We all met for one week-end, and it was pretty amazing.
A’dam is beautiful, conceptual, modern & vintage all at once. Powerful yet so calm. Doesn’t this sound like the perfect man?
Get your handkerchiefs ready: A’dam is no man, but a city. Which is kinda great too, in a different way.
Amsterdam welcomed us with a lovely spring sunshine.
One thing that struck us from the beginning is how organised everything seems to be. People actually respect the speed limitations on the highways. Plus, bicycles kinda rule the place. And can sometimes be quite agressive towards us foreign pedestrians.
Amsterdam also found a smart policy to encourage people to leave their cars at the city’s doors should definitely inspire others. If you leave yours in one of the parking lots outside the center and you purchase public transports tickets there, at the end of your stay you will pay only a few euros to get your car back (we paid 2 EUR for more than 24h of parking). Meaning: less hassle to park in the centre, less congestion, less fuel use. Everybody’s happy. Brussels, are you taking notes?
A tram ride later, we ended in the city center and tried to find our way to our hotel. Once we did, we basically endered a design wonderland. But that is already described in a dedicated post to the subject.
We’re a bit ashamed of this, but we gals didn’t think we would need a cityguide to discover A’dam. Turns out, it was a mistake. At some point we even probably looked like freaks as we were desperatly seeking for somewhere to eat a pancake. Aka, the stomach dictatorship.
The apple- and the strawberry-pancakes having now found their rigthful places in our systems, we could get on our feet again. We continued our wandering around the canals and gorgeous houses. Many of them looked like a splendid mix of New York’s brownstones and London city houses. The streets literaly exuded tranquility. Maybe it was the water gently running by, the lovely bridges, maybe it was the sun, the soft breeze, or the tulips. It probably was the combination of these elements.
We did also come across some weird / creepy window decorations…we wondered if it was a way to discourage burglars.
We stepped in many little shops, and from home decoration to vintage clothes, the temptation is hard to resist. As the late afternoon was slowly reclaiming its rights, our feet could take no more. After a little pause at a café, it seemed like the appropriate time to go back to our room and get a bit of rest (and white wine).
With a glass in one hand and typing on the keyboard with the other, we googled our way to find our dinner spot. Moustache. The name immediately conquered us. It instantly brought up quite a few personal memories for us two gals.
Surprisingly enough, the restaurant served Italian food. With such a name, we expected to eat something ze French would typically have on their menus. But in the end, I guess nothing comes close to a good old plate of amazing pasta.
– Amsterdam’s beauty is truly a breath-taker –
