These musings were made chronologically during a month’s stay from 18 May-16 June.
May 18, 2023:
I’ve been coming regularly to Amsterdam since 2000 when I visited for the 1st time with Roelanda and my 2nd time ever. Due to Covid, my last visit was in November 2019 for which my last musings of many were produced. MUSINGS FROM AMSTERDAM UPDATED VERSION WITH A SPRING 2021 UPDATE - #53 by Magno_Gonzalez
Musings from Amsterdam 2011-2013
Some musngs while in Amsterdam- 2011/ 2012 updated see post #8
MUSINGS FROM AMSTERDAM 2017 VERSION
Roelanda was born and raised in ’s-Hertogenbosch AKA Den Bosch which is about 100 kilometers South and East of Amsterdam. Den Bosch is located in one of the 12 provinces, Brabant, and although the 4th largest city in the province, its population is only about 160,000. Amsterdam was where her mother told her never to go due to the “low moral standards and such”.
Thankfully, I had a different mother and discovered Amsterdam, located in the province of North Holland, in 1996 while participating in a professional healthcare conference. Although it was held in the south part of the city, we stayed in the Centrum {City Center} and I made time to walk and explore and instantly fell in love with the vibe, the people, the history and the culture.
Technically, the country is the Netherlands although some in the country call it Holland and strictly, formally, it has been the Kingdom of the Netherlands since Napoleon appointed his brother as king, turning the Dutch Republic {called the United Republic of the Netherlands from 1588 to 1795} into a kingdom.
My most prevalent thought was this is all about individual freedom of expression and ideals and I saw just about everything from one expression to the other and that no-one really cared as long as it did no harm.
Of all of the amazing museums here which include Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Rijksmuseum, Ann Frank Huis, Stedelijk, Joods Historisch Museum, Tropenmuseum and NEMO Science, my under the radar favorite is the Amsterdam Museum {now temporarily relocated for renovations}.
I’ve visited the Amsterdam Museum more than any other as it chronologically presents the amazing history of the city starting well before its conception then moves into a segment that begins with the time period from 1200-1585 and on up to the present. Excavations between 2005 and 2012 found evidence that the origins of Amsterdam are much older than ‘only’ the twelfth century. This would mean Amsterdam, or its predecessor would have seen human habitation since about 2600 BC.
When entering the museum for the first time, I noticed a large inscription on the wall that states: “Amsterdam, the City of Freedom”. How perfect was that?
Also of note, almost every day at one time or another, I walk past The National Holocaust Names Memorial, built in 2021, which commemorates the approximately 102,000 Jewish victims from the Netherlands who were arrested by the Nazi regime during the German occupation of the country (1940-1945) and deported to death camps in Germany. This became more relevant when I met up with one of our dear local lady friends who unsolicited shared she has 16 family members memorialized there and whose names, date of birth and age at death are inscribed on the red brick walls that make up an incredible labyrinth of corridors.
Also, Amsterdam has over 400 memorial cobblestone plaques called “stumbling stones” which have been placed in front of former holocaust victim’s homes that was part of a project initiated in Berlin by a German artist in 1996. There are over 8,500 cobblestones in the Netherlands and over 50,000 scattered around 18 different European countries.
May 21:
Not much has significantly changed in 3 1/2 years and certainly, nothing will change its rich and far encompassing history and traditions. The building my apartment is in is inscripted 1856, but after removing an abutting wall, it was connected to another building from the 18th century. The church near my stam cafe {neighborhood bar/restaurant called De Engelbewaarder} shows 1614 and another popular cafe is 1695. The canals, the hordes of tourists and tourists groups, the plethora of bikes {fiets} who have the right of way over pedestrians and then motorbikes, trams, busses, cars and trucks in that order, the rich history, the multi lingual, widest varieties of nationalities of any city in the world and yes, the feeling of FREEDOM, are all still prevalent and relevant.
