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Amsterdam Journals

Ah, Amsterdam!

A July 1997 trip to Amsterdam by ms_dj

Anne Frank Huis Photo - The Anne Frank House and Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands More Photos
Quote: My last "family" trip, taken with my parents and my brother, was to the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, for three weeks. In addition to sight-seeing, we spent time with family and friends. In this journal, you'll read about our adventures in Amsterdam.
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Ah, Amsterdam! Best of IgoUgo

Overview

Dam Square Photo - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Quote:
A canal-boat tour will give you a feel for the city, and you'll see and learn lots about this beautiful city. Art-lovers will be in seventh heaven in Amsterdam! You could spend a month there and not run out of museums and galleries to visit. Looking for a bit of the wild side? Amsterdam's "cafe's" are world-renowned! Also, you can check out the "Red Light District", if you dare. =)Quick Tips: We bought an Amsterdam "City Pass", which had lots of coupons for free or discounted tours and meals. It's good for a long period of time (I think it was a year when we were there), so you can hang on to it & spend a few days in Amsterdam. Before you g...Read More

Sarang Mas Indonesian Restaurant Best of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Proost! Photo - Sarang Mas Indonesian Restaurant, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Quote:
If you go to an Indonesian restaurant, the best way to experience the food is to order the Rijsttafel (rice table). This way, you can sample many different dishes without having to make too many choices. Standard rijsttafels have at least a dozen different dishes, and often you can get double that (but you'll want a large group!).

We had the rijsttafel at Sarang Mas, and it was quite good. My favourite dish was the pork satays in peanut sauce. Food ranges from mild to very spicy, and may use various meats (pork, chicken or beef). Some vegetarian dishes are available. Just make sure, whatever you eat, you wash it down with a Heineken...it's the same price for beer or soda.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on June 28, 2001

Sarang Mas Indonesian Restaurant
Rokin 84
Amsterdam, Netherlands
+31 (20) 528-9590

Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art"

Quote:
A coupon in our city pass brought us to the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art. We expected to find Picasso (I think there was one Picasso there) and his contemporaries. What we did find was a very graphic photography exhibition, and many paintings and other works from lesser-known artists (at least, lesser-known by us).

Graphic photography aside, the paintings were very good, and it was an interesting visit, considering we'd already been to the Rijksmuseum to see the old masters.
Check out the Stedelijk Museum on the Internet.

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on June 24, 2001

Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Paulus Potterstraat 13
Amsterdam, Netherlands 1071 CX
31 (20) 573 29 11

Amsterdam Canal Cruises Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Canal Cruise"

Amsterdam Houses Photo - Amsterdam Canal Cruises, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Quote:
The canal boat tours generally run about 90 minutes, taking tourists through the canals and Amsterdam harbour. The canal cruise boats (of which there are several operators) take tourists through the major canals and the Amsterdam harbour. Major points-of-interest are pointed out in several languages (English, German, French, & Dutch at a minimum), and there are numerous photo-opportunities. In addition to sight-seeing, you'll learn some of Amsterdam's fascinating history, as well. You can get some interesting photos from the canal boat, and it's a great way to get a quick feel for Amsterdam's history, architecture and people. Looking for romance? Try an evening cr...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on June 28, 2001

Amsterdam Canal Cruises

Amsterdam

Rijksmuseum Best of IgoUgo

Attraction

Rijksmuseum Photo - Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Quote:
At the Rijksmuseum you'll find both art and artifacts.

My favourite section was the paintings by old masters. In this part of the museum you'll see:

"The Nightwatch" by Rembrandt van Rijn (and many others by Rembrandt)
"The Threatened Swan" by Jan Asselyn
"The Kitchen Maid" by Johannes Vermeer
"The Fall of Man" by Cornelis van Haarlem
and paintings by Frans Hals and Jan Steen.

The Rijksmuseum is not a quick visit. I'd recommend taking your time, and not trying to do the whole museum in one trip. It's huge!

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on June 28, 2001

Rijksmuseum
Stadhouderskade 42
Amsterdam, Netherlands 1071 ZD
+31 20 674 70 00

The Anne Frank House and Museum Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Anne Frank Huis"

Anne Frank Huis Photo - The Anne Frank House and Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Quote:
Anne Frank Huis is a museum with a story...the story told in The Diary of Anne Frank, which was written by thirteen-year-old Anne Frank while in hiding in a canal house in Amsterdam. It is this house which serves as the Anne Frank Huis museum today. The houses along the canals of Amsterdam, at that time, had a front part (in this case, used for Otto Frank's business) and a back part, the annex, which was generally empty. It was in the annex that the Franks and another family hid for two years. There are some permanent displays, including the original journal in which Anne wrote, plus temporary displays on racism and anti-semitism. At the time I visited, the rooms had n...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 9, 2001

The Anne Frank House and Museum
Prinsengracht 267
Amsterdam, Netherlands 1016 GV
+31 20 556 71 00

Rembrandthuis Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Museum het Rembrandthuis"

Museum Het Rembrandthuis Photo - Rembrandthuis, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Quote:
The Museum het Rembrandthuis (Rembrandt House Museum) is the house in which painter Rembrandt van Rijn lived from 1639-1658. When we were there four years ago, there were exhibits of his drawings as well as many paintings. (If you'd like to see his most famous works, you'll need to go to the Rijksmuseum.) Since then, the museum has been restored to its original (seventeenth-century) condition.

In the museum gift shop, you can purchase reproductions of Rembrandt's works, both as full-sized prints, and postcards.

You can check out the current exhibits at the museum, and get more information here.

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 10, 2001

Rembrandthuis
Jodenbreestraat 4
Amsterdam, Netherlands 1011 NK
+31 20 520 04 00

About the Writer

ms_dj

ms_dj
Ontario, Canada

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