The menu reflects Italian and French influences however alongside ingredients such as gnocchi and Italian sausage are Dutch shrimps and coco and lime seasonings reflecting a broader range of cooking ideas. There is a choice of 7 starters, 7 mains and 6 desserts, including a number of fish and meat dishes plus one vegetarian choice of starter and main course. The menu, therefore, is not extensive, however, perhaps this concentration on just a few dishes adds to the quality of the cooking, which is excellent (see below for what we had – for a full menu visit www.zomersrestaurant.nl). Portion sizes are big enough to satisfy but not too over-facing that you feel stuffed allowing you to savour and really enjoy starter, main and dessert.

Add to this a good choice of wine and drinks, friendly and efficient service and a relaxed atmosphere and you’ve got all the ingredients for a good dining experience and a great night out.

We had

Scallops with bacon, pasta, garlic and red peppers – very meaty scallops and tasty sauce
Avocado with crawfish, smoked halibut, horseradish and cream – mouth watering!

Cod with clams, rice, chili and fennel (we think) – delicious
Gnocchi with herbs and artichoke, sun-dried tomato mousse and ricotta – wonderful, the gnocchi and artichoke formed a base upon which the tomato mouse, tasting like a thick pesto, was laid forming a kind of thick savoury cake

Warm chocolate sponge with Lavender ice cream – Steve liked, a lot
Cheese Platter with Rye Bread – lovely selection of cheeses

Bottle of Rose wine, 2 glasses of port and 1 espresso

With major renovation taking place at the moment (July 2006) and continuing until 2008 the main museum building is closed, however, a special exhibition entitled Masterpieces is on display in the Philips Wing.

This exhibition (containing over 400 exhibits, a fair amount for a lot of museums but hardly a scratch on the surface for the hundreds of thousands the Rijksmuseum contains) concentrates on the Golden Age of Dutch art -the 17th Century.

Exhibits include the amazingly detailed Dolls House, owned and commissioned by Petronella Oortman, which as well as representing a wonderful feat of artistry it is also a great historical record of life in a Dutch canal side house. There are pictures and artefacts illustrating Amsterdam and The Netherland's standing as a world trading power (a very good accompaniment to many of the exhibits in the Amsterdam Historisch Museum) and paintings by Frans Hals, Vermeer, and, of course, Rembrandt, including the magnificent "Night Watch".

Despite the fact that the galleries can get very busy, particularly at the weekend and around some of the more well know paintings, it is still wonderful.

The website, www.rijksmuseum.nl, is a fantastic site and well worth a look.

Opening Times: 9am-6pm daily.

The Van Gogh Museum holds the world's largest collection of his paintings, sketches, notebooks, and letters and gives a fascinating and very intimate insight into this wonderful, tortured artist.

The permanent collection of paintings are arranged chronologically from his early work including the atmospheric "The Potato Eaters" through the influence of Impressionism gained during his stay in Paris to his later intensely moving pictures such as "Wheatfields under Thunderclouds", completed after he had left the asylum at St. Remy and shortly before his suicide. Included in the exhibition are descriptions of the aims and ideas Van Gogh wanted to explore in his art, many being direct quotes taken from the prodigious number of letters he wrote. Also described are the circumstances under which some of the paintings came to be created. For instance the series of "Sunflower" pictures -possibly one of the most recognisable art images there is- were painted to decorate the room in which Paul Gauguin was to stay.

As a counterpoint to the Van Gogh collection, the museum also contains an impressive collection of paintings by some who knew, were influenced by or who were contemporary to Van Gogh. These exhibits include works by Gauguin, Monet, Seurat, and Toulouse-Lautrec.

I find Van Gogh's paintings very affecting, partly because of their artistic value but also because he has injected so much feeling -highs and abject lows- into his work. His brushstrokes bristle with energy and emotion, the colours are vibrant and used to such wonderful affect in order to create atmosphere as well as representation. Also one gets an interesting overview of his life and his relationships -particularly the closeness to his brother Theo- and again how they informed his work.

Poignant, vigorous, striking the experience of standing in front of Van Gogh's work stays with you long after you’ve left the museum.

This interesting and thought provoking museum chronicles how the occupation of the Netherlands affected the populace and the different ways the population resisted this occupation.

Many of the exhibits take the form of personal testimony, written and verbal. There is a fascinating display of the ingenuity of people who hid radio transmitters in matchboxes or Vim containers and microfilm in a shaving razor.

