CCC - Culture, Cocktails and Canals

Today dawned wet with the promise of more rain. We left the hotel about 10 and dashed across the Overtoom Street to the Starbucks Cafe and ordered us some brunch. Cappuccinos (huge in a mug) with a tub of fresh fruit salad followed by a shared ham and cheese croissant and a pastrami pretzel.  Nice and fresh while we watched the rain from one storm to the next drip down outside, getting heavier and windier from time to time. Trying to put off the inevitable - going out in to it.

Eventually we set out when it abated a little. We are headed to Europcar to arrange a hire car for the next two days so we can head away from Amsterdam and go to Delft and Gouda. It is only two (long) blocks down, and even though we were wearing jackets, we still managed to get pretty damp. But no problems,car is now booked all ready to just go back in the morning (towing our luggage over uneven cobblestone paving) and collect and go.

We have decided that today we will try to limit the walking a little from yesterday.Could be helped by more careful navigation methinks! The public transport in Amsterdam is actually very good and we take a Number 1 tram towards the Old City to see the Amsterdam Museum. Once aboard the tram, the very helpful conductor at his desk on the tram told us we could go all the way to Dam Square on the No. 1. We thought that we would have to change lines.


So into the Dam stop we go and walk over to the Amsterdam Museum. While not free to enter, the entry price of 15 euro was well worth it. Set in a building that formerly housed a Monastery until 1578 when it became an orphanage. 

The building takes you on a journey through the interesting history and development of Amsterdam when it was one of the leading cities in the discovered world. There are maps that chart the growth of the City as land was gradually reclaimed from the water. One thing that I never knew is the Amsterdam is built on timber piles driven deep into the soil beneath. They range in depth and age. The grand Central Station has 8,657 piers of 11 metre lengths supporting the building. And as we learn later today, the sound of the pile drivers is still a common sound in Amsterdam.  Who knew?!

We see examples of the wealth of some of the citizens and the artistic excellence of others. There are two amazing globes with maps of the know earth and heavens. There is a model of the new Town Hall constructed in 1648 to show the carpenters what was wanted. The actual building was completed in 1655 and became known as the Eighth wonder of the world.  From the  17th century, an exquisite goblet etched with a view of Amsterdam and a falcon shaped spice storage box in carved silver with garnet eyes. Such workmanship was a beauty to behold.

Supposedly a 45 minute self-guided tour, we took a couple of hours to really delve into this fascinating place. The museum caters to all - short and tall, all languages, all interests.  They even had Donna steps to allow shorter people to fully see all the exhibits!

Following our exploration we went down to the Museum Cafe and decided that while lunch was not needed, coupes (ice-creams) were. Donna had Salted Caramel with rum raisins and cream, while I settled for the Malibu with Coconut Ice-cream, toasted coconut and Malibu foam. OMG so good and timely with the heavens opening again.

From here we got back on the tram and went around to the Musuems Quarter, admiring the lovely gardens of the Rijksmuseum before wandering (because my feet are beyond rushing!) to the Bols Museum.  Everyone would love this one, dedicated to the Bols liqueur story.

Again, dating back to the 16th Century, this is a story of ingenuity.
The visit is very interactive and fully customer friendly. The first experience is all about measuring how your surroundings influence taste. You enter a small room (behind Door 1, 2 or 3) that goes dark and then drink from a small bottle you are handed when you pay for your ticket.  Sound and light bombard your senses in a psychedelic experience. The alcohol in your mouth seems to become tarter, then sweeter and then even tangy. So I guess, yes it does. From here you enter the flavours room where there were 35 different bottles to smell from.  Some were easy to pick such as the chocolate, coconut, watermelon, kiwi fruit while others were impossible to tell. And then into the distilling room where the aromatics were on display.

We ended the visit with a visit to the cocktail bar. Neither of us can remember the name of the actual cocktails that we chose from the taste wheel (and conveniently they don't include them on the webpage), but Donna's was strawberry based while mine was citrus and coriander. Both very yummy and moreish. Didn't dare to have more than one as there were about a dozen steep stairs we had to negotiate to get out of the building. Once out the line to go to the Van Gogh Museum as it was now past 5pm. En-route back to the tram we pass the Diamond Museum, Watches Museum and plenty of others. Later today we see the Bag and Purse Museum and the Cat Museum (sorry Gen, it was shut).


Back on the tram to Leidersplein to the Canal Boat wharf.  Another interesting hour seeing Amsterdam from the water.  Gentle back canals to the main boating waterway (called the IJ) where we were just a little alarmed to see two ferries bearing down on us at speed. The stunning canal that you can look down to see seven bridges in a row.

Amsterdam is its waterways in so many ways.  Lots more seen including architecture new and old, but I'll have to share more when I get home. I have seven minutes to finish here and get to bed (i am told!) Dinner very light - cheeses and crackers and a bottle of shared chardy, in our hotel room.

Nite all.  See you again soon.  Off to catch up with Anne Blyth who is flying in from London in the morning. We are meeting her in Delft.