If you've been reading this blog for a while, you will not be surprised to learn of my deep seated love for Paris, but my previous visit to Amsterdam was a very short day trip and although I loved what I saw, I didn't see nearly enough to fall in love completely. That was, until C. and I took a trip late in November to explore the city together. And it's official... we are in love.
Amsterdam gets a bad rap. If you mention the name, most people immediately think of the Red Light district and pot. It's really unfortunate, because although the fact that legal prostitution and legalized marijuana is a small part of what makes The Netherlands an interesting place politically and socially, far too much emphasis is placed on these two things alone. The Red Light District is contained in a specific part of the city and certainly not the prettiest or most interesting part of it. We spent most of our time in the Jordaan area, where you can find the Anne Frank House and the best restaurants.
Amsterdam is a city filled with fantastic art galleries, incredible food, interesting stores, more canals than Venice can boast and bikes... bikes everywhere! This is probably the most fantastic thing... the bikes. The trams and buses can get you all over the city, but the bikes with their own lanes and traffic lights are simply fantastic. You have not seen a truly 'bike-friendly' city until you've experienced Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is the very definition of eclectic. The people are friendly and laid-back, but incredibly creative and individualistic. Since we are big foodies, we tend to get talking to chefs and restaurant owners wherever we go, and Amsterdam was no exception. C. was beaming after a conversation with the owner of Seasons in the Jordaan district (highly recommended!! Yumm!!). We talked politics, foreign policy, and what life is generally like in the Netherlands and North America.
On our fourth trip to Paris, we stayed near the Louvre in a studio apartment and got to experience life as a Parisian. After several days of exploring Paris on foot and the Metro, we made the seemingly innocent decision to visit some popular department stores to finish up our Christmas shopping... big mistake!! We barely made it out alive!
For anyone who would consider themselves an avid shopper (and I would definitely not put myself in this category... as I've usually had enough 10 minutes in) I would dare you to try your skills out against the shoppers of Paris. It is a sport... a bloodsport at that. :o) We were exhausted by the end of an hour and had glass of wine in hand a few moments later, trying to figure out what had just happened. Note to self... no department stores in future Paris visits. There is plenty else to see (and eat!), and the tiny shops that line most streets are far more interesting and less chaos-inducing. :)
With our Christmas trips coming up, we're trying to get things organized. There are three handsome nephews that better be prepared for some spoiling... and some of my favourite people in the world who I can't wait to catch up with. Yay for Christmas and the people we love!
Happy holidays to you and yours!
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