As my flight descended into Amsterdam at the end of October last year, I looked out the window from my middle seat, catching glimpses of dusty green fields flashing through the grey clouds and the bobbing head of a sleeping Dutch man with a book in his hands.
I hadn’t seen my friends, who greeted me at the airport with open arms, in over five years. Sometimes it’s just too long. I got to meet their sweet son, who’s strong and serious and will grow to be tall like his parents one day. It’s a wonderful thing to be connected to so many friends around the world. People who grew with you and alongside you and are growing now in their own patch of land. I love being a witness to that.
On this trip to Europe, I met an overwhelming amount of friends – old and new, expected and unexpected. I never found myself in a place where I didn’t know anyone. I traveled alone but I never felt alone because this world is big yet also small at the same time.
And it was so so good.
I’ve made a list below of eight things I did or wanted to do and at the end there’s a short video I made!
Language: Dutch. Almost everyone also speaks English in the city.
Currency: Euro
Here’s some of the things I did and some things I didn’t but wished I’d planned ahead to do!
Take a photo with the IAMSTERDAM sign
I didn’t get a photo of myself with it but I did take photos of it haha. There’s actually two in the city (maybe more, but I saw two). One in the back of the Rjiksmuseum which is pretty famous and likely the one you see on social media. And there’s also one by the Eye Filmmuseum across the Ij (pronounced eye) river which you can take the free ferry to get there.
Visit the Van Gogh Museum
Even if you aren’t an art or museum person, this museum is laid out wonderfully. It’s interactive and the signs are in English and Dutch. I spent about 2-2 1/2 hours in there and went through the whole museum. I learned a lot about Van Gogh’s story. If you buy your ticket online ahead of time, it’s cheaper!
Eat french fries with all the different sauces
A popular dish there is to eat fries with all types of sauces – mayo, peanut, and a million others. Definitely try some while you’re there!
Go to the Anne Frank Museum
This is something I didn’t get to do because I hadn’t even thought of booking it in advance. It’s often booked out a month or even several months ahead depending on when you visit. So if this is on your list of things to do, book your tickets ahead! I heard from several friends that it is very good and worth it. They only offer a limited amount of tickets because it’s a small space to go through.
Ride a bike!
This one may seem obvious because Amsterdam is well-known for being bike-friendly. Cyclists have right of way over pedestrians pretty much everywhere. Although a few streets in the touristy area are not for bikes. I accidentally found myself biking down one such street when I was out on my own haha. I was wondering why there were so many people and no bikes. I felt quite out of place.
Check out the FOAM Fotographiemuseum
This one is mostly for my fellow photographer’s and art lovers. When I went they had a great exhibit with Andreas Kertész’s work up. Black and white film and some color. It’s beautiful! I hadn’t seen his work before and it’s wonderful. Check their website to see what their current exhibits are.
Take a ferry
The Amsterdam ferries are free and cross the river all the time. It takes about 5 minutes to get from one side to the other. I took the ferries everyday while I was there because I was staying with my friends who live in north Amsterdam. North Amsterdam is a beautiful, quiet place away from the busy downtown area. I loved staying there and biking in to what I wanted to see.
Book a train to Paris
If you’re traveling through Europe, take the Thaly’s train to Paris. It’s longer than taking a plane, but such an enjoyable way to travel. If you figure out your dates early enough, book ahead. You can save a lot of money that way.
Have you visited Amsterdam? I’d love to hear what you did or would recommend to do there! I’d love to go back one day!