We left Granada and caught a flight to Amsterdam. We didn’t think that this would have been a place we wanted to visit at first, but after reflecting on our last trip, we decided to visit places that wouldn’t have been top of mind. I didn’t’ have any expectations from Amsterdam. I went with the flow and was just present. It was great!
We rode a bus to the neighborhood where our Air BNB was located. When we were trying to find the street, we got a bit lost. It was a little nerve-wracking being the only two girls crossing bike filled roads with luggage. Everyone knew we were tourists. Finally, we found the place and met our host family. The way their Air BNB worked was that they had a small room located in their backyard. It was equipped with the essentials, a bed, sink, bathroom, and shower. Of course, they offered towels, toiletries, appliances, etc. to make ourselves feel comfortable and at home. The money they earned from people staying in this small room went to a foundation they had started in Africa. We found a notebook where people from all over the world that had stayed there wrote reviews. They raved about the host family and how they had spent a great time exploring the city. The dad had recommended a Thai place nearby for us to fuel up for the rest of the day. Delicious!
Sophia and I headed to the Cheese and Tulip museum. Fun fact: The guy at the reception desk told us that tulips are originally from the Himalayas. We tasted so much delicious cheese. Sophia was in heaven. Afterward, we headed to the Anne Frank House where we had tickets to It was a very moving experience. I cried at the end. I could only imagine what it felt like to live in those times and think about how Anne was separated from her family to never see them again.
After the hour-long tour, we headed to walk the streets of Amsterdam and ended the night at Winkel 43. I had the most delicious apple pie here. Of course, this might have been because I was craving something sweet all day, but it really hit the spot. On our way back to our Air BNB, we decided to have a drink at one of the bars we passed by and enjoyed some good red wine on a boat that was floating in the canal. This was part of the bar property, so it was allowed. We talked a bit, but we enjoyed just listening to all the conversations happening around us in different languages. Even though we didn’t know what people were saying, we were on cloud 9 just being there.
The next day we got up and went to a well-reviewed restaurant for breakfast, Ted’s. Again, it really hit the spot. I loved having my French toast with bacon and eggs. I felt a little bit at home. They had a bumping playlist that Sophia fell in love with.
We then walked to the Van Gogh museum. I definitely recommend visiting here if you ever are in Amsterdam. It’s not only incredible seeing his work of art, but also an experience. You not only get to witness his talent, but you also learn a lot about his life and who he was and what he went through. Every artist has their type of suffering that they go through that eventually inspires their art. Unfortunately, he lived a sad life with a few mishaps here and there. I learned a lot about why he was the way he was and why people respect and admire him.
Stroop Wafels were at the top of Sophia’s Amsterdam list and we visited Cupysmarket to buy some. I took some home and shared with my team at work. Everyone loved them! Since we were in a flea market, I stopped by a souvenir shop where I basically bought the whole store. I just love buying things that will remind me of my trips around the world. I also like buying things for family and friends that will appreciate how I thought about them while on my trip.
Sophia and I spontaneously bought tickets for a canal tour. One of the best decisions we made on this trip. We got to see the city from a different point of view and learn more about its history. I never took a canal tour anywhere, so this was a great first experience! After the two-hour tour, we headed to take a peek at the red light district. Very eye-catching! I was a bit surprised to find many tour groups here, but not that all surprised at finding a lot of men here. It was so interesting how this is a norm here. A little bit strange, but Sophia and I always try to put ourselves in other people’s shoes and think about how different it is growing up in a different culture. Every country you visit there may be one thing that you find strange, but that’s what the world is. It’s filled with many strange and interesting things that make everyone in the world unique.
Since this was our last night in Europe, we decided to head to Leidesplain for drinks and an authentic Heineken. This is the official beer of Amsterdam! We ended up dancing until 2 am at Chicago Social. It was a perfect way to end our trip. We got to our Air BNB and slept for a few hours to catch our plane back home.
Amsterdam was a short trip for us, but it was filled with many great memories and we learned a lot here. It was definitely a great change of pace from the Spanish cities we had been visiting for the past two weeks.
And that was our Europe trip of 2018! Apologies for taking about a year to finish writing about our travels, life takes its course and keeps us busy sometimes. I made a few more travels at the end of 2018 and a lot more in 2019. Stay tuned!
Voyage Checklist 