, we arrived at Centraal Station in Amsterdam, first time setting foot in this city. Our hotel, the
, was located a few blocks away from the station. I had done mobile check-in on my phone the day before and selected a room that I thought faced the water. When we checked in at the front desk, the agent informed us that we were upgraded to a suite and that it was ready, even though it was only 11am...sweet!
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| interesting architecture |
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| warm chocolate chip cookies provided at check-in |
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| living room with floor-to-ceiling windows |
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| bedroom with a view |
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| bathroom with separate tub and shower |
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| view from the chair in the corner |
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| coffee maker and fridge |
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| coffee/tea service and electric kettle |
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| room service menu |
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| robes, iron and safe |
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| Apple in the living room... |
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| ...and Apple in the bedroom |
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| complimentary still and sparkling water |
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| Hilton elite benefits |
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| Executive Lounge details |
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| hotel details |
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| complimentary pressing |
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| Pokemon Go view |
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We explored the city on foot. There was a heat wave and it was close to 80 degrees F today. I had packed expecting seasonally cool weather; thankfully I had included a couple of short-sleeved shirts just in case.
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| canals everywhere |
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| and lots of bikes |
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| very quaint |
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| some pedestrian-only streets |
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| larger canals |
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| Centraal Station |
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We returned to the hotel to change for dinner at
De Silveren Spiegel ("The Silver Mirror"), which had excellent reviews on
TripAdvisor. I had made advanced reservations through their website. The email confirmation was written in Dutch, which I ran through
Google Translate to be sure of its meaning. (FYI: the Google Translate app was very helpful in our travels, available for
iPhone and
Android)
The 6-course tasting menu at De Silveren Speigel was delightful and very creative.
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| prix fixe tasting menu |
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| formal table setting |
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| fresh bread with softened butter |
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| complimentary amuse-bouches |
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| North Sea crab (mirror frame is edible fish) |
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| scallop St. Jacques with champagne sauce |
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| cod with eel |
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| oxtail with oxtail broth foam |
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| Dutch beef loin |
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| rhubarb with lemon mousse and vanilla ice cream |
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Once dinner was over, we went to the
Red Light District to see what it was all about. There were ladies of all shapes and sizes on display. Some windows were empty with "For Rent" signs posted. It was pretty crowded for a Tuesday night. Afterwards, we stopped in a "
coffee shop" for a quick look. We detected the distinctive smell of marijuana smoke from time to time in this neighborhood, even while walking around during the day.
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| cannot take pictures inside the Red Light District |
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| one of many "coffee shops" |
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The next morning, we enjoyed breakfast in the lounge before heading out to the
Anne Frank House. I bought tickets online two months in advance as it sells out quickly. Entrance was offered through 15-minute time slots; the guidelines seemed very strict so I made sure to pick a time that we could definitely make.
We bought a
one-day tram ticket for 7.50 euro each person using a credit card at an automated kiosk inside Centraal Station. (there was one outside the station that had a long line; similar kiosks could be found inside the station with no wait) A single ride would have cost 2.90 and though we weren't sure if we would ride the tram multiple times in a day, I thought it'd be easier to have a day pass and not worry about buying a ticket every time we boarded public transport. It is very important to tap in while boarding and tap out at disembarkation, else your pass becomes invalid. The card readers were located near the doors for easy access.
At the Anne Frank House, visitors joined a queue once their designated time slot was valid, with a staff member checking tickets. Small groups of people were let in at a time to control the flow of traffic inside the building. Photography was not allowed. The tour was self-guided with an audio headset; visitors keyed in a number posted next to each exhibit to listen to an informational soundtrack. It was interesting to see the hiding place and learn about what the family went through. There were sections of steep stairs into the secret annex, not suitable for folks who have difficulty walking. Overall, we spent about 40 minutes inside; it'd be a bit longer if you stayed to watch the audio/visual exhibits in their entirety.
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| inside the tram |
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| entrance into the Anne Frank House |
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After the tour, we tried Dutch pancakes at
Pancakes Amsterdam, located next door. They look nothing like American-style pancakes (though you could order that style), more like crepes. There were savory and sweet choices...so delicious! I could eat these every day. Our server was very friendly and at the end of the meal, he gave us a Pancakes Amsterdam
clog keychain.
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| menu |
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| beverages |
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| number 15 |
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| pancake of the month - Italian |
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| condiments...couldn't figure some of them out |
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| gotta do a knife-and-fork shot |
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| restroom access controlled by turnstile |
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| clog keychain gift |
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We then took the tram down to check out
Vondelpark, the largest city park in Amsterdam. It was refreshing to walk among the trees on this warm day. There were many people here even though it was a Wednesday afternoon.
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| hexagon gardens |
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We took the tram back to Centraal Station, then walked along the water to find the river boat pier in preparation for tomorrow.
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| Scenic Jasper and Amadeus Silver II docked |
Back at the hotel, we went to the Executive Lounge for some refreshments.
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| entrance to the lounge |
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| beverages |
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| assortment of snacks |
Dinner tonight was at
Max Amsterdam, specializing in Indonesian food. I made reservations well in advance by emailing the restaurant. We were seated at a table for four, which gave us plenty of space for the dishes in the 3 course "Rijsttafel" tasting menu.
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| menu |
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| appetizers |
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| fresh Heineken |
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| the salad was delicious; the bread seemed out of place |
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| multiple entree tastings |
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| seabass on banana leaf |
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| the sorbets were great |
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We were so full after the meal that we needed to take an extended walk around the city.
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| can't tire of these views |
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| cheese! |
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| hooks at the top of houses were for hauling large furniture up |
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| "hallo!" from Amsterdam |
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| museum harbor |
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| so many bicycles parked at the train station |
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Tomorrow we start our 14-night Magnificent Europe AmaWaterways river cruise on AmaPrima...stay tuned!
Missed any of the previous entries? Refer to the Trip Index at the top of this post to navigate.
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