Why we were there.
Our main trip was to Istanbul. We enjoyed two weeks there with a side visit to Cappadocia. We flew KLM from Montreal – good price AND it included the option of a free stopover in Amsterdam. We had both been to Amsterdam, but separately, more than 40 years ago. We decided to spend four days in the city before returning to Canada.
Where we stayed
Hotel la Boheme, a few steps from the Leidseplein in the Central Canal Ring. We are on the 3rd floor (4th in North America) - narrow, steep stairs, no elevator & the room is small. But, the location is good; the price is right; breakfast is fine; the staff is friendly, and they are "Eco" this and "Fair Trade" that.
Hotel La Boheme
We took a taxi from Schiphol on arrival and a shuttle bus, just around the corner from our hotel for €5, to get back to the airport when we departed.
The weather, cool & overcast with occasional showers, is quite a shock after 2 weeks in sunny & warm Istanbul. When I mentioned this to a lady at the hotel, she replied, “Ah, this is Dutch weather.”
What we did
Saturday, Oct. 4 - We started with a "Hop On, Hop Off" canal boat tour - 3 routes that included a lot of the city. But some of the stops are very popular boarding places, so we walked to a better stop a couple of times. We visited the Albert Cuypmarkt (interesting in parts, but not highly recommended) & toured the attractive & trendy Jordaan area. We even bought some inspected tulip bulbs at the Tulip Museum (no, seriously, there’s a Tulip Museum in Amsterdam) that we can legally bring back to Canada.
Canal tour boat
Our water tour, excursions & a couple of refreshment breaks took most of the day. In the early evening we were making our way back to the Leidseplein when we came upon the small Café Het Molenpad on Prinsengracht. I had read some good reviews so we stopped in - personally recommended, if only for the most laid-back bartender I have ever seen. The food is good and reasonably priced. Back to the nightly party on Leidseplein, where we paused for a coffee before returning to our hotel.
Sunday, Oct. 5 – We decided on a 24-hour tram pass (€7.5 each). So, over to the Central Station, then a walk around the Old Town - not my favourite part of the city, but bustling on a Sunday morning. Shopping for several grandchildren can take a while.
At one point we hopped on a ferry, across the Ij lake to the Eye Film Institute, mainly for the experience & to get a different perspective on the city. Then by tram over to the Westerpark neighbourhood, from where we took a meandering path back to our hotel in the early evening. Dinner at an Italian restaurant, Trattoria Fantasia, next door, then dessert & coffee at the Stanislavski Café/Brasserie at the edge of a subdued Leidesplein square. Well, after all, it is Sunday evening. Surely somebody has to go to school or work on Monday.
Monday Oct. 6 - Cool & overcast in Amsterdam today. We walked throughout the large Vondelpark, then over to the museum quarter. We have both been to the Rijksmuseum, separately, many years ago & decided not to stand in line at the Van Gogh museum. No museums on this visit.
I played a game of chess outdoors with outsized figures on a board painted on the concrete - got off to a good start, but got my pawns triple-filed & couldn't recover. My opponent claimed not to have lost a game in 5 years - don't know if he's that good. I had him on the defensive for a while, & I haven't played chess in over 20 years.
Dinner at Restaurant/Café von Puffelen on Prinsengracht - 10-12 min. walk from our hotel. Picturesque small bar/restaurant on a canal. A so-called "brown bar" - likely because of dark interior. Very popular & busy at times, but the restaurant side was not quite full on a Monday night in early October - so maybe it worked out better for us. Coffee & dessert at Stanislavaski Café Brasserie, a few steps from our hotel.
Van Puffelen Cafe
Tuesday Oct. 7 - By train & tram from Amsterdam to Delft this morning. Delft is a tourist destination, but away from the Market area between the New Church and the City Hall, with English-language signs on most of the buildings, it seems much less so. Picturesque and charming with narrow canals, attractive storefronts & features of architectural and historical interest, it was the perfect respite from the city.
