Travelling solo: Amsterdam

The last time I went to Amsterdam, I was about 13. It was a Guides holiday, and apart from having the time of my life in the Anne Frank House (I had just read the book), and learning how to make scoubi dous (remember those?) I don't really remember much. 

Thought it was time to fix that. 

I started the weekend by a 2-show Saturday in London catching Guys & Dolls and Next to Normal; on the Sunday, I caught the Eurostar to Amsterdam. Only 4 hours later, I was there. 

And with that, kicked off my travelling; solo to 5 cities across Europe. 

Getting around:

In Amsterdam, they say there are more bikes than people - and if you cannot beat them, join them. 

There are loads of places where you can hire a bike; including the hostel I was saying at. So, after grabbing the bike, it was exploring time. Well "exploring"... aka, getting lost. It is really easy to get lost in Amsterdam; not as bad as Venice, but fairly close. Half of my time there was "exploring". Cycling (if done right) is also the fastest way in to get from point A to B in Amsterdam. (Can I also say that Amsterdam folks must have the most amazing thighs from all that cycling!)

If you don't fancy feeling like Freddie Mercury (BII-CYCLE!), then best mode of transport is to either walk or hop on the tram. 

Attractions: 

The Anne Frank House is a definite. Unfortunately I went on the ONE day it is shut, due to Yom Kippur, the day of atonement in the Jewish calendar. I did however pay respects to her statue, which is round the corner from the house. 

Instead, the main stop was the Van Gogh Museum, and this should be a must-see anyway for Amsterdam. Founded by Van Gogh's nephew and sister-in-law, the gallery is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. 

When it opened, there were protests due to the fact that there hasn't really been a gallery devoted to (predominantly) one artist. But, it being Van Gogh, I think we can all agree it's worth it. 

In one of his many MANY letters to his brother Theo, Van Gogh said 

"I have my own way of working" 

Oh boy that's true. Even though so many of his paintings see so many different styles, instruments and subject matters, you can still tell it is Van Gogh. 

Ironically, one of his most famous paintings, Starry Night, does not reside here (it resides in New York); but there's his Sunflowers: his Bedroom: the Potato Eaters; and Almond Blossom (above right), which was painted after his nephew was born, dedicating it to him. 

You also got a picture of Van Gogh's inner workings and how he saw the world, not just through his art, but also a selection of his letters to brother Theo throughout his life scattered across the museum. 

Make sure you take as much time as you want to really soak yourself into the life and earthy realistic beauty in the work of this extraordinary man. 

Moving away from art, for any foodies, check out the Cheese Museum, which is round the corner from the Anne Frank House. It's technically (possibly) the best cheesemongers you will ever go to; but go to the back of the shop, down the rickety stairs, you get a tiny showcase on how Dutch Gouda is made. 

Then make your way back up to the shop and get to try as much cheese as you like - of course, I sadly could not take any cheese home... But the beer cheese, tricolour pesto, and so many more were so delicious! And I did buy a chutney selection to take home instead. 

Food: 

Speaking of food... I have been googling recommended Dutch restaurants in the UK - and thinking there should be more. This is because I think Dutch and British food has more in common than people realise. Like a good hearty roast or fish finger butty, it's more than anything, comforting AS! 

Arriving on Sunday, when most attractions were shut, meant that food was my No 1 priority. And luckily, for both nights in fact, I managed to find two very good recommendations for Dutch food, and at decent value. 

The first night was at Kop Van Jut, a three course meal plus two drinks and a tip costed me 40 euros. Starting off had to be bitterballen (left), recommended to me by so many people. These snacks are a type of softer meatball which is then breaded and fried, served with a mustardy dip. A must-try even if as a snack. 

Schnitzel is something I knew I would be trying often, but the vegan version intrigued me. It was so good, paired with three massive scoops of mash potato mixed with endives. For dessert, on recommendation by the waitress, I went for Vlaflip - the Dutch version of trifle, only it is the custard and cream bits! 

The second night was De Hollandse Pot round the corner from the hostel. Instead of choosing a main, as it was the same options as the night before, I went with two different starters - both ended up being quite filling, so I was quite glad I did it this way round (until I found the space for dessert that is). 

The choices I went for were: first up, eel on toast. Eel is a lot more common on the continent than it is in the UK, so I never had the chance to try it before now. It's was delicious; just like any other fish but a bit firmer (I guess meatier). The second choice was a split pea soup, which was very thick and also had bits of bacon and sausage in it. Remember what I said about Dutch and British food being similar? This soup is a perfect example of that: it's rib-sticking! It came with a slice of very dark rye bread and crispy bacon on top (and yes, I know it looks like a brownie in the picture). Even better, and out of shot, was that I was washing it all down with one of the nicest ciders I have had in my life! Dessert HAD to be mini pancakes. Topped traditionally with butter and icing sugar. Yummy!

Another place to sample some great Dutch grub and snacks is at the Albert Cupstraat market. There are SO many vendors and so many yummy snacks (as well as souvenirs) to choose from, but I have to shout out the fishmongers which did this simple fried fish with tartar sauce to dip; and the original Stroopwaffel, a pair of very thin waffles sandwiched by hot caramel, and eaten as flat as possible. Trying the real thing felt so much nicer than the version you can get at Manchester's Christmas markets! 

***

Amsterdam is a city where I think there is something for everyone, if you have enough time to look. It may be known for its Red Light District, but if (like me), that's not really your vibe, there's still plenty to do. And there's been some surprises too - plus plenty of exercise. 

Perfect city to start my journey. Next stop, Berlin!