Amsterdam

17th May 2019

The first stop on our 5.5-month journey! We got off the ferry in Calais, France and headed straight to Amsterdam. 

We arrived at about 1:00 pm and booked ourselves into a campground – Gaaspercamping which on the outskirts of Amsterdam. We originally had a more central campsite in mind, however, we didn’t book it prior to our arrival as we are traveling out of high season so we figured we could just rock up. It turns out we were wrong! We decided since it was the very start of our trip and a big city that it would be easier and cause less of a headache if we stayed in a campground. Gaaspercampground was great! Free wifi and the facilities were clean – everything we needed for our first few days.

That afternoon we headed into the city center to see what Amsterdam was about. To be totally honest, we didn’t fall in love with Amsterdam straight away. It was a Saturday afternoon and almost every Brit was having their hens or stag do. It was absolutely manic. We were battling our way down the streets, trying to dodge the obnoxious drunks or bikes and drunks on bikes! 

We made it to Vondelpark where we found a little spot by the pond and ate our packed lunch. Taking our lunch with us on this trip has been a lifesaver in terms of saving some money. As we were walking through Vondelparkpark, we were really getting the true Amsterdam experience with the … “aroma” that was wafting through the air. Vondelpark is really beautiful. There are loads of different pathways and everyone is either walking their dog, “chilling out” or riding their bikes. It has a real sense of calm in comparison to the hustle and bustle of what was going on outside of the park gates.

We left Vondelpark and was on a mission to find more food. Jess had told us about some fries that are really popular in Amsterdam. We managed to hunt them down and they did not disappoint! We proceeded to eat a few of these over the coming days. The next stop was getting my hands on a Stroopwafel. Now, this is where my dangerous obsession started! Stroopwafel is a traditional Dutch waffle made from two thin layers of baked waffle with a caramel syrup filling. They are not only visually appealing but wow, they taste amazing! Especially when they are hot and fresh! After basically eating our way around the city, we decided it was time to head back to the campground – probably for the best! 

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18th May 2019

We booked ourselves into a free walking tour around which took us to parts of Amsterdam that we hadn’t yet visited. The tour was great! It gave us such a great perspective of the city and some insiders knowledge to the cool, more local spots of Amsterdam. We learned a lot about the history of the city and the ins and outs of what Amsterdam is well known for – the red light district and the coffee shops (and no, not the actual cup of coffee kind.. the other kind). This was the day where we had that “ahhh this is what it’s all about” moment and we did fall in love with Amsterdam. There was a far nicer vibe about the city. After talking to our tour guide, we came to the conclusion that maybe we weren’t in the right area the previous day. The area we were in becomes verrrrry touristy on the weekends, particularly because of the hen and stag dos. Our problem is that although we are tourists, we hate tourists! We prefer to try blend in with the locals and discover their hang out spots. However, my downfall is that I usually have a camera stuck to my face which is kind of a dead giveaway that we are tourists.  After the walking tour, we headed to the local market where we picked up some wine, cheese, a salami stick, and a baguette and headed back to the van where our dinner consisted of all of those things! Shopping at the markets can be a little overwhelming given that we actually have no idea what we are buying. We were purely going on the look and occasional smell factor. It can be a bit of a gamble.. sometimes you win, sometimes you lose!! Fortunately, we have been winning more than we have been loosing. 

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19th May 2019

Today was our last day in Amsterdam and we had a full day planned. On the agenda was The Heineken Experience & the Anne Frank Museum. Piece of advise for anyone planning on coming to Amsterdam – book Anne Frank tickets in advance as this is the best way to ensure you get to experience it. Unfortunately for us, we had not booked in advance however, the museum releases a certain number of “on the day” tickets. This meant Morgan was up early every morning trying to purchase tickets! The problem is, there are also hundreds if not thousands of people trying to do the same thing. We were incredibly lucky and managed to score 2 tickets on the second morning! 

The first stop of the day was the Heineken Experience. When planning our trip to Europe, this was something we really wanted to do as Amsterdam is the home of where Heineken started. We really felt that you get bang for your buck! Tickets were €18 per person which included a fully comprehensive tour of the original Heineken factory and covered the history of the brand, the process of how they make beer and how Heineken has gone on to dominate the global market. On top of that, you get a couple of beers throughout the tour – one at the halfway point to wet your whistle and then 2 full-size beers to conclude the tour. The tour ended at a really cool underground bar where you could hang out and enjoy probably the freshest Heineken beer you will ever taste! The beer had only been out of the fermenting tank for 3 days. It definitely beats the dozen you buy at your local back home! Another highlight of the tour was when we entered an area that is dedicated to Heineken’s involvement with the international sport. One of the areas related specifically to the sponsorship of the Rugby World Cup. As we entered, we could hear the All Blacks Hakka booming through the speakers. It gave Morgan and I goosebumps hearing the Hakka loud and clear on the other side of the world. It made home feel not so far away. As big of a brand as Heineken is, the All Blacks rival that. We had a massive sense of pride knowing that people in this part the tour might not know much about rugby but they sure as hell know who the All Blacks are. We had such a great morning however, it is extremely commercialized and there are a  large number of people going through the tour. In saying that, it is very well done and hey, you leave feeling that you haven’t been ripped off. Plus, who can say no to beers at 11 am?! 

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We hurried along to the Anne Frank House as we were cutting it fine for the allocated slot. The Anne Frank House was another thing that we really wanted to do while in Amsterdam. It was actually one of the driving factors for us to come to Amsterdam in the first place. The whole museum has been done incredibly well to honor Anne, her family, and the Jewish community. You are given an audio phone where you listen to the series of events and diary entries as you enter each room. There is still an actual bookcase, intact and attached to the secret door that leads to where The Frank family and another family hid for 2 years. The house and some of Anne’s remaining possessions have been preserved incredibly well. One of the things that probably hit us the hardest was seeing the list of each family members names written on the documentation for the concentration camps. Morgan and I were lost for words the entire time we were there. We just keep looking at each other with sadness and disbelief that this really happened right here, in this house. It was a very sobering experience and although you leave with a very heavy heart, it is something everyone should witness. The museum encourages you not to take photos but in all honesty, it didn’t even feel right to take photos. It is such an emotional time while you live through a snapshot of her diary that details her experiences in the war. Anne’s biggest dream was to become a famous writer after the war, and although she didn’t live through the war, she will forever live on through her diary and the museum. 

We had very contrasting experiences that day however felt that we had experienced the “must do’s” in Amsterdam. After a full on day, we headed back to the campground to get ready for the next leg of our journey. At the end of our trip to Amsterdam, our first impressions had definitely changed and we feel like it is a city we would love to come back and experience more of!

Now, I’m sure many of you are wondering if any “coffee shops” were visited this trip. With 99% confidence.. we can assure you that no coffee shops were visited..