Delft
We had planned to stop at Leiden on the way back, but lingered too long in Delft. It's OK, we enjoyed our time in Delft. Cool, windy & rainy start to the day, gradual improvement to a relatively pleasant afternoon.
Our last night - back home tomorrow afternoon. This evening we returned to the canal district a few minutes walk from our hotel. There are lots of good, casual, enjoyable places to spend a couple of hours over a meal. Tonight, we went to Goodies on Huidenstraat between Herengracht & Keizersgracht - small, friendly, popular.
Goodies
Comments
In earlier centuries Holland in general, & Amsterdam in particular, served as a refuge and place of exile for dissidents in other parts of Europe. You could believe, write, say or do almost anything you wanted. The Dutch were busy getting on with their commercial enterprises. It was a very tolerant society in the 17th & 18th centuries. It still seems to be so into the 21st century.
If you have never been to Amsterdam, it is difficult to explain how popular cycling is there. Early in our time in the city, I was waiting for the bicycles to "clear" before taking a photo. I soon realized that was a fool's mission. Bicycles are a large part of everyday life in the city, so I stopped trying to get "bicycle-free" shots. You can see people bike-texting, kids in a wheelbarrow-like multi-purpose carrier (only two were wearing helmets), kids strapped in a bike-seat, photos of blurry bike riders (no camera tricks, they go that fast), hotel delivery bikes, tandem bikes, bike tour groups, bikes, scooters & even a small car boarding a ferry for a 2-minute trip across Ij Lake behind the Central Station and a 2-level bike parking area by the Central Station. Lotsa bikes.
Amsterdam
We enjoyed our time in Amsterdam. It is attractive, compact, walkable, with excellent public transportation, distinct neighbourhoods and many attractions for the visitor. Our choice of hotel might not be suitable for everybody, but the Canal district location was excellent. Similarly, with our choice of restaurants - if they don’t appeal, there are many more options in the area. Amsterdam is a unique experience.
Our main trip was to Istanbul. We enjoyed two weeks there with a side visit to Cappadocia. We flew KLM from Montreal – good price AND it included the option of a free stopover in Amsterdam. We had both been to Amsterdam, but separately, more than 40 years ago. We decided to spend four days in the city before returning to Canada.
Where we stayed
Hotel la Boheme, a few steps from the Leidseplein in the Central Canal Ring. We are on the 3rd floor (4th in North America) - narrow, steep stairs, no elevator & the room is small. But, the location is good; the price is right; breakfast is fine; the staff is friendly, and they are "Eco" this and "Fair Trade" that.
Hotel La Boheme
We took a taxi from Schiphol on arrival and a shuttle bus, just around the corner from our hotel for €5, to get back to the airport when we departed.
The weather, cool & overcast with occasional showers, is quite a shock after 2 weeks in sunny & warm Istanbul. When I mentioned this to a lady at the hotel, she replied, “Ah, this is Dutch weather.”
What we did
Saturday, Oct. 4 - We started with a "Hop On, Hop Off" canal boat tour - 3 routes that included a lot of the city. But some of the stops are very popular boarding places, so we walked to a better stop a couple of times. We visited the Albert Cuypmarkt (interesting in parts, but not highly recommended) & toured the attractive & trendy Jordaan area. We even bought some inspected tulip bulbs at the Tulip Museum (no, seriously, there’s a Tulip Museum in Amsterdam) that we can legally bring back to Canada.
Canal tour boat
Our water tour, excursions & a couple of refreshment breaks took most of the day. In the early evening we were making our way back to the Leidseplein when we came upon the small Café Het Molenpad on Prinsengracht. I had read some good reviews so we stopped in - personally recommended, if only for the most laid-back bartender I have ever seen. The food is good and reasonably priced. Back to the nightly party on Leidseplein, where we paused for a coffee before returning to our hotel.
