3 Truly Perfect Days in Amsterdam

I recently came back from a business trip to Amsterdam. Since I was all alone, and had a whole Sunday to enjoy a sunny day in the city, it was really more like a vacation. I filled my free time with long runs, eating ice cream, and people-watching; the work days were long but enjoyable too.

We stayed at the phenomenal Hotel Okura. We had a corporate rate of 205 euros / night excluding breakfast - and the location was in the heart of de Pijp. By way of comparison, I'd booked a single night in a different hotel for 160/ night, also excluding breakfast, on the east side of the city. The difference (for 45 euros!) was truly night and day. The Okura felt luxurious (and it was air conditioned! The other hotel was not), the staff was wonderful, and it was very easy to walk around from the hotel.

Sunday afternoon, I wandered towards Albert Cuypmarkt (closed Sundays) in search of food. I stopped by Mana Mana for an early dinner and the wild mushrooms with garlic was deliciously fresh. Topped off by an ice cream at Matcha Bar and a wander around the mostly-empty streets, I was ready to spend the evening chilling at the hotel gym & sauna.

Although work filled up the weekdays, we managed to participate in a few local activities, including:

Pouring our own beer, people-watching, and eating some really great food at Bierfabriek;
Getting up early to run around the Vondelpark;
Touring the city from below in a long, relaxing canal tour;
Spent a half-day volunteering at Stadsboerderij Osdorp weeding in the garden;
Grabbing a tasty pizza at Bardot and scouring for tourist junk at the Albert Cuypmarkt.

What a lovely trip, with the sun shining every day we were there, I can't wait to be back!

Comments

Saturday Morning Comparisons: by haiku

2 haikus 9 am Sunday morning in downtown Austin: Cyclists in spandex spin by Amidst the stench of vomit and homelessness Empty streets save for a motorcycle parade. 9 am Sunday morning, Alstadt, Mainz: The sun is shining A giant farmer's market fills the plaza Pedestrians, bikers, families smiling together.

November in Mainz is for leaves falling, gray skies, and Christmas markets

Oh how cold it is. November is typically when the skies turn gray, it gets dark quite early, and Christmas lights begin to slowly appear. One of my favorite memories when we lived in Washington, was the swirling leaves falling all around in fall. Although the trees here look bare by the end of the month, it's rare to see unraked piles of leaves on the ground -- this is true German efficiency. As soon as the leaves fall to the ground, they're whisked away by city services. It's quite a sight to watch how quickly the ground is cleared! It's a good time to pull out board games, light some candles, and get ready for baking lebkuchen. And towards the end of the month, time for the most festive activity of all: Christmas markets! As cold and dark as it may be, the glow of the lights and warmth of the hot drinks and people all around have a magical way of brightening up a dark month. In Mainz, it traditionally begins the Thursday before the first advent - this year it'...

Frankfurt Airport, it's Time for a Do-Over

I'll start this post with a rant. I really hate Frankfurt Airport. Now, I've slept overnight at more airports than is normal - SFO, ORD, YYZ. So many, and I still remember the airport codes - this makes me somewhat of an expert. In Frankfurt, well, the putrid gray colors...the parking garages that are cold and endless... the smoking rooms you can smell from too far away... the lack of water fountains... the lack of helpful staff... I could go on. The absolute worst part though, is the process to reclaim your VAT. It's convoluted during normal working hours, and even more convoluted outside those times. Since neither Frankfurt's airport, nor inside signage, nor information desk, can be bothered to clearly explain how it works, here is your guide. After 4 failed attempts at off-hours VAT reclamation by 3 different family members.... we shall fail no more! DURING WORKING HOURS (7 am - 6 pm): Customs window is open. Find the window ("Zoll") in your terminal...

What the Blog?

Search This Blog