Europe Trip - Epilogue

Today is exactly two months from our departure to Paris. It is a dream-comes-true to me. I have been dreaming about going far and finally I got the chance.

It's a difficult task to me to decide which country I love most. Each place that we visited has its own uniqueness and beauty. It can't be compared that easy.

Paris is like an elegant old lady. Every part of the city is still glowing with beauty and maturity. Even though the city is bustling with people, the atmosphere gives the feeling that is dark and full of secrets. It is a bit unsettling walking along the city especially when witnessing many people getting high along the roads and in the metro station. No mater what, this lady is still the prettiest.

Rome is like a strong warrior. With its historical background and humongous structures in the city, it is really portraying the strongest warrior ever, Even though Roman Empire has been long gone, Rome is still holding that power and I love the feel.

Tuscany is like a loving grandmother that always gives and provides to the grandchildren. The olive trees, the vineyards, the woods, the skyline, the warmth: they are all the gifts from this grandmother. We are the grandchildren. Tuscany makes me feel loved and want to love even more.

Lucerne is like a patient teacher. It teaches the visitors to relax and enjoy the time: close the shop by 4:00 pm, drink some wine, sit and look at the swans playing at the lake, drink some more after that. It also teaches us that the top of the world can be reached and it is great to be up there. So, my sincere gratitude to this teacher of mine.

Amsterdam is like growing-up teenager. The vibrancy that the city offers really makes me feel great. One part of the city is so open with things that are considered taboo somewhere else while another part is still holding the values of the old customary. And with the colorful brick buildings, I am thinking LEGO.

So, there is no favoritism. I love all of them all the same. And I wish I can explore unexplored parts of Europe soon enough.

This trip has given me more insight of life.

I am grateful.

Thank you, Universe

Europe Trip - fin

Love is in the air,
Little Feet

Europe Trip - The Fishing Village Volendam

The last day finally came. We walked out of the hotel, having the high hope of our last destination before heading back to Singapore and Indonesia. We went to Amsterdam Centraal Station and bought Waterland bus tickets that covered the whole journey to Volendam and neighborhood villages. It cost EUR 10 (~SGD 15) for unlimited bus rides from Amsterdam Centraal to Waterland, between villages in Waterland, and the return journey to Amsterdam. The details can be found here.

Waterland consists of several picturesque fishing villages located away from Amsterdam. The most touristy is of course Volendam with many shops, restaurants, bars, and skyline overlooking Zuider Zee. Edam is a small village nearby Ye River that specializes in cheese products. Marken is at the other side of Zuider Zee with green wooden houses. Other villages include Monickendam, Broek, Purmerend, Middenbeemster, and Graft-De Rijp.

Map of Waterland (Source:localbus.nl)

It took us about half an hour to reach Volendam. The bus stopped at the main road so we walked a bit towards the sea side. After 10 minute walk, we were greeted by a row of commercial establishment. Tourists were all over the place and there were notices everywhere saying, "Beware of Pickpockets".

It was almost noon so we decided to have our lunch in one of the seafood restaurants with tripadvisor logo. It's never a fault to have a meal in restaurants with tripadvisor endorsement. It was the best meal I had in Netherlands. We ordered fish, prawns, mussels, pasta, potatoes. All were delicious I still think about them in this very moment.

We walked through the small alley from the bus stop

Volendam, taa daa

The restaurants

Our feast

We continued to explore the area. Amongst places that we visited in Netherlands, Volendam was considered having the least wow factor in it. It's just a fishing village facing the sea with shops and many people. Whoever market this area to be a Holland tourist attraction was very clever. Other than eating, drinking, shopping and taking family pictures in Holland traditional costume, there is nothing more here.

The sails were not up yet

Chilling

Boats

Another clog experience

Continue to stroll and stroll

We then took our family portrait in Holland traditional costume. It's so called 'a-must' when visiting Volendam. The price is determined based on the number of people taking picture but the print out that you get will be either 1 or 2 copies. Additional copy or soft copy will be charged extra. We spent EUR 30 (~SGD 45) for the 10-minute session.

Actually, the people that served us were not so friendly. They rushed us through things even though there were no people queueing behind us. I did not really like the service there.

Behind the scene

After taking the pictures, we continued to stroll for a while to the end of the road, took some pictures, bought some poffertjes and got back to the shop to collect the print outs. Feeling a bit disappointed with Volendam, we decided not to visit the neighboring villages. We headed back to Amsterdam Centraal with the intention to find Nine Streets Shopping Area.

Pretty birds

A yatch, wow

Across the sea

Picture time

Yummy poffertjes, in Indonesia it is called Kue Pukis or Kue Cubit

We took a tram from Amsterdam Centraal in order to find Nine Streets Shopping Area or De Negen Straatjes. This shopping area is supposed to be a major shopping area in Amsterdam. Located nearby Centraal, this shopping area covers a matrix of 9 streets. From vintage shops to boutiques, you are supposed to find everything that you want.

We were kind of having difficulties in finding these streets. We walked through quiet streets before finally managed to find a street full of shops. The day was getting dark already so we did not do much shopping.

We had a simple dinner and got back to the hotel to pack.

Bye, Amsterdam. Till we meet again.

Next - Epilogue

Love is in the air,
Little Feet

Europe Trip - Joordan, the Beauty in the City

We intended to visit Joordan for the rest of the day. We took the train back to Centraal and took another tram ride to Westermarkt. We alighted in front of Westerkerk. Our first stop was Anne Frank House, where the legendary Anne Frank and her Jewish family hid during German occupation. In the house, Anne Frank wrote her diary. In that diary she talked about her days in hiding and all the bitterness of being born as a Jew from a perspective of a child. After a few years of hiding, the Nazis found and captured them. They were brought to concentration camp. Anne, her sister, and her mother died while the father survived. Her diary was then published by the father. Now the house is a museum.

A short walk to Anne Frank House, but what a shock we had, the queue was enormous and estimated waiting time was more than an hour. We did not book the ticket online because there was no such a scheme when I was doing my planning. However, a notice was pasted on the glass door and it said that online booking was already available. Oh, damn.

So, after much consideration, we decided to turn down this in our schedule. I personally wanted to visit very much but considering the time and how Indonesian were not museum people, we just continued to stroll.

Westerkerk, the view when alighting from the tram

After we turned down Anne Frank, we walked to the other side

Walking through the aisle

Westerkerk from afar

On top of Woonbootmuseum 

We walked past a boat that was turned into a houseboat museum. We did not visit but basically the museum let the visitors see how the boatman lived during the sail. The entrance cost EUR 8 (~SGD 13) and you just paid the entrance fee to the owner who sat near the entrance.

From the Woonbootmuseum, we walked along the canal and got mesmerized by the beauty of the place. I found that it was so different from Red Light District area even though both areas were hugging the canal.

This place, Joordan, is more like an elegant lady while Red Light District is portraying herself like a naughty teenager. So, yeah, two sides of beauty, but all the same, they have beauty.

The canal in Joordan area

Continue to stroll

More beauty

My favorite spot

We went into Cheese museum and some shops during the stroll. Actually, our ultimate destination is the most famous apple pie in Amsterdam offered by Winkel43 cafe.

Winkel43 Cafe is located nearby Norderkerk at the corner of Westerstraat. Just walk towards Centraal Station from Westermarkt and sooner or later you'll find this place. We reached Winkel43 Cafe at around 5:30 pm and the cafe was still full with people even though it was neither lunch nor dinner time.

We chose a high table outside the cafe facing Norderkerk. Bro and I walked into the cafe and looked for the menu. There was not drink menu available. While looking at the food menu, I asked the waitress, "What is your recommendation?" and she positively replied me, "I think you know what you are coming for."

