Amsterdam

I recently spent 12 days travelling through Northern Europe with my family. We spent the most time (four days) in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. I absolutely loved this city, so much so that I could live there. 

Honestly, the best way to describe Amsterdam is "a organized mess." An oxymoron, yes, but a true one. When we first arrived, I was overwhelmed by the hundreds of bikers, tram stations, and lack of concern for pedestrians. But in the four days we spent there, I did not see a single bike wreck, and the only near-wreck was a tourist on a bike tour. In fact, the Netherlands has one of the lowest cycle crash rates. The kids there grow up on bikes, so they are conditioned to ride safely. This aspect of culture was absolutely amazing.

Here is a day-by-day bullet list of our adventures in Amsterdam:

Day 1

• Coffee and Coconuts - Recommended by The New York Times, this adorable coffee shop embodied the food culture of Amsterdam. With a hipster vibe and a great brunch menu, this was the perfect place to combat our jet lag.
• District 5 -  Perhaps the best meal of our stay, this cute Italian restaurant was a block away from our Airbnb. The pizza was delicious, and we ate outside on the patio
• IJscuypje - This cute little ice cream shop served the best coconut gelato, perfect for our late night cravings after the long flight!
• To finish off our first day, we stopped by a local grocery store to buy fruit and other items for breakfast. On our walk home, we threaded through local parks, and I spotted a love lock bridge. 

Day 2

• Albert Cuyp Market - Outdoor stalls on this street sell everything from clothes to food. I had a delicious pineapple smoothie after I saw about 20 people walk by with smoothies from the stands. 
• Museumplein - We wanted to go see the Van Gogh Museum today, so we took the tram to the square with all the art museums, but the line was miles long. Instead, we visited the Van Gogh gift shop and played ping pong. Another bonus of this public space was the free wifi, a necessity for travellers trying to avoid hefty international phone charges.
• Pompa - I had a delicious goat cheese salad at this brunch place.
• After exploring, we had to hurry back to our Airbnb to collect my luggage (Icelandair lost it due to our layover flights). Luckily, I got my backpack all in one piece.
• Dutch National Ballet - That night, we took the tram to the De Nederlandse Opera to see the Dutch National Ballet perform Transatlantic, a show featuring four choreographers from around the world. This was so special for many reasons. First, my dad managed to purchase the last four tickets in a row right before the show sold out. Second, this is a world-renowned company that pioneered diversity in its company repertoire and dancers, integrating varied choreography as well as powerful dancers. And third, one of my favorite dancers, Michaela DePrince, dances for the company. I did not see a cast list of the show before we arrived, so I was thrilled when I saw her name on the program. It was a truly magical experience.

Day 3

• Obrechtkerk - We tried to go to Mass at this beautiful Church, but the entire service was in Dutch, and the music, though beautiful, was incredibly slow. Amsterdam possesses a low population of religious people, and the Church was empty.
• Bagels and Beans - After leaving the Mass, we stopped at this Amsterdam chain for a quick snack. I had a chai tea latte, my absolute favorite, and it was so beautiful, it required a picture.
• Van Gogh Museum - Having learned from our previous mistake, we bought tickets online and skipped the line at the museum. I found the place fascinating. Before, I knew very little about Van Gogh (apart from the cutting-off-the-ear incident), and this museum provides insight regarding his artistry and troubled personal life. After our visit, we stopped in the cafeteria to get a small lunch.
• Herengracht - For dinner, we ate at this Dutch-French spot on the canals. My ravioli was fantastic, perfect after a long day of museums.
• On our way back to the Airbnb, we stopped at the IJscuypje ice cream again, and I chose a caramel sea salt flavor that was heavenly. 

Day 4

• Canal Tour -  The next morning, we went on a canal tour to see more of Amsterdam via its waterways. Although it was a touristy thing to do, I actually learned a lot about the history of the city and its architecture. 
• Prinsengracht - This is the name of the canal street we spent most of the day on. For lunch, we stopped at a local pancake restaurant, but I would not recommend it. The food was mediocre and the service was worse, but it is all part of the adventure.
• Anne Frank - After I learned we were going to Amsterdam, I was set on visiting the Anne Frank House; she is one of my role models. I searched for tickets online, but they were completely sold out. If you have not bought a ticket in advance, you have the opportunity to see the museum starting at 3:30pm. Famous for its long lines, we entered the line to wait for the museum at 1:30pm (we were some of the first people there). Thirty minutes later, the line stretch down the block. Two hours later, we entered the museum. It was worth the wait, every minute. 

At the end of the museum, you can submit comments in an online guestbook. My comment was published, and you can see it if you click here. Otherwise, I wrote the quote below.

"As a teenage writer myself, I can only aspire to convey the truth as Anne did. Her striking honesty and faithful optimism shine even today as an example of the human power to persevere and to thrive, even in the darkest moments of history. Anne's voice will live on, fulfilling her dream to become a renowned writer and proving the potency of the thoughts of the teenage generation."

There's my four-day itinerary of Amsterdam! I will upload a post with the rest of my Europe trip soon. As always, thanks for reading.