Sunday, Oct. 5 – We decided on a 24-hour tram pass (€7.5 each). So, over to the Central Station, then a walk around the Old Town - not my favourite part of the city, but bustling on a Sunday morning. Shopping for several grandchildren can take a while.
At one point we hopped on a ferry, across the Ij lake to the Eye Film Institute, mainly for the experience & to get a different perspective on the city. Then by tram over to the Westerpark neighbourhood, from where we took a meandering path back to our hotel in the early evening. Dinner at an Italian restaurant, Trattoria Fantasia, next door, then dessert & coffee at the Stanislavski Café/Brasserie at the edge of a subdued Leidesplein square. Well, after all, it is Sunday evening. Surely somebody has to go to school or work on Monday.
Monday Oct. 6 - Cool & overcast in Amsterdam today. We walked throughout the large Vondelpark, then over to the museum quarter. We have both been to the Rijksmuseum, separately, many years ago & decided not to stand in line at the Van Gogh museum. No museums on this visit.
I played a game of chess outdoors with outsized figures on a board painted on the concrete - got off to a good start, but got my pawns triple-filed & couldn't recover. My opponent claimed not to have lost a game in 5 years - don't know if he's that good. I had him on the defensive for a while, & I haven't played chess in over 20 years.
Dinner at Restaurant/Café von Puffelen on Prinsengracht - 10-12 min. walk from our hotel. Picturesque small bar/restaurant on a canal. A so-called "brown bar" - likely because of dark interior. Very popular & busy at times, but the restaurant side was not quite full on a Monday night in early October - so maybe it worked out better for us. Coffee & dessert at Stanislavaski Café Brasserie, a few steps from our hotel.
Van Puffelen Cafe
Tuesday Oct. 7 - By train & tram from Amsterdam to Delft this morning. Delft is a tourist destination, but away from the Market area between the New Church and the City Hall, with English-language signs on most of the buildings, it seems much less so. Picturesque and charming with narrow canals, attractive storefronts & features of architectural and historical interest, it was the perfect respite from the city.
Delft
We had planned to stop at Leiden on the way back, but lingered too long in Delft. It's OK, we enjoyed our time in Delft. Cool, windy & rainy start to the day, gradual improvement to a relatively pleasant afternoon.
Our last night - back home tomorrow afternoon. This evening we returned to the canal district a few minutes walk from our hotel. There are lots of good, casual, enjoyable places to spend a couple of hours over a meal. Tonight, we went to Goodies on Huidenstraat between Herengracht & Keizersgracht - small, friendly, popular.
Goodies
Comments
In earlier centuries Holland in general, & Amsterdam in particular, served as a refuge and place of exile for dissidents in other parts of Europe. You could believe, write, say or do almost anything you wanted. The Dutch were busy getting on with their commercial enterprises. It was a very tolerant society in the 17th & 18th centuries. It still seems to be so into the 21st century.
If you have never been to Amsterdam, it is difficult to explain how popular cycling is there. Early in our time in the city, I was waiting for the bicycles to "clear" before taking a photo. I soon realized that was a fool's mission. Bicycles are a large part of everyday life in the city, so I stopped trying to get "bicycle-free" shots. You can see people bike-texting, kids in a wheelbarrow-like multi-purpose carrier (only two were wearing helmets), kids strapped in a bike-seat, photos of blurry bike riders (no camera tricks, they go that fast), hotel delivery bikes, tandem bikes, bike tour groups, bikes, scooters & even a small car boarding a ferry for a 2-minute trip across Ij Lake behind the Central Station and a 2-level bike parking area by the Central Station. Lotsa bikes.
Amsterdam
We enjoyed our time in Amsterdam. It is attractive, compact, walkable, with excellent public transportation, distinct neighbourhoods and many attractions for the visitor. Our choice of hotel might not be suitable for everybody, but the Canal district location was excellent. Similarly, with our choice of restaurants - if they don’t appeal, there are many more options in the area. Amsterdam is a unique experience.
Last edited:
