How do you make
the most of 24 hours in Amsterdam? Explore the streets by foot, cruise
the canals by boat, and enjoy watching the hustle and bustle from one of
the many sidewalk cafes.
After flying overnight from New York, LuAnn and I (Melissa) arrived in
Amsterdam to find ourselves caught amongst the Monday morning commuter
traffic. Luckily, we were not in a rush and secured a cab driver that
took us directly to our destination. The NH Schiller Hotel is located on
Rembrandt Plein (Plein = Square in English). We were pleasantly
surprised that our room was ready when we checked-in at noon! The
receptionist gave us two options a quiet room or one with a view... We
chose a room with a view of the square from our French balcony. If you
have not already, watch the video posted on our Facebook page that shows
the mid-afternoon view. After freshening up and checking emails/social
media using the hotel's free wifi, we decided to set out to explore. The
concierge gave us a map of the city and circled a few highlights of
things we may want to visit. She knew the first item on our agenda was a
canal cruise, so she pointed us in the right direction.
NH Schiller Hotel ------ Rembrandt Square
We wandered down Reguliers Breestraat, taking in the smells
of the restaurants and unique shops along the road. Within 5-10
minutes, we found ourselves staring at the beautiful clock/bell tower
of Munttoren Church. We snapped several shots before ducking into
"Tours & Tickets" directly across the street. Here we purchased
reserved seats for the 3:00 small boat tour and 6:00 reservations at
Amsterdam's Icebar. The friendly staff at Tours & Tickets directed
us through the Flower Market and down Leidstraat to meet the boat at
Lovers Canal Cruises.
The Small Boat Cruise takes a maximum of 25 passengers at a
time around Amsterdam's narrowest canals and hidden corners by an open
boat that is solar powered and environmentally-friendly. There are
unlimited photo opportunities as you pass homes of the influential,
beautiful churches, the Opera House, Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge), and
house boats along the canals. Our captain had lots of information and
stories about the places we cruised by during our 1 hour tour. (Helpful
hint: Sit to next to the captain to hear everything. We sat behind her
to have the best view but missed some of the information along the way.)
Crooked Houses ------ 6 Bridges perfectly aligned along the narrow canal
The Blue Bridge (really grey, but nicknamed because it is modeled after the one in London)
Skinny Bridge opening to let a boat pass through
After the cruise ended, we made our way back through the
streets to a small sidewalk cafe. The grilled cheese sandwiches and
creamy tomato soup were just what we needed to take away the chill of
the day. The last big stop was at the -9.5°C Icebar located along
the main canal in Amsterdam. We were only inside the Icebar for 10 to 15
minutes, but our hands felt frozen even with the provided gloves and
large, heavy coats. It was nice to warm up inside the lounge with a
Heineken after the short adventure.
Finally, it was time to head back to the hotel to relax and
start unwinding for the evening. Our plan was to enjoy a glass of wine
at the bar in the lobby of our hotel. To our surprise, it was closed for
the taping of a popular local program with a live audience and musical
guests. (Jason Derulo was a recent featured guest on the program!) We
wandered down the square and found a bar/restaurant with pretty good
prices AND wifi. That was the perfect way to catch up with clients,
family, and friends while enjoying the European way of life. A little
before midnight, we decided our bodies were adjusting to the new time
zone and could call it a night. We both slept soundly until 9 the next
morning. Showers, breakfast at the hotel, and quick repacking meant we
were ready to grab a 15 minute cab to the ship to start the next segment
of our adventure.
TIPS FOR AMSTERDAM:
*Watch out for the trolley cars. They are in the middle of the street,
without barricades or curbs, and obviously have the right of way over
cars AND pedestrians.
*Cruise the canals FIRST and then walk the city streets. You will have a
better idea of the city lay-out, plus you will be able to avoid areas
that don't require a closer inspection.
*There are smoke shops throughout Amsterdam. Just a warning though,
these are not places selling tobacco so think twice before ordering a
brownie! ;)
*If you are visiting the Icebar, make sure to wear long pants and close-toes shoes.
*During the summer season, the sun does not set until 10 PM. Take
advantage of the light and help your body acclimate to the difference in
time zones by staying up late the first night.