Have hols, will travel. Part 1- Amsterdam

The only way to travel in Amsterdam

Jaw dropping architecture

Yvonne cheering the runners as they enter the Vondelpark

Stephanie enters the Olympic stadium

Look what I found on my camera! A goodbye kiss.....

The urge to travel is one that is ever present within me, it seems. I had been back at work for 7 weeks and with a half term to make use of, I looked at flights a few weeks before. An original plan had been to go to Copenhagen for a few days and then onto Oslo (where my good friend Claire lives) but as I couldn't find any reasonable flight prices I had a rethink and decided on Amsterdam from where I could  easily fly onto Oslo. It would give me the opportunity to catch up with friends who I had met on my 

trip too, Yvonne and Stephanie. 

I made the short journey from Liverpool on the first Saturday of the hols and arrived in Amsterdam for early evening. Yvonne met me at the airport and whisked me back to her home within 15 minutes in the Sud Ost area of the city. I had met Yvonne on the Gili Islands (off Lombok) last November and we had kept in regular contact ever since. 

We spent Saturday evening catching up, Stephanie joining us later, over a dinner of baked artichokes. It was lovely to see them both and the time we spent in the Gilis with another girl, Janine ( who couldn't make this reunion) was one of the best times of my trip. I was to go on to meet the rest of Yvonne's family. Her husband, Bert, works in the family smelting business and his workshop is directly opposite the house ( see picture). Four generations have worked here now his son, Joey, has begun his career here too. I met Yvonne and Bert's older daughter, Iris, who lives over the road too with her young family. She has her own business, Recycle, which makes bags and other accessories our of old bicycle tyres. Her Facebook page can be found @ Y-Recycle Studio.

Sunday morning we were out early  as Stephanie was running part of the Amsterdam marathon. Yvonne and I saw her at two points ( as she was entering the Vondelpark and later in the Olympic stadium). There was a great atmosphere in the city and we waited around to see the winner Winston Chebet of Kenya who won in a course record. 

The rest of the day was spent relaxing at Yvonne's, I went a wander late afternoon through the Jordan district, abuzz on a Sunday afternoon with people sitting at pavement cafes and shopping in some of the wonderful boutique shops,  before heading to Steph's for dinner where Yvonne cooked us Nasi Goreng ( an Indonesian dish to bring back memories) and we had a relaxed evening watching a movie. 

A beautiful art deco building

The recent addition to the Stedelijk Museum

Yummy apple pie at Winkel

The Meister family business

Amsterdam is a great city, full of charm and history, famous for its canals and cycling culture. I love how everyone here, and I mean everyone, cycles. People on the way to work, dressed up for a night out, parents with toddlers in seats on the back and OAPs. I had visited it 2 or 3 times before and wasn't bothered about being a 'tourist' as most if the museums I had been to previously and as the weather was so good it made sense to be outdoors. And now having friends here certainly helps as you see the city from a different perspective. I was able to borrow a bike and cycle with the girls, never having to consult a map. I loved it! I covered many miles over the next couple of days.

We went to a wonderful market (Norde Markt) and later Yvonne and I had tea and apple pie at the Winkel cafe, an Amsterdam institution, before exploring more of the city. We stopped to look at lovely art deco buildings in the Spui, and Yvonne pointed out the Begijnhof, a peaceful hidden courtyard edged with the homes of single women who pledge their life to religious service. The weather was unseasonably warm and we were able to sit in the sun enjoying a drink on a cafe barge.  We had dinner at a cost Thai restaurant that evening, with Yvonne's younger daughter, Merle, joining us. 

I had been on a previous trip to a Moroccan themed cafe called Bazar so we went there for coffee and cake, wandering through the local market in Jordan. I bought tea (a lovely mix called Muh that I had drunk at Yvonne's) before we cycled on crossing over the Amstel river and later calling at the Hermitage museum shop and having tea and cake in the garden. We passed through Museumplein (where some of the major museums are) and I posed with the I Love Amsterdam sign - a recent tourist addition as well as other Amsterdam building like the beautiful former post office building. I later saw the new addition to the Stedilicht Museum which is a dramatic addition to the architecture of the city (although many people think it looks like an upside down kitchen sink!)

After spending a fabulous few days here it was time for farewells. These guys are lifelong friends and we have agreed another reunion before too long either in the UK or Germany. 

I love Amsterdam and know I'll be back before long! 

Dinner with Yvonne, Steph and Merle