Amsterdam

So as you know our stay in Amsterdam has been extended... until our mail arrives. Don't get me wrong Amsterdam is such a cool city but it's just a bit of a downer having to wait for mail to arrive. We originally planned to stay for four nights... we are now up to 7. We have made the most of our time here.

The city is really cool. It feels safe (besides the bikes) and there is plenty to do. You can do tours or just wander around the canals. I really like it here.

Watch out for the cyclists! They are CRAZY (capitals intended). They go SO fast! Watch out! Bikes are everywhere, apparently for every resident in amsterdam there are two bikes. They clear like 10,000 out of the canals a year!

So far we've been to:

• Anne Frank House- I have watched the tele series and read the book so I was interested to go into the house where Anne and her family hid during World War 2. It was quite interesting yet eery at the same time. It is horrible to think they were found. It would've been so scary.
• The Heineken experience. We heard and read that this tour was average. But we had the time so we thought we would check it out anyway, I'm glad we did. It was a fun few hours where you get to smell, touch and taste along the way. I'm not the biggest beer drinker and I still enjoyed it. I think Gonz enjoyed it because he got his free beers and most of mine! 
• Vondel Park- lovely little park. Nice to sit in or run around. Nothing compared to Central Park so don't go expecting that. 
• Jordaan area. This neighbourhood is expensive and lovely to walk through. There are pretty photo ops of canals, plenty of bars, cafe's and restaurants. 
• We took a day trip to the countryside to see the little town of Zaanse Schans. It has working windmill factories, cheese making, clog making, bakeries and plenty of old houses. It is a tourist trap for sure, but if you're looking for something different to do then you would enjoy it Worth going to just because it is so pretty.
• Red light district. haha. It's pretty funny really. Imagine skanks in skank wear sitting at a window. They come in all shapes and sizes haha. It still amazes me that people actually do that. If you're in Amsterdam you do have to go here though!

This wasn't all we did. A lot of Amsterdam has been aimless wandering. We have come across plenty of trendy shopping streets filled with boutiques and vintage stores. There is no shortage of restuarants, bars, "coffee" shops and cafes. 

Anne Frank museum and house to the left 

Jordaan area. 

Our pancake lunch.

some hideous mixture that eventually beer is made from.

at the Heineken experience.

house boat.

having drinks in the hostel.

Vodka Diet coke.

day trip to Zaanse Schans.

Zaanse Schans

Most importantly!! FOOD!! 

MY FAV CHOC! 

• Ethiopian! Omg! If you have never had an ethiopian meal at a restaurant then you are missing out! It was one of the best food experiences I've had in a long time! We had never tried it before so we didn't really know what to expect! We ordered a large tasting plate that comes out with three or four meats, veg assortments and salad. You eat with your hands (so make sure you clean them)! The mixed plate is surrounded by a whole-wheat crumpet type of bread that is really light! You rip a piece and use it to pick up your curry meat and veg. My description does no justice to how good it really is there!! The website for this restaurant is in dutch and the translation is no good, so if you are ever in Amsterdam just go to Semhar ethiopian restaurant. 
• Indonesian. The travel books rave about plenty of Indonesian places... so when we were wandering around and found "Sukabumi" (a cute little restaurant) we thought we would give it a try. The food was delicious! 
• PANCAKES! Of course we had to have them! Poffertjes! You can get them at various places around the city. My fav way is with ice cream, banana and icing sugar. Nothing beats the old maple and ice-cream though. Ahhh I'm hungry!
• Beer is in Gonz's food group. He mostly drinks Amstel or Heineken. 
• Frites! (hot chips) are effing amazing. We got a cone full (most people get mayo, which is amazing) but we got american sauce (which they say is like big mac sauce with dill). Again, REALLY yum. I felt so sick afterwards though. 
• It is ridiculous, and I don't know where this chocolate comes from, but I discovered it here so I'll include it anyway. Ritter Sport chocolate. Excuse me while I put on five kilos. When I go home I'm going to ship myself some. It is a small block of chocolate and in the middle is a biscuit. You can get all different flavours but I can't go past this! It kind of taste like a kit kat... but better. 
• FEBO! Weird. It is a fast food place! It doesn't get much faster than this! There is a kitchen behind and people make (fry) food then put it in the right section. Customers pick what they want, put their $1.50 euro in and open a door! Just like a vending machine!

FEBO

SO many bakeries.... and I thought I was going to get fat in the USA!

cheese making! There is a cheese shop on every corner in Amsterdam I swear. 

Frites! Don't mind if I do!

BEST meal ever!

view from our seats in the Ethiopian restaurant. 

Has anyone else tried Ethiopian? Or do I just live a sheltered life? 

Anyway, someone stop me eating this chocolate already. Hope you're liking the posts! 

A small hurdle.

I have recently learn to roll with the punches... especially when you punch yourself in the face.

So I have been planning this trip for over 12 months... yet I made the biggest, stupidest (not a word but I like it) mistake ever... I left the freakin Eurail passes at home! idiotttt! I actually can't believe that happened! After checking I had everything and then rechecking I still didn't realise. (click here to see when the parcel arrived)

What's worse is I have had SO much time to find that we had forgotten them! We stayed with relatives in England for one week (which was amazing) and we could've had the tickets sent there no problems. But no... I waited until after I'd spent 17 hours on a bus travelling overnight to Amsterdam to make sure I had them... insane. It was the worst day. Our hostel room (a 18 bed mix dorm) smelt like weed and tobacco and was about 100 degrees! We felt awful after such a long bus ride that we decided to shower... got in the shower, there were no shelves, so I had to pile my things on two hooks, couldn't put anything on the floor because there were no shower curtains. I got in the shower turned it on and found out the temperature control was broken. Nearly burnt my skin off. Then my clothes fell off the stupid hook and all got wet.. I had a cry haha. I had to get dressed (because my microfiber towel is half the size of a normal towel) and wait for another shower. It was HORRIBLE! It's kind of funny to look back on, but at the time I felt like absolute crap!

It gets much better than this! Don't worry I won't whinge the whole time. New post on Amsterdam coming soon!