Amsterdam II

Amsterdam II

After my initial Amsterdam post, I thought of more pictures I wanted to include in my blog.  One of the things my kids like most about traveling, is when we stumble across a nice park.  Forget the Eiffel Tower, forget the Tower Bridge and give them a trampoline or some swings anytime!!!

Another unique thing about Amsterdam, is the steep, narrow, winding staircases that most of the canal houses have.  Land was at a premium (and still is) in Amsterdam, so houses were built as narrow and as tall as possible.  In our canal house, we had to scale over 50 steps to get to our room.  The steps were so narrow that only half your foot fit on the step.  It is a little hard to tell, from the picture below, just how steep these steps are (for perspective:  the brown object in the bottom left, is the umbrella stand at the entry way).  However, by Dutch standards, these aren't even that steep.  I am amazed, when I read lodging reviews for Amsterdam, that there are several complaints about the stair cases.  It is a given that canal houses have many steep and narrow stairs, that's what defines them, it's part of their charm.  I find it to be a real treat to stay in these fascinating antique homes, but if stairs are a problem, perhaps, a major hotel chain would be more accommodating.  

This picture was taken from the top of our stairs.  A long way down to fall!!!

My favorite "shot"

Care for a Swim?

This weekend was a little rainy but that didn't stop us from getting out and about.  On Saturday, Lane insisted on setting his alarm for 5:30 in the morning.  He wanted to go fishing with grandpa.  He was so afraid that they wouldn't wake up, that he slept on the floor next to grandpa's bed.  Though they didn't catch any fish, grandpa did capture this great picture of the sunrise.

Later that day, we donned our rain gear and took a stroll (half a mile) down to the city center.  Local vendors were peddling such items as meats, cheese, fish, breads, jams, candy and the like.  It's fun to look around and see what's cookin'.

Sundays tend to be a little slow up here in Finland.  Most stores are either closed or don't open until noon and close by 6:00.  We were looking for a little excitement for our guest.  What better than a trip to a Finnish sauna where the dress code is au naturel.  Lane gladly showed grandpa how it's done now that he's  an expert.  The excitement only began there.  Grandpa also took advantage of a refreshing dip in the river behind the pool hall.  Yes folks, that's ice!  Grandpa took not one, but three ice dips and is looking forward to going again.

We finished our weekend doing one of the things we enjoy most as a family, we watched a movie.  Out of all the things we do as a family, I like that the best!

Only in Amsterdam

If you're looking for something...you are sure to find it in Amsterdam.  I don't think this familiar phrase could be more true than it is in Amsterdam.  Amsterdam is many things to many different people and can be many things to the same person.  I realized this on my second trip, 10 years later, and with my kids.  As one can imagine, traveling to Amsterdam is a different experience with the kiddos in tow.  We also met Grandpa Bob and Aunt Maria there too.

In planning for this or any trip, my first mission is to secure accommodations.  Because Bob and Maria decided to join our vacation after I had already booked our room, we were unable to get rooms at the same place.  Mike and I stayed at one bed and breakfast and Bob, Maria and the kids stayed at another.  This ended up working out great.  We were only a 15 minute walk apart.  Their B&B was owned by a delightful Filipino family.  They had kids similar in age to mine.  One evening, Mike and I stopped by to check on the kids, only to find they weren't in the room.  The owner's children had invited them to their quarters to play.  I am just amazed by this situation: my kids happily playing with Filipino kids in Amsterdam who are not only fluent in their mother tongue, but also Dutch and english as well...only in Amsterdam!  I was amazed by our proprietors as well: an American man and a Dutch man with a 2 1/2-year-old and 8-month-old twins.  We all really enjoyed our accommodations and would not hesitate to recommend them.

Our balcony overlooking a canal

My next mission:  the itinerary!  I tried to plan this trip with everyone's interests in mind.  I have come to realize, everyone has more fun if the kids are happy.  Lots of walking+ long lines = unhappy kids (and Aunt Maria too).

Day 1:  The *Must See* for this trip was the Anne Frank House.  This attraction can garner 2 hour+ lines.  I was a little nervous when all advanced tickets were sold out.  My plan was to go here the first night.  When the line at 7:00 pm looked long, we decided to go down the street to The Pancake Bakery.  The Pancake Bakery is one of Amsterdam's most famous pancake restaurants with dozens of sweet and savory pancakes to choose from. Yum!




By the time we finished eating, the line had disappeared to the Anne Frank House.  An evening visit seemed to fit this somber tour.  I felt it was important for the kids to understand Anne's story, so I had them read a book before we visited.  As a young girl, I read her diary, and was forever impacted by it.



Day 2:  Keukenhof Gardens
We used public transportation to get to the gardens which were a little more than an hour away from Amsterdam.  I love tulips and these gardens are enjoyable to gardeners and non-gardenners alike.  My kids had a great time too.  The beauty of the flowers is lost on no one.  We spent over three hours here, leisurely touring the gardens and taking advantage of the MANY photo ops.  We finished the day with a stop for Amsterdam's best fries at Vleminckx Sausmeesters followed by a canal cruise.

 



Day 3:  Zaanse Schans
Zaanse Schans is an open-air museum of Dutch culture.  The big attraction here is the working windmills.  There is also a cheese factory/store and a clog factory/store.  We spent over two hours here, mostly enjoying the scenery and taking pictures.  We then returned to our apartment for afternoon snacks and to rest a little before our next events.



We stopped by Mark Raven's store for the best t-shirts in Amsterdam.  We were lucky enough that Mark, himself, was there and graciously posed for some photos.  Not far from the store, is Madame Tussauds-Aunt Maria's pick.  I have always passed on this overpriced attraction but, I have to admit, it was great fun!

The kids and I with Mark Raven

My overall impression, I loved Amsterdam even more the second time.  This second trip gave me a better feel for what this amazing city is all about.  Otto Frank chose to move his family to Amsterdam because it was known to be a city where people accept everyone.  The Dutch have a philosophy, accept alternative lifestyles, or build more prisons.  An interesting concept, but for now...

Only in Amsterdam