The museum does not shy away from the difficult choices people had to, and did, make. Some chose to be actively involved, others helped when asked but didn’t volunteer their services, others refused. The museum makes no judgement on these decisions, rather it puts you in the position of thinking “what would I do were I in that situation” and asks you to imagine what it must have been like to try and carry on with a ‘normal’ life under an occupying force.

I found visiting the Verzetsmuseum a very moving experience and I would certainly recommend it. Walking back out onto the streets of Amsterdam I was filled with a renewed admiration for cities and citizens who have and still do suffer oppression. And for a long time the question “What would I do” troubled my thoughts.

Most of the exhibits have explanations in Dutch and English though some on the poster displays have not been translated from Dutch.

The Amsterdam Historisch Museum traces the history of the city through archaeological finds, paintings, artefacts, and personal testimony.

It is fascinating how the city developed from small settlements on raised pieces of land by the side of the Amstel river through the reclamation of land, building of canals, conflicts with Spain, France and England, the growth and importance of trade, migration from both Holland and beyond to the multi-cultural city of today. Phew!

There is a lot to take in but the exhibits are clearly labelled in both Dutch and English and some are interactive, although we did find the layout of the galleries a little confusing at times.

We particularly enjoyed the recreation of a Jordaan brown cafe, the paintings in the Civil Guard Gallery, the Delft Flower Vases and the very personal exhibits of some of those people who have made Amsterdam their home. Well worth a visit.

Open: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm;  Sun 11pm-5pm.

The CoBrA Art Movement was founded after World War II by artists from Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands in order to develop and encourage avant-garde and modern art. The name CoBrA is derived from the capital cities of the countries from which the artists came – Copenhagen, Brussels, and Amsterdam.

The museum contains some permanent exhibits from its collection – including works by Karel Appel whose fountain sculpture stands outside the entrance - and also organises exhibitions by other artists in keeping with the avant-garde ethos of CoBrA.

When we visited there was a very striking exhibition examining how African Folk Art has influenced Primitivism in Western art. Being able to see the exhibits side-by-side, for instance African carved masks and totems next to modern paintings and sculptures, allowed you to see how influences had been transferred and compare and contrast the different exhibits.

The art in the museum will not be to everyone’s liking – indeed not everything was to my liking – however what I did enjoy was that each piece provoked a reaction and, for me, that is what I feel art should so. It should make you think. It might simply make you think "I really like this" or "I really don’t like this" or it may make you reflect on some deeper meaning or emotion - there is no right or wrong reaction. The way you feel about a piece of art is individual to you, a personal reaction, and what I really liked about the CoBrA Museum was that it provoked responses in me, it challenged me and it made me think. I was very glad we visited.

Open: Tue-Sun 11am-5pm.

The museum is situated in Amstelveen - a pleasant town on the outskirts of Amsterdam - take Tram No. 5 from Amsterdam Central Station to Amstelveen Binnenhof.

The Oude Kerk (Old Church) stands rather incongruously in the Red Light district of Amsterdam. Built in the 14th century as a replacement for an earlier wooden structure and dedicated to Saint Nicholas.

Given Amsterdam’s standing as a port and a centre of commerce perhaps it is no surprise that the church was dedicated to the patron Saint of, amongst other things, pawnbrokers, merchants, water, and sailors. The church escaped the fire of 1452, which destroyed much of the city and in 1565 the church's tower was built.

The interior of the church is large and quite spartan with its stone floor and plain walls, which I imagine provide a good backdrop to the exhibitions the church sometimes hosts. Decoration is in the form of some interesting stained glass windows, the ornamented organ, the vaulted ceiling and – my favourite – the carved wooden choir stalls.

The choir stalls are carved with small vignettes many of which represent proverbs or sayings such as "It’s like trying to out-yawn an oven door: A person can’t yawn as wide as an oven door, i.e. don’t try to accomplish the impossible”.

Look out for the one that represents “money doesn’t grow on trees”. Let’s just say that the money isn’t falling out of a tree but out of someone’s... I shall let you guess!

Early streets in Amsterdam did not have names and the houses were not numbered, instead decorative plaques were placed on the houses to identify them and the house would be known by the description of what was on the plaque. I would imagine that the house this plaque was on was known as “The House of the Sun” or even “The House of the Rising Sun”!

The plaques are all over Amsterdam, we saw quite a few in the Warmoesstraat and Zeedjik area, not surprising really as these are two of the oldest streets in the city. Keep an eye out for them and there is also a display outside the Amsterdam Historical Museum.

Wouldn’t it be lovely to be able to say “I live at the House of the Leopard” rather than simply “No. 19”. Much more poetic!

The Koninklijk Paleis was built in the mid-17th Century when Amsterdam and the Netherlands were at the height of the countries trading power. It was not built to be a Royal Palace but was commissioned to be the grandest Stadhuis (Town Hall) in Europe. The intention being that it should be a representation of the power and influence enjoyed by the city at that time.

It is certainly an impression building, in sheer bulk as much as anything else. Detail on its exterior includes statutes representing peace, war, prudence and justice and, at the rear Atlas holding up the world. Also at the rear is a wonderful triangular carved relief which shows Amsterdam, represented as a woman, surrounded by the personifications of the continents with which she trades and also the goods that are being traded. For example Asia - a women in long robes - holds the reins of a camel while children offer spices and jewels, there are also elephants and other exotic animals from Africa and sugar cane and tobacco from America.

If you are wondering how my eyesight is so good at spotting all those details high up on the building I didn't! There is a wonderful model of the relief in the Rijksmuseum. You can also see pictures - contemporaneous with its building - of the Town Hall in both the Rijksmuseum and the Amsterdam Historical Museum and which give a feel of how proud the city was of its new Town Hall.

In 1808 when Louis Bonaparte ruled as monarch during the French occupation he changed the Town Hall into a Royal Palace, as which it has continued since.

Unfortunately the opening times vary and I have never been inside the palace but a walk round the outside allows you to see how imposing the building must have been when first built, and still remains now.

Looking at a map of Amsterdam, Vondelpark is spread out like a green picnic blanket over the south west of the city.

Opened to the public in 1865 the park is named after Joost van den Vondel, one of Netherlands foremost poet and playwrights. It covers approximately 110 acres and includes pathways, ornamental ponds, a rose garden, and, of course, plenty of grassy space to spread out your own picnic blanket and join the community of cyclists, joggers, sun-bathers, dog-walkers, and roller bladders who use the park.

In summer an open-air theatre stages free concert and theatre performances and the Nederlands filmmuseum is also located in the park. The filmmuseum screens a large number of classic, arthouse, modern Dutch, and world movies throughout the year and also has some open air screenings in summer. Café Vertigo, at the filmmuseum, has a lovely terrace where you can people-watch over your coffee while the strikingly designed t’ Blauwe Teehuis is a great place to stop and refresh yourself with a sandwich and cake.

In de Wildeman certainly justifies its label as a bierproeflokal (beer tasting house) with its choice of 200 bottled beers and another 18 or so on tap.

The staff are very knowledgeable, so if you are not sure which of the 200 plus varieties to try, they can offer help.

It’s a popular place – not only because of the beer but the atmosphere, which is relaxed and amiable as any good pub/bar should be! – so getting a seat may be tricky but if you enjoy a good glass of beer in a convivial atmosphere I would certainly recommend visiting.

There is also a non-smoking room in the back.

It is worth visiting their informative website (www.indewildeman.nl) to find out about special events, featured beers etc..

Open: Mon-Thurs 12pm-1am
Fri and Sat 12pm-2am
Closed on Sunday

Het Papeneiland is a wonderful brown café in a great location overlooking Prinsengracht. The name – Pope’s Island – reflects the time when a tunnel ran between the café and a secret Catholic Church across the canal.

The eclectic decoration includes blue Delft tiles, a mixture of wooden furniture, ceramic beer barrels, and a stuffed bird!

Take a seat near the bar downstairs – if there’s room – or venture upstairs and sit, as we did, in the window overlooking the canal and passing cyclists. Give yourself over to the atmosphere and let the beers flow!

Open: Mon-Thur 10am-1am
Fri-Sat 10am-2am
Sun 12pm-1am

Okay, I know, we are in Holland and drinking Belgian beer. Don’t worry, we also drank our fair share of Amstel and others but we did also enjoy visiting this tiny, fantastic bar for a few Trappist – and more – ales!

The bar is tiny and with wooden tables, stone floor and tan walls covered in old-fashioned advertisements for many of the beers they sell. It specialises in Belgian Beer, having 8 on tap and 30 in bottles. The beer menu is very well written, informative but also very amusing, giving you background to where the beer was brewed and also the percentage alcohol content (the 11% Kasteel Bruin was like dark, sweetish and treacly, reminding me of autumn evenings) very important if you intend to stay, as we did, for more than one or two!

The girl behind the bar was extremely friendly and also knowledgeable about the beers on sale. You can also order bar snacks such as toasties, cheese and mustard (perfect with beer) and spicy (very spicy according to Steve) sausage.

I’d recommend a visit!