Netherlands (Winter 2023) - Amsterdam (Day 2)
Albert Cuyp Market
We started the day at the Albert Cuyp Market. We got there pretty much when it opened so it wasn’t too crowded yet. It’s open every day except for Sunday. It has every type of vendor here selling different goods as well as the established storefronts on the side of the street.
We tried a few foods here. The pickled herring came from a storefront. I really like it but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. We also got talked into some fried chicken balls because hey - it says it’s the “Best Chicken in Amsterdam!” I like the flags on the toothpicks in case you forgot where you are.
Walk to Dam Square
Dam Square
Our next destination was a walk to Dam Square. It is home to the Royal Palace on one side and there is a war memorial on the other side. On the day we were there some event with South Korea was happening so you saw Korean Flags also being flown and some ceremony was being conducted at the memorial.
Naked Espresso
We took the opportunity to sit in the sun when the clouds finally cleared and enjoy a coffee with a view of the palace and the square.
Canals of Amsterdam
Effendy
One of the foods on my list to try was Turkish pizza or lahmacun. It’s basically flatbread with spices, veggies, meat and fillings rolled up. This was an excellent tasty lunch treat. Not too filling either if you split it.
I searched for the best lahmacun and this place had the most stars. It was also very popular. There was a line of people waiting to order or pick up their order. There was also a line of food delivery guys on bikes waiting for their delivery order.
Anne Frank House
We did not go into the Anne Frank house but just walked by and took some photos. I believe it’s a very busy site to visit and you need a reservation a good while in advance. The house itself is the one with the green door and there is a sign denoting it. The entrance is through the museum to the right of it.
Karpershoek Cafe (oldest bar in Amsterdam)
Oldest bar in Amsterdam and located at a busy location. It is on a corner just opposite the Central Train Station. They charge non-customers a Euro to use the restrooms in the back because it is such a high traffic area.
I tried this Texels beer since it is a Dutch beer. There obviously has been some renovation since the 1600’s but it still had a decently old feel to it.
In’t Aepjen (bar in oldest building in Amsterdam)
From the oldest bar in Amsterdam, we walked east past the train station to the bar in the oldest building in Amsterdam.
In’t Aepjen also specialized in offering genever so I decided this would be a good place to try it. I tried a 5 year old (Loyaal) and a 10 year old one (Zeer Oude Genever). So as a whiskey drinker, I would say it didn’t impress me. It just didn’t have that much flavor to it. It was like alcohol with kind of a malty taste from aging but overall kind of meh.
At least I could check that off my list of things to try. The bar was very cool though.
Many neighborhoods in Amsterdam have banner signs that let you know the district that you are entering.
Another Amsterdam site that we did decided not to visit.
Amsterdam Metro
We decided to get the 72 hour transit pass that gets you on the subways and trams around the city. The subway system itself was pretty impressive.
Frietbordeel
Amsterdam is famous for it’s fries so we went to this place to get some. All they do is french fries and they had just mountains of them in the back. Being close to the Red Light district, the name of this place translates to “Chip Brothel.”
We ordered the “oorlog” fries which translates to “war” fries. I don’t know why it’s called that but seems cool. The oorlog style means that it’s covered with mayo, peanut sauce, and raw onions.
Red Light District
Apparently they actually have rules in the Red Light District. Also don’t talk about Fight Club.
Red Light Bar
The Red Light Bar - pretty self explanatory. You know where it is and what it is. This was basically just a sports bar but the bartender here was delightful. She was English but had lived here for a few decades.
She was giving us some recommendations of where to go around here and everything was based on hygiene. She was like “Go here because it’s clean” or “Eat here because it’s clean.” I’m sure she had seen a few things in her time here so I was going to take her advice.
Rosalia’s Menagerie
We went to this bar because a bartender in Lyon, France had recommended it. It’s not a speakeasy per say but there is some formality as they greet you at the door to let you in and seat you.
Great drinks and bartenders who know their craft. The guy who was making our drinks was English and had been here for a few years now. He needed to learn Dutch to try and get citizenship but it was difficult because everyone here speaks English and don’t want to bother speaking Dutch to him.
Cafe de Kroegtijger
This was one of the “clean” places that the bartender at the Red Light Bar told us to go to. The owner’s name is Nick and he is a pretty gregarious guy. I just ordered an old fashioned here as that is a pretty safe cocktail if you are not sure what you may get drink quality-wise.
Hoopman
So I’ll be honest the only reason I came into this place was because I really needed to use the bathroom. It was a long walk back to the hotel area and I had been drinking a lot of fluids.
Hoopman felt like a typical English style pub and a bit on the touristy side. Since we were already inside and warm, got a whiskey and watched soccer with the locals for a little bit.
Wok To Walk
This is a local chain that seemed pretty popular (especially with the late night crowd). You order on touch screen where you select your noodles, meats, and sauces and tap to pay on the screen. Like a lot of things here, very efficient. It was pretty tasty too.