If You Ever (IYE) Visit Amsterdam
“It is better to travel well than to arrive.” ~ Buddha
This quote above by Buddha sums up my entire life philosophy in middle age. Travel isn’t so much about the destination, it’s more about each moment of the experience and the lessons gleaned from them. I’m a firm believer that if everyone traveled beyond their own borders the world would be a better place. Travel makes you less susceptible to things like propaganda and prejudice. Living within the confines of the U.S. my entire life I thought I could imagine what life was like outside of our borders but I had no idea, I had to experience it for myself.
It’s taken me a long time to make the complete shift from dreamer to doer but I finally have. For years the number one thing on my bucket list was to travel but life presented one roadblock after another. Thanks to Steemit my travel dreams came true at forty five years of age with the trip to Amsterdam in November for SteemFest. Amsterdam was my first venture across the Atlantic into the alternate universe that is Europe.
I’m very excited because 2017 is going to be a year I totally indulge in my wanderlust. My wife and I have a lot of exciting travel plans lining up for the coming year and If You Ever (IYE) is a new series that I’m starting as a means share these travel experiences (and other things) with you. As you'll quickly learn we love to travel and we love good food.
Here are a few things I learned during my recent trip to Amsterdam:
- Perceived freedom is substantially different from real freedom. The Dutch culture is so much more open minded and balanced than we are in the United States. There's a real cohesive since that "you can't legislate morality" in the Netherlands and from what we saw it's working. There’s no better way to gauge a country than to converse with taxi or Uber drivers. My wife and I used Uber a lot to get around in Amsterdam and enjoyed talking with the drivers about their lives. Each Uber ride was both like a lesson in Dutch culture and a swift slap in our faces. We knew the quality of life was better in Amsterdam but we weren’t prepared for exactly how much better it really was. My eyes are now opened, my slumber has been cracked.
- Quality is better than quantity. Food portion sizes don’t need to be humongous to be satisfying. We noticed the portion sizes were smaller in the Netherlands but most everything was delicious. Although the food was good at the Canvas restaurant in Volkshotel our very favorite restaurant was called Little Collins. My wife and I had THE CASABLANCAN for brunch consisting of spiced chickpeas, pumpkin, kale, poached eggs, yogurt, cucumber & red onion salad, and sumac with a freshly baked flat bread on the side. Incredible, healthy and filling comfort food on a chilly morning. They were streaming lots of Django Reinhardt’s music and his track, Minor Swing will now forever remind me of our time in Amsterdam.
- Stroopwafels are indeed the world’s most perfect cookie. We were served these little slices of heaven with nearly every cup of coffee or tea that we had in Amsterdam and they’re amazing. Eat one of these and the world becomes a better place for a while. We bought a package for our son at the Amsterdam airport and he ate the whole box in one day. We are on a mission to find him a box somewhere in the US for Christmas, suggestions anyone?
- Despite what you might think, there’s no such thing as a bad time to bike. I’m an avid cyclist and since I live in the United States' equivalent to Siberia (Minnesota) I thought I was pretty hearty but the Dutch taught me I have a long way to go. These people were riding in all kinds of inclement weather weather with their babies and toddlers, texting while riding, and as you can see from the video they even bring their dogs along. I love their spirit, even though it makes me feel like a wuss for putting my bike in storage when the temperature dips below forty degrees