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Amsterdam, Netherlands

Awoke to a sunny day in Amsterdam, which we translate to “cold” as that wind blows all the clouds away… in sheltered bits it is very pleasant though. Did our final pack, stored our bags with Paul and headed off for a ‘city walk’ ala Rick Steve podcast.

I felt the need to have ‘herring’ again at the little truck at the tram stop, as theirs are so delicious and a real tonic. On Rick Steve’s video the dutch lady who talks about them says ‘Lekker Lekker” when eating them – which is similar to delicious. The photo shows me doing a ‘lekker’ to Vernon who tries not to be repulsed by me eating ‘dead fish’. I add that they are very fresh, juicy little raw dead fish lovingly prepared but he simply cannot bring himself to try it. Pussy.

We headed to Central Station which is on the harbour edge or Northern part of city and topped up with Rockworst and did a wander up to Dam Square. Found a nice ‘bakery’ with hand made cakes and sampled dutch cheese cake – very acceptable- then back through the top of East side down to the Red light and China town edge which is very picturesque.

Stumbled across some markets and passed through cheese shops (more tasting) and drooled at some pastry shops because we were too full at that point to eat. A lot of people out and about, thousands we reckon to the point it was hard to move down the narrow and not so narrow streets at times!

We then headed further south and viewed Begijnhof which is a courtyard where a cloister of ladies – like nuns lived. They did a lot of good in community and devoted their lives to gods service. The last one died in 1971 and now poor women live in the courtyard houses – although they are very trendy. There are a few of these courtyards around because Amsterdam has always been a city where dry land is scarce so they built courtyards in the centre of groups of tall narrow houses – all hidden from street. We saw another in the Jordaan. They are quite neat and also make one realise how much open space we have in NZ. Anyhow the oldest house in Amsterdam is here – 1477!

Onward on our walk through the city flower markets where you can buy bulbs and bunches but nothing to get excited about, we refreshed with a nice cuppa and dutch pea soup with smoked sausage and roll for €4.50 and headed back to pick our bags.

Long stressful story cut short we had planned to go back to the airport the way we had come via tram and train. Tram bit was fine, but trains weren’t running! We first had trouble buying ticket at Lelylan as it only took a chip card not money, no staff on. Then another tourist gave us their tickets – 5 euro worth, as they didn’t need them? Mmmm we gave them 5 euro and went up to platform, and got told then that there was no train, but to go to the bus nearby and you can use your ticket. Went to the bus stand, saw on a timetable that no buses run on Saturday to the airport!!!

STRESS!

By now our time was looking very fine, from where we stood we saw a taxi stand and took the plunge – asked how much and were told 35 euro (vs the 5 we clearly gave away grrrr) never mind, got to the airport with 10 mins before our gate closed for check-in. We do not like this close a shave at all! Only time for a pee – no drink or any snack (6:30 pm) as it was board right away.

Another disappointment to the day was that our landlord – Paul had given us a farewell thank you gift of a bottle of the special blackcurrant liquer. This was hastily and gratefully put in our handluggage as we left and we didnt think to shove it in our bags. Come customs they took it off us as it was over the so many mls. for hand luggage. Totally guttted!

We flew Vueling which is the Spanish cheap airline; it was fine, on time, and our baggage made it to Seville. The flight was only 2.5 hours long and less than €100 each booked in advance which was so much cheaper and time efficient than a 20 hr train trip. I don’t know if it was because it’s a cheap airline that they go to a cheaper or older airport (as is often the case here) but what a dingy place where we landed. There was no information board at the airport so we just took the cheap airport bus to town for €6 euro and asked another english speaking passenger who we overheard lived there – where to hop off.

We were pretty much winging it for directions but not for total lack of organisation. We did try and get a sim for the iPad to use GPS maps but in Amsterdam the lady said you buy one in the country you will be using as roaming is too expensive. No airport shops at all where we landed so in hind sight we should have printed a map in NZ.

We thought there may have been shuttle buses but no…… all’s well that ends well – we did have a small map on our guidebook and basic directions downloaded on the iPad so once we knew which stop to hop off on, we made it fine. We did have to wander an alley or two at about midnight in a district that didn’t look too flash to us at the time but apparently it’s a good area LOL.

The hotel is ok, very dark and windowless which apparently is Andalusian style but reviews say its good for Seville and it was comparatively cheap. Not my usual preference but this is the nature of this trip – to get the best on a restrained budget.

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