FUN-travel: Amsterdam – Full Day 2
August 23, 2014 by Susan Clarke
Day 36 – Tuesday, August 5 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – breezy, low clouds & sun – 70’s
What I LIKE
- 7:30 – more good hot coffee
- 9:15 – ready to go
- – Chris not doing museums – taking pictures of city
- 9:30 – tram to Rijksmuseum stop for Van Gogh
- 10:00 – walk in & get head set
- 10:15 – start exploring the 3 story museum
- – only wish Starry Night & Café Terrace were here
- – 1st in MOMA & 2nd in Otterlo, Netherlands
- 12:30 – walk to Rijksmuseum
FUN-food – Ironically USA Today has Amsterdam feature – read that Rijksmuseum restaurant was good.
Dutch Tapas = bread, meat & cheese plate for 2 – enough for 3 of us = 20 Euro
- 2:00 – start self guided tour
Otto Frank House
- – famous for Rembrandt & Vermeer
- – really crowded there
- – covers art from 1100 to 1950 – so big @ 4 floors
- – only stop for items that catch my eye & draw me in
- – find female artist Therese Schwartze from 1800’s – that’s a 1st!
- 3:15 – hear chimes! – turn around to find clock from 1765 – what a treat!
- – tells time, day of week, moon phase, high tide & 14 different chime tones
- *3:30 – go to hop on boat
- 4:05 – nice rest & ride to next stop
- 4:40 – reservation for Anne Frank Museum
- – huge line snakes down around block
- – have tickets so go in side door
- 4:50 – walk in – excellent crowd control!
- – very small but well organized
- **6:15 – happy hour – Wiezen beer @ Cafe Kalkhoven
- Head off for dinner – Season’s rated high on TA
- – closed & restaurants around fully booked
- – server @ one suggests going to Westerstraat
- 7:30 – Boca’s – really nice server Eliza accommodates us – acts more like the owner or manager
FUN-food – menu is plateaus = tapas like bites served on wooden boards – order 1 small veggie & 1 small combo fish, meat & cheese – 1 order of French fries served 3 ways w/dipping sauces – plenty for 4 – 2012 Cruz Alta Reserve Malbec – only 80 Euro
- 9:30 – give Eliza my 2nd TA excellent service pin – find out her birthday is @ midnight – she is thrilled to get it!
- 9:45 – hit red light district in full swing! – single glass doors w/curtains line narrow walkway – inside each, scantily clad women of all shapes, sizes & colors – posing & strutting their “stuff” – in hope of luring a client in
- After midnight night night
What I DON’T LIKE
- *should have checked the schedule as they don’t run every 15 mins like another line
- **asked for food menu – told none – buy falafel next door & told we can’t eat it
- – then see other table w/cheese tray – really rude server!
- Told @ checkout all king beds were booked – reservations made in March said no king beds @ hotel
- – which means they don’t give you that room if you use points
Rijksmuseum
FUN-fact – Rick Steve’s book suggested buying all tickets ahead of time. Brilliant! We had no lines. While the 1st floor at the Van Gogh museum was packed (every hour on the hour reservations arrive) if you wait 15 minutes the tour groups thin out. The rest of the 2nd & 3rd floors were relatively not crowded.
More FF – You really need dinner reservations for 1) to make sure they’re open & 2) because of the summer crowds.