Sinking a Jenever (Dutch Gin): Spend a leisurely evening absorbing the atmosphere, and sundry beverages of an alcoholic nature, in a brown cafe, the traditional Amsterdam watering hole. Consisting of anything from 10 to 30 little Indonesian dishes, some of them as fiery as a rocket exhaust, a rijsttafel is a great introduction to Indonesian cuisine and a substantial meal in its own right. Luckily, Dutch colonialists in Holland's former possession, Indonesia, were inventive enough to supply an alternative. But Amsterdammers themselves, being sensible folk, prefer theirs chopped, with onion.ĭining Out on a Rijsttafel (Rice Table): The concept of "Dutch cuisine" is generally considered to be a contradiction in terms. One way to acquire the taste is to eat it in the approved Dutch manner - whole, holding the fish by its tail, with your face to that wide Holland sky. Now, raw herring is something of an acquired taste. They like their herring fresh and raw from a neighborhood fish stall. Popping a Herring: Chasing herring is what got this city started, and Amsterdam folk are still in hot pursuit. Pedal yourself through the water for an hour or two on your own private tour-boat and at your own speed, to view the canals in style (not much style, I'll admit).īeaching About Zandvoort: Come rain, hail, or shine (and, often enough, come all three on the same day), Amsterdam rides the train for the short hop out to its brassy but not classy sea coast resort and lets the bracing North Sea air blow away all that hash and marijuana smoke.
Riding a Canal Bike: Amsterdam natives - and even some long-term expats who ought to know better but who are trying to pass themselves off as Amsterdam natives - scoff long and loud at this. But bargains have been sighted at both, and local color is guaranteed.
Shopping for a Steal at a Street Market: You'll have to get up pretty early and be pretty slick to hoodwink a Dutch street trader and score a genuine kill at the Waterlooplein flea market or the Albert Cuyp street market. And all you need to acquire it is a fistful of euros or some flexible plastic. Hunting for Antiques: Five hundred and more years of Amsterdam history, including a guaranteed piece of the city's 17th-century Golden Age, is there for the wrapping in the Spiegelgracht antiques quarter. Better yet, rent a bike that's in somewhat better condition - and go carefully. Then, charge like Custer at Little Bighorn into the ruckus of trams, cars, buses, and other bikes. In spring you'll find them everywhere, but sharp promotion (and at least a seed of truth) has it that the best place to pick up a bunch of tulips from Amsterdam is from the Flower Market on Singel.īiking the City: If you want to pass for an authentic Amsterdammer, find a bicycle that's so ancient, rusted, and worn that no self-respecting thief would waste a second of their valuable time trying to steal it (ah, but they will). Going Tiptoe Through the Tulips: Join in with four centuries of Dutch tradition and go overboard for a flower that, though its natural home is among the mountain-fringed plains of Turkey and Iran, has become synonymous with Holland. Treating Your Ears to the Concertgebouw: Take in a classical music concert at one of the world's most acoustically perfect halls, home to the famed Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and prime stop for visiting philharmonics (the musicians are sometimes pretty good, too).
It's a melancholy but unforgettable experience to spend a reflective moment in the Anne Frankhuis, amid the stark surroundings of Anne's hideaway from the Nazi terror. They speak both for her and, in a way, for all those whose voices were never heard. Remembering Anne Frank: The clear and haunting words of a young Jewish girl trying to survive and to grow up in unimaginable circumstances have moved millions since they were first published in the aftermath of World War II. Visiting with Vincent: At the Van Gogh Museum, where the world's largest collection of Vincent's works is housed in perpetuity, you can trace the artistic and psychological development of this great, tragic painter.