When Amsterdam Meets the Monsoon II: A More Perfect Union

by | Jul 17, 2024 | Fit for Foodies, July 2024: Le Tren Bleu, The Netherlands, Walking Tours | 0 comments

 

From the Dolomites our wonderful little group of 6 began our drive back to Venice Airport at 7am to drop off both our rental cars. We first said our goodbyes to Kenny and Ainsley (who had come only for the 3-4 days with us in the Dolomites), at first in the rental lot and then running into them to say goodbye again at departures. Then Anna split off to spend a few more days in Venice while Mel, Samantha, Rashidah, and I flew onwards from VCE to AMS in a muggy, packed cabin on KLM’s afternoon direct flight to link up with the rest of the group.

Getting into Amsterdam and having to contend (for my first time) the largest baggage claims area I’ve ever seen, we then waited a few more minutes for Yuhan to get out at arrivals. From there I introduced to them Amsterdam’s wonderful airport-train station hybrid concept where you can get from arrivals to Amsterdam Centraal within 20-25 minutes.

Despite the threat of a signal malfunction taking out one of the direct trains into the city, we took an alternative local option that only added 5-6 extra minutes. From there we took the metro to our accommodations at ClinkMama hostel, formerly known as EcoMama, a wonderful place where I had stayed 8 years ago when I last monsooned Amsterdam.

At the hostel we made introductions and reunited with Leslie and Maria (also from a 2016 monsoon) and her husband Kenny, while bemoaning how their friends Juliet and Edgar had been delayed and were rerouted to arrive a day later than expected. Leaving a few hours for everyone to freshen up, we set out at 6:30pm for dinner with my friend Anthony as well as his friends Alina and Theo, at the very convenient outdoor dockyard restaurant Hannekes Boom.

 

 

After ordering and feasting upon rallies of dishes, drinks, and desserts to our covered picnic tables at Hannekes Boom, we then took a stroll to walk off our food by giving Leslie, Maria, and the others their first tour of the Red Light District.

 

 

Maria was yelled at for taking photos but luckily did not get fined.

 

 

We finished off our walking tour at the cocktail bar Hiding in Plain Sight in close proximity to our hostel. They had a strict 5 person max per party rule but relented to allow us 2 more. But that was their ceiling; once Mel arrived from the hostel after her meetings, we were asked to have someone else leave. Exhausted from a long day from The Dolomites, I happily swapped our places to return home for an early sleep.

The next morning Paul joined us to take us on a late morning tour of Amsterdam, beginning with the famous Dutch medallion-like pancakes (pannenkoeken) at De Carrousel Pannenkoeken.

 

 

Pancakes, omelettes, and good vibes galore, we walked off our food to the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum area.

 

 

Then we took the trolley up to the Westerkerk where we took shelter from the rain for a few minutes.

 

 

Once the rain lightened up, we walked up by the Anne Frank Museum where from there Maria and Kenny headed back while the rest of walked towards central Amsterdam.

 

 

Paul then took us Van Stapele Koekmakerij, a recently famous and buzzy cookie shop that is known and only sells one type of its ooey gooey filled chocolate cookie. It was incredible.

 

 

Not as incredible but with an established staying power: Traditional Dutch herring.

 

 

Then splitting up after another rainstorm, a few of us returned back to the lodgings while Mel, Yuhan, Rashidah, and I met up with Anthony and Alina at Alina’s lovely successful crafts store called Pansy:

 

 

As Juliet and her husband Edgar finally arrived into Amsterdam a day later than they had scheduled and after trying to get as much as they could in 2 hours, we then returned to our lodging to change for our long-awaited dinner reservations at De Kas, a Green Michelin star winner for its sustainable direct farm/garden-to-table cooking.

 

 

And by direct farm/garden-to-table cooking, it really means it. This is the reception area where you walk into and check in.

 

 

The menu changes daily, and no paper menus are provided. You either choose a 4 or 5 course option, and conveniently, you don’t have to decide until the 3rd course.

They began with tomato soups and shishito peppers:

 

…complemented by a garlic parsley butter spread and sourdough bread:

 

Course 1:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53882482280_7353704cfe_b.jpg

 

Course 2:

 

Course 3; pork cheeks being the only meat dish of the evening:

 

Course 4: a sweet dessert

 

Course 5: a savory dessert (with cheese!)

 

And finally, the most perfectly rounded scoop of sorbet

 

As much as I love Amsterdam the first time I went, being able to share this city with others has been even more fulfilling.

 

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- At time of posting in Amsterdam, it was 17 °C - Humidity: 82% | Wind Speed: 11km/hr | Cloud Cover: occasional rain

 

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