Wow!!! thats the shortest way to describe the lovely city of Amsterdam...
Beyond what I ever imagined of a western tourist destination, Amsterdam pleasantly surprised us with its energy and liveliness with the quality of the crowd.
Me and Nadeem met up in Frankfurt and reached Amsterdam by ICE train on Saturday afternoon. We werent particularly well planned but the series of coincidences culminating in us arriving at the perfect time in perfect weather just amazes me.
The trip though uneventful was full of amazing views of the most lovely countryside I have come across. Lush green fields dotted with cattle and horses feeding on the grass is a picture of utmost peace and beauty. The farm houses superbly bordered with sloping roofs and small children playgrounds leaves an impression of happiness and fulfillment.
Setting foot in Amsterdam on a bright sunny day we set out to find our hotel..Hotel Atlanta in Rembrandtplein. Booking via booking.com I hoped that the hotel was half as good and half as well located as described on the website. We were just shocked with the location of the hotel smack on the square surrounded by lovely restaurants and cafeterias. The crowds were every where and thats what we were looking for on a singles only weekend getaway.
The day started with us all hungry to grab some Halal food. There was no shortage of those. Turkish kebabs is my weakness, and I had enough of them to say enough is enough after 2 days of stuffing myself with them.
We had taken the 3 day tram pass, so nothing was out of reach, we could just hop on and hop off the trams, buses and ferries marked with GVB, whatever those stand for. But the beauty is in the walk, strolling around the lanes and bylanes of the city, criss crossing the canals with pretty little bridges is an experience of the lifetime. It all look so beatiful and serene, that its hard to digest the facts behind these canals and the struggles the Dutch have always had with water.
Netherlands is quite famous for its windmills, atleast in my head that was the picture most associated with this country. There is not a single one to be seen in the city. The only way to see them was to visit the country side where they have persevered to keep these relics of history still standing and turning.
Tours and Tickets run a half day expedition which includes not only windmills, but also a visit to Volendam famous for its harbor and dyke and the island of Marken across the sea from Volendam. We took that on day 3, while never being very sure what to expect. We had such a great time that we thought it to be the best decision we have ever taken.
Seeing the windmills up close, learning about their working, walking in the country side, visiting a cheese factory and tasting the exquisite cheeses, crossing the sea onto Marken on a nice ferry, and visiting a wooden shoe factory in small hamlet village of Marken are all included within the 5 hour tour. It never feels hectic and nor does it feel slow. Its just the best.
Beyond what I ever imagined of a western tourist destination, Amsterdam pleasantly surprised us with its energy and liveliness with the quality of the crowd.
Me and Nadeem met up in Frankfurt and reached Amsterdam by ICE train on Saturday afternoon. We werent particularly well planned but the series of coincidences culminating in us arriving at the perfect time in perfect weather just amazes me.
The trip though uneventful was full of amazing views of the most lovely countryside I have come across. Lush green fields dotted with cattle and horses feeding on the grass is a picture of utmost peace and beauty. The farm houses superbly bordered with sloping roofs and small children playgrounds leaves an impression of happiness and fulfillment.
Setting foot in Amsterdam on a bright sunny day we set out to find our hotel..Hotel Atlanta in Rembrandtplein. Booking via booking.com I hoped that the hotel was half as good and half as well located as described on the website. We were just shocked with the location of the hotel smack on the square surrounded by lovely restaurants and cafeterias. The crowds were every where and thats what we were looking for on a singles only weekend getaway.
The day started with us all hungry to grab some Halal food. There was no shortage of those. Turkish kebabs is my weakness, and I had enough of them to say enough is enough after 2 days of stuffing myself with them.
We had taken the 3 day tram pass, so nothing was out of reach, we could just hop on and hop off the trams, buses and ferries marked with GVB, whatever those stand for. But the beauty is in the walk, strolling around the lanes and bylanes of the city, criss crossing the canals with pretty little bridges is an experience of the lifetime. It all look so beatiful and serene, that its hard to digest the facts behind these canals and the struggles the Dutch have always had with water.
Netherlands is quite famous for its windmills, atleast in my head that was the picture most associated with this country. There is not a single one to be seen in the city. The only way to see them was to visit the country side where they have persevered to keep these relics of history still standing and turning.
Tours and Tickets run a half day expedition which includes not only windmills, but also a visit to Volendam famous for its harbor and dyke and the island of Marken across the sea from Volendam. We took that on day 3, while never being very sure what to expect. We had such a great time that we thought it to be the best decision we have ever taken.
Seeing the windmills up close, learning about their working, walking in the country side, visiting a cheese factory and tasting the exquisite cheeses, crossing the sea onto Marken on a nice ferry, and visiting a wooden shoe factory in small hamlet village of Marken are all included within the 5 hour tour. It never feels hectic and nor does it feel slow. Its just the best.
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