So, we ordered the famous apple pie and fried meatball. I also ordered a flat white. The apple pie was not overrated for sure, it really tasted heaven. And the coffee was bitter, suit my taste so much.

Happy face with the apple pie

Don't judge the pie from the look

The outdoor seating

We then continued to walk to Centraal Station and had dinner nearby Centraal Station before calling it a day. It was a wonderful day, indeed.

Another canal

Can you see the buildings are tilting?

Great dinner

Next - Fishing Village Volendam

Love is in the air,
Little Feet

Europe Trip - The Windmill of Amsterdam

Zaanse Schans is a historical traditional Dutch village located in Zaandam, very near to Amsterdam. In 1961, all the buildings from across the region of Zaan were brought to this location and voila, there came Zannse Schans, scones in Zaan.

Zaan was an industrial area in the seventeenth century with approximately 600 windmills in operation producing linseed oil, paints, papers, wood products, etc. During the eighty year war when the Dutch revolted against the Spanish, it was believe that there were 13 sconces in the region.

Only after World War II, the wooden buildings were brought together as they were threatened to extinction. It was the right thing to do since Zaanse Schans now has become a major tourist attraction. The wooden buildings now became museums, cafes, and gift shops. A few windmills are still in operation too.

It is easy to reach Zaanse Schans, just take the train to Koog Zandijk Station and walk alongside other tourists to reach the village. The admission is free but each museum/windmill will charge you for visiting. If you are so enthusiastic about the village and want to visit every single museum here, you can buy Zaanse Schans card for EUR 15 at the information centre. If you are the holder of Iamsterdam card, just dash into the museum, no one will dare to stop you.

Zaanse Schanse, after crossing this bridge (it can be lifted to allow for the boats to pass!)

View of Zaanse Schans from the bridge

Flowers everywhere

The main road of the village

Albert Heijn, the first grocery store in Amsterdam

Let's take a walk, Baby

We strolled along the village amidst the strong wind. Our destination was the end of the road where a platform looking direct to the active windmills was there. We stopped by a few shops and museums just to keep ourselves warm for a while. The wind made the journey difficult, but also because of the wind, we bought nice apple pie, gingerbread cake, and speculaas biscuit.

Miffy in one of the gift shops

A house with an attached tiny windmill

Cute village house I wish I have

The mechanism of the windmill

Speculaas!!!

The windmill finally

We had difficulty taking picture here. First, the wind was terrible at the platform. It was a completely open area and the wind just attacked us without mercy. Second, we met a bunch of Chinese tourists there. We were taking pictures and they just emerged into the frame and did what they wanted. We tried to talk to them but they scolded us in Mandarin without knowing that we understood. So, yeah, I answered their curse.

The wind, oh gosh!

The windmill from behind

Playing milkman

Apple pie yeah

Wish I have a house like this

We had a chinese food nearby before we got back to Amsterdam to continue our exploration.

Next - Joordan, the Beauty in the City

Love is in the air,
Little Feet

Europe Trip - Amsterdam City vs Keukenhoff Garden

A new day was coming, everybody felt more refreshed after a good night sleep. We continued with our itinerary for the day: Amsterdam City and Keukenhoff Garden.

Maybe it's nearing the end of the journey, maybe it's because we were so tired, we went out from the hotel a bit later than usual. We took the train to Centraal Station and strolled towards the Dam Square.

Canal in front of Centraal Station

Glorious Amsterdam Centraal Station

We walked along many alleys and we were attracted by a shop selling doughnuts and waffles. We tried and they were glorious!

Who can resist these beauties?

Admiring many sizes of Nutella, which is like the must have in every shops

The alleys that we passed by had shops at both sides. We kept stopping to do some window shopping and actual shopping. Actually, the price of the stuffs here were considered much cheaper as compared to other part of Europe but maybe they were all past collections.

We walked about half an hour (with all the stopping here and there) before we reached the Dam Square. The alley just emerged to a spacious square that's surrounded by buildings at four side: Koninklijk Palace, Niuwe Kerk, Madame Tussauds Museum, shops, and National Monument.