1856
My Apartment Building
1614
Zuiderkerk
1695
Cafe Sluyswacht
1742
Private Residence
If anything has changed, it may be the fallout of the shutdown/ isolation during Covid. Friends and families were not allowed to see each other. One of my friends could not see his father before he died from other health issues and he is still mourning that. As in the US, some stores and restaurants closed and did not reopen and some did but with limited staff and therefore service. But what is happening now is a big upturn and new ventures are sprouting up. They city is bustling. The tourists are back in full force and the buzz is as big as ever.
May 23:
After I’d been here 4 days, shockingly, I’d not seen one mask, even with all of the tourists and having walked for hours each day in and around the city center. Not even on the ground. On past visits, the most prevalent liter consisted of remnants of broken down umbrellas from tourists who did not know how severe the winds can be and just not any umbrella can withstand it. No doubt, I will see masks at some point and I did on the 5th day, but it is within a hand count {and still the case as I am about to depart}. That reminds me, last December when in southern Mexico, I saw people wearing masks while jet skiing and paddle boarding out in the ocean. To each his own. Freedom.
My stam cafe is the place I frequent the most. Roelanda and I were directed to it during our first visit by a local friend of hers and I/we have been coming back ever since. The owner and his wife have become friends as have many of the local patrons and staff, many of whom I count as lifetime friends and communicate with regularly when not here.
It is called De Engelbewaarder {The Guardian Angel} and is a wonderful, casual “brown cafe” {traditional Dutch pubs named after their tanned wooden decor and tobacco stained wallpaper} located on a canal in the centrum across from one of many large complexes of buildings which make up a part of the University of Amsterdam which is scattered throughout the city. The cafe was first opened in 1971 as a literary cafe where writers, musicians and poets could share their skills as what was going on in the US in the form of Beatnik cafes. The literary {Litterair}aspect is noted in the full name as seen on the outdoor sign. So in addition to the local crowd, there are some students and professors who frequent the Engel as well. On Sundays, quality modern Jazz music is played here {as it is throughout the city} and has become a big, well known local attraction. They serve the best quality of Dutch and Belgium beers, mostly on tap. The reasonably priced food is righteously good, mostly authentic Dutch food prepared fresh daily from locally organically grown produce and dairy. The menu is broad and there is something for most food and dietary preferences.
Interestingly, I/we do not go to a neighborhood bar at home. I’m a wine guy and we drink wine regularly at home, not beer. When in Rome, in this case, Amsterdam, I drink beer and as with wine, explore all of the different options and attributes and savor the experience. Belgium beer is the best IMHO.
Since I am almost always sitting at the bar with my local friends and we buy each other rounds, I tend to drink the same beer as they do which is the house beer named Estaminet, a delicious and easy pils made by Palm Breweries {now called Swinkels Family Brewers, the second largest brewery company in the Netherlands after Heineken}, a top notch brewery in Belgium that began in 1525 and one I’ve visited with the owner of de Engel. I’ve tasted a few other beers on tap and found I’m also a fan of Blonde Ales, especially 2 Abbey beers that are made by SteenBrugge founded in 1084.
For me, the Engel is a home away from home. The staff has consistently been made up of students and similar aged, super friendly, highly educated and conscientious people who turn around and join the patrons when not working and become one of the regulars. It’s that kind of a place. It’s also a home away from home for others. Over the years I’ve been going there, the turnover rate has been low, but on this occasion, there’s only a couple of people who were here in 2019.
One of my best friends is De Engel’s most frequent and revered patron. He lives close by around the corner and docks his boat in front on the canal. Before going to his workshop for a day of creative metal and iron sculpture work, he has his morning coffee here and then when he returns, he has his evening beers here. His is such a fixture, they reserve his favorite end of the counter place for him. Since I have joined him as others do each night, the sign has been adjusted to reflect others.
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So, who is this guy? His name is Henny and he is a remarkable human being who has a heart of gold, is self-educated, has a steel trap mind, a history of being a ship’s captain on large freighter boats that sailed the seas, speaks better English than I do and is loved and admired by all who know him. For the first 10 years of going to de Engel, he was always there and I never connected with him, primarily because I did not speak Dutch. Finally, we exchanged greetings and then we had a conversation which he initiated in English and we have been friends ever since; in fact, I count him as one of my closest of all friends.
May 25:
It’s full on spring here, a late one at that. The trees are just now filling out and anything that flowers in the spring is in full bloom and its quite colorful where there is nature. It’s super fragrant and the birds are chirping everywhere.
Many local residents are proud of their small plots to plant and grow flowers and there’s a lot more than tulips which btw, are showcased in one of the most beautiful gardens ever, the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens which are open from 21 March 21-12 May 2024 land located near Amsterdam. Annually, 7 million flower bulbs are planted by hand in the autumn to flower in spring. They have a variety of 800 different tulips of colors out of the 3,000 total. Tulips are said to have different meanings based on flower color. Red tulips represent true love which may explain why they are the 2nd most popular Valentine’s Day flower in the US. White ones are a symbol of apology and forgiveness. Purple tulips are a symbol of royalty. I am told there is not such a thing as a black flower, when I visited years ago, I saw a hybrid that came pretty close called the ‘Queen of the Night’.
As for the “black” tulip, I never fail to see something I’ve never seen before when I visit here and my first discovery this visit occurred when I checked into my room. It was the packaged toilet paper. I mean, have you ever seen a toilet paper roll covered in a wrapper that says, “Who gives a crap?” and ‘We looooove looooong rolls” Turns out, the paper is made of bamboo and it’s part of the apartment complex’s sustainability code.
And one more trivia point: tulips originated in central Asia and were first brought to Turkey who then shipped them to Netherlands around 1560.
After coming here for many years and having a Dutch lady in my life, I never really seriously tried to learn the language. It seems like it would be a courtesy to the locals to speak their language even though all have learned English since infancy. What few things I could say in Dutch were replied in English and it was the easier way to communicate beyond babbling and coming up short in expressing more concisely/ precisely. So, I made a promise rot myself to go for it and started an online language course through an app. Now well past 500 days of 1-4 hours every day, I might be able to speak to a 5 year old. I came here wanting to see how well I can relate and I’m doing ok reading and writing but struggling big time understanding the spoken word and speaking the language beyond a few words. I’ll get it.
May 26:
I’ve now been here 1 week and the jet lag/ 9 hour time zone adjustment has just about passed and it was not all that bad anyway. Having a flexible, spontaneous schedule and no commitments is a great way to deal with it.
I will begin branching out and go to some high end/ wine savvy restaurants of the past which will include Cafe Daalder and La Rive, the latter located in the Intercontinental Amstel Amsterdam Hotel. It has had some pearls on the wine list that have been under the radar and in 2019, I had targeted a few bottles for my next visit not knowing it would be almost 3 1/2 years later; so, it will be interesting to see what is left and how they are priced. Later on, I learned they had sold off most of their older wines including the ones I was going for.
In the category of seeing something I’ve never seen before, Walking out of the apartment building, I came across the Rolls Royce of the minicar fleet. This is a Motion Mirage, one passenger battery operated car with a small storage area behind the seat. It is 7.8 feet long, 3.6 feet wide, 5.5 feet high and has a wheelbase of 5.3 feet. Maximum speed is 22 mph, its range is 31 miles and it sells from $9,300.
Parking is a premium here, streets are narrow and parking spaces are smaller than what we are accustomed to in the US and if one finds a spot, it’s super expensive and strictly electronically enforced. These cars have the license to park just about anywhere, with an emphasis on just about. https://greenworldmobility.nl/en/model/motion-mirage/
May 27:
The centrum is to be walked if not biked. If you travel here, be mindful the canal zone is made up of semicircular, oval, horseshoe shaped canals and many of the streets that follow along end up reversing their direction from another vantage point. So, an address can be tricky to find if one just follows numbers plus some newer canals and extensions of older ones take on Nieuwe {as in New} as part of their name and it can get confusing.
Even GPS can get messed up as I experienced today when I looked up a restaurant that was shown to be a 17 minute walk from the apartment. I religiously followed all of the prompts only to end up in a neighborhood that looked familiar. It was 2 blocks away from where I started. I had done the horseshoe thing. I then reversed course and with more orientation, found the place I set out to find.
About exploring Amsterdam’s centrum, one of the best ways is to do a canal boat ride. You will see areas and things you will not see from the streets. It is a touristy thing to do, but always enjoyable, relaxing and informative.
The weather today is in the mid 70s as has been many days since I’ve arrived. And, it has not rained once or even threatened to. Both are rare experiences for me as i/we usually come in March/ April and October/ November which are typically rainy and less touristy. There are celebrations are special dates to avoid even within the months we choose. Summer is full on crowded and can be muggy and hot and winter can be severe with rain and cold, but you just layer up or down and in the winter act like a local at a ski resort when the weather gets into the 40s and you put on shorts and T-shirt while all of the tourists are wearing 4 layers of ski clothing.
May 28:
I notice in this writeup that I have been using the US Imperial measuring system based on the old British Imperial System of inches and pounds etc. when here everything is obviously on the Metric System AKA the International System of Units. I believe England reverted back to the British system when they did their Brexit on 31 January 2020 and I’ve heard they are totally confused and having issues retooling. The more exposure I get to the metric system, the more I find it easier to use and wonder why we do not. In 1975, the US passed the Metric Conversion Act which was meant to slowly transition units of measurement from feet and pounds to meters and kilograms, bringing us up to speed with the rest of the world; however, the law was completely voluntary and we know how that turned out.
On today’s first walk, I came across a familiar outside urinal of which there are a few around the centrum and one I have taken a photo of in the past, but for the sake of not having to search a gazillion photos, I took another. This one had not been maintained for some time= gross.
Next up came a “house boat” or better yet, a complex of 2 floating houses and series of docks that have created their own garden and hydroponic yard on the water. This is a place I’ve noticed on daily walks over many years and it just keeps getting better with more vegetation including a vegetable and flower garden all on the canal. And it is even gated and inaccessible to the public.
American music has been a big part of the culture here and I often have heard the locals singing songs from the 60s and on up in English where they speak it or not. Since Tina Turner passed a few days ago, her music can be heard all over the city. My stam cafe has been continuously playing designated playlists with many of her standards. While walking through the streets today, I could hear her tunes coming out of bars and cafes while i’ve been running “What’s love have to with it” through my head for the past day.
Speaking of American culture’s effects on Amsterdamers, they are tuned in to everything that goes on in the US. Unfortunately, much of the information they get comes from biased, prejudiced media sources with political agendas. I avoid all such conversations, which in an extreme Socialistic, but still democratic country, is prudent.
May 29:
I walked through and around the center of the centrum, Dam Square, the Royal Palace and on Kalverstraat on a shopping journey for Belgium chocolates for my sweetie. While doing so, I continue to notice a huge shift in the demeanor of the tourists, post Covid. As opposed to the loud and unruly and inebriated masses of years past, I’m seeing mostly families, couples and tour groups comprised of interested and curious visitors. The city has tried to relocate a portion of the nearby Red Light District and evidently there has been some, but for the most part, it is still in tact and a huge attraction for the curious onlookers and the younger set. But it is just a walk by and walk through without the yelling and screaming of drunken hooligans and out of control “weekend party goers” of years past.
June 3:
I’`ve been doing lots of walking and exploring in the day and revisiting many of my past go to restaurants for dinner which fortunately survived Covid times and are still open, thriving and as good as ever. Indian, Thai and Indonesian restaurants are in abundance here and my spice gene has definitely been hyper activate.
Also, I continue to make early evening visits to my stam cafe and by now have reconnected with most all of my past friends. I’m super grateful for the “family” kind of friendships I have here.
My current apartment in the Plantage neighborhood {buurt} is located quite a few blocks away from where I had previously stayed for 20 years in the Nieumarkt neighborhood. That apartment was also on a canal and located near a treasured “monument”, The Montelbaanstoren. The original tower was built in 1516 as part of the Walls of Amsterdam for the purpose of defending the city and the harbor. The top half, designed by Hendrick de Keyser, was extended to its current form in 1606 when the decorative top, wooden spire, octagonal base and clock was added… Since then, the tower has been 48m tall {about 158 feet}.
The clock tower has fairly loud chimes that sound the count of each hour 24/7 and are part of the “hood”. For me, this has been one of the most photographic, historical structures in Amsterdam as captured at sunset and throughout the day over many years.
Another phenomenon that I’ve observed over the years is the drawing of bridges, but many of these are not just any draw bridges as some are entire 4-way streets with curbs. Recently, I waited on one to lower in order to get to the other side.
And there’s another phenomenon ones sees a lot throughout many of the cities in the Netherlands and especially in Amsterdam, and that is the leaning of buildings. Buildings were taxed on the meters of facade and as a result, many just went straight up and there are some that are 3-4 stories high and each story is one narrow room. There is one building I.ve seen in the past that is no more than 4 meters wide. The house typically referred to as the narrowest in Amsterdam was built around 1600. It stands at a minuscule 2.02 meters wide and only 5 meters deep, with just one small room on each floor. Those buildings that are built of brick on sandy soil on top of reclaimed land from the 15th century on and tend to shift and lean as settling takes place and yet they are still sturdy and secure enough to survive.
June 4:
Every canal in the canal ring of the centrum is inundated with house boats. Each one is Sausalito times 2 and you see varying degrees of what are called house boats. There’s old ones and new ones and everything in between. Many are very creatively painted and designed and have an assortment of gardens, plants, trees and flowers and some even have a manicured yard on top.
Today’s walk was routed to visit my favorite wine shop, Chabrol, and favorite restaurant, Cafe Daalder Atelier, in the Jordaan neighborhood, about a 40 minute walk.
The wine shop carries many small producers in France that they personally scout out. I’ve always found gems, none of which are exported to the States.
Cafe Daalder Atelier is a foodies dream and they have decent wine pairings to complement their optional 5 and 7 course prefix menu. I sit at the counter in front of the prep station and observe the mastery of each course being meticulously, artistically and expertly prepared and I just made a reservation for a week from today. There is also another location under the name Restaurant Daalder that I have not been to which has a Michelin star.
June 8:
Every day continues on as those before with great weather, long walks exploring new areas and re-exploring older ones while always appreciating where I am and the history behind it, studying Dutch and of course, happy hour at De Engel. I’ve discovered two more wine shops, one of which is champagne only and were I to drink more wine here, this would be the place to get great bubbly. I have a cheese shop, bread bakery, flower stand for marvelous arrangements and 3 nearby supermarkets from which to choose from. Dinners are balanced between eating out and dining in. I have an Italian and two Indian restaurants that are extra special and the food at De Engel is consistently good and an easy transition from happy hour.
As usual, I am starting to count the days remaining and figuring out all the things I want to do before departing. I do have lots of photos as well as engrained mental images to perpetuate the experience.
The smile on my face has been perpetual since arriving. So has the deep gratitude I’ve felt for having such a stellar experience.
June 10:
I have posted previous musings in the travel section on the WineBerserker website {see links in the intro above] and prior to this trip, I amended the last musings in 2019 to state that I was returning to Amsterdam and some new musings were forthcoming.
A local Amsterdamer read it and reached out to me to suggest that we meet and have dinner which I agreed to do trusting his local knowledge. It occurred last night and turned out to be a most memorable evening and one of the highlights of this trip.{An exceptional one of a kind dinner in Amsterdam with wines from Croatia, Germany and Champagne - #20 by Blake_Brown}
He not only choose the restaurant but offered to supply the wines. It turns out this restaurant is located within a small wine storage place with an open kitchen in the back along with a small dining area that seats about 12 people. This is behind a regular street entrance door with no signs other than the street number. It’s called Restaurant Avalon Wijn en Spijs {https://www.avalonwijnenspijs.nl/} They encourage people to either bring their own wine or buy off their wine list and they will then prepare your dinner to pair with the wines. As funky and casual as this appears to be, it is designed to offer a consummate fine dining experience which is what we experienced.
My newfound friend brought a rare white wine from Croatia and 2 Spatburgunder from Germany, all 3 of which were wonderful. I took a half bottle of champagne and we proceeded to have a wondrous dinner while being served by Martine, the proprietor and chef.
There were 8 people at a large table in the middle of the dining space and 2 at another. Before the night was over, we’re all sharing wines and introductions and eventually contact information making for an even greater evening. It was truly outstanding. We arrived at 6:30 and left at 12:30 am. Need say no more.
June 11:
The big deal of this day is a dinner at Cafe Daalder Atelier, one of my favorite restaurants on the planet {Daalder Atelier - Daalder Amsterdam}. This was the original location that put them on the map and now they have a one-star Michelin rated restaurant, Restaurant Daalder located further west and south in the city.
Atelier is located in the now very popular, high end Jordaan neighborhood built in the 17th century to house working class and immigrnts and is helmed by chef Dennis Huwaë who, along with his team, is constantly experimenting with new dishes, flavors, and ideas resulting in the latest in cutting-edge culinary creations.
I always go for the prefix menu for which there are options for 5 or 7 courses plus an optional wine pairing for each course. They offer an a la carte choice as well. Many of the dishes are expertly, meticulously and creatively prepared by skilled sous chefs whose station is right in front of the counter seat that I opt for if solo and seated inside. Each dish is unique and unlike anything I’ve ever had or seen. They have a very good wine list and those that are paired for the prefix are solid.
June 12:
The dinner at Daalder Atelier was fantastic. It was a very hot evening and it was prudent to sit outside. I did opt for the 5 course prefix vegetarian menu and after a glass of champagne, further explored Spatburgunder by the glass times 3. Interestingly, I ended up with 11 courses in all and it was another treasured evening here.
On the morning walk today through the Plantage neighborhood, I discovered a very small park next to the parking lot for the Artis Planetarium ARTIS and the Royal zoo next to the Entrepotdok canal. It is called Mahatma Ghandi Plantsoen and has a very Zen feel to it.
June 13-15:
As I wind this trip down, I continue to do daily walks mostly in the eastern neighborhoods of Amsterdam, an area I had not previously explored ,but made more practical by the location of the apartment. I’m still making nightly stops at the stam cafe, chatting with friends over a beer and sometimes some food. The weather reached the high 80s and then returned to the more pleasant mid 70s after a few days. The city is as busy as I’ve ever seen it, but as stated above, it is much more toned down to a moderate roar.
June 16:
Departure day.
Have you ever had a trip where you said it was a trip of a lifetime? Well, that is my thought about this one and the only thing missing was Roelanda who I would have loved to have shared all of the experiences with. Frequently FaceTime calls, texts and emails with photos kept us close.
For 3 1/2 years, I thought a lot about returning here and as we know, our thoughts are super powerful. The manifestation of everything I envisioned occurred and so much more.
As i give thanks and gratitude, I already have images of the next visit here perhaps in the fall.
Life is good and for me, especially in Amsterdam.
Het leven is goed en voor me, vooral in Amsterdam.
Proost;
Blake