Dam Square was built in the thirteenth century as a dam to Amstel River and then eventually built to be the city square. There was a shooting on 07 May 1945, two days after German capitulation. Germany started shooting the Dutch from the balcony. Only after a member of resistance shot the person from Koninklijk Palace, the shooting stopped.

The national monument was built to commemorate World War II and the shooting incident.

Emerging from Damrak, the shopping alley

Madam Tussauds Museum

Koninklijk Palace

National Monument

We then took the tram to go to our next destination: Albert Cuyp Market. It's one of my favorite things to do because I love to see that in other part of the world, all cities will need markets and humble buy&sell activities.

On the way to Albert Cuyp Markt

The market

Locals are buying and selling, and tourists too

We did not have much time here because our journey was hindered by the rain that came and went as it pleased. It was quite late and we should get going to Keukenhoff Garden. So, we had simple dinner at one of the udon shops along the market and we walked to Museumplein to see the real famous Iamsterdam.

This is a tourism gimmick of Amsterdam. There are three sets of this giant letters, two are located at fixed location: Museumplein and Schipol Airport while the remaining one is moved here and there so that the tourists can catch it. And yeah, it works, it is now a 'thing' in Amsterdam.

OMG, full of people

And no one care about this tiny one

Taking picture with a letter will do

Wefie from the back, less people

Rijkmuseum, the largest in Amsterdam

Bye bye Museumplein

It was so crowded and we did not spend much time there. In the location, there was Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum too. However, my travel companions were not museum people so we skipped these. We went to the bus stop and waited for our bus that could bring us to Keukenhoff Garden.

From the city of Amsterdam to Keukenhoff Garden, we took Bus 197 to Schipol and transferred to Bus 858 there. It was an hour journey in total, The waiting time was not bad. We bought the combo ticket in Keukenhoff website that covered the entrance ticket and the return bus rides. It cost us EUR 29 (~SGD 45) for the combo ticket.

Keukenhoff Garden is only opened during the season of tulip blooms. We scheduled our trip in such a way that Keukenhoff had already been opened when we visited. The day we visited was the third day it was opened for the year. It was not so crowded yet but not all the flowers had bloomed.

At the entrance

Posing with the Dutch Lady

A cute booth near the souvenir shop that sells CD of traditional Dutch instruments

Enjoy!

So we started our journey inside the magical garden. It was huge and colorful and seemed never ending. Other than the outdoor tulip exhibitions, the garden also host indoor flower exhibitions other than tulips. I was happy to see all the orchids, hydrangea, roses, and all the beautiful flowers. Even though the spring garden highlights on the tulip collections, you will not feel bored strolling here because the garden is designed in such a way that you can enjoy some other things: there are many trees, some small streams, a lake, some cafes, some shops, exhibitions inside greenhouses, a windmill, etc. When it is in the peak of the bloom, you can actually rent a boat and enjoy the carpet of tulips at the back of the garden. It must be magnificent!

Me and the flowers

Start wandering!

Happy and pretty mum!

A lake in the middle of the garden

Purple, my color

Experiencing clog

Aren't they adorable?

Indoor exhibition with the artist/designer

Orchids exhibition

The windmill at the end of the garden, there should be a monstrous size tulip field at the back, but it was not blooming yet\

Cute love garden

Hydrangea all the way

In love

Really in love

The last shot before leaving the garden

We spent about four hours here and we felt happy to witness such a beauty. We took the bus back to Schipol and then to Amsterdam Centraal Station. That night, we had dinner at an Indonesian restaurant called Betawi. The portion was hugeeeeee and TripAdvisor stated that restaurant as one of the best in town. But still, it can't be compared with the real Indonesian restaurant in Indonesia.

That night, I dreamt of flowers.

Next - The Windmill of Amsterdam

Love is in the air,
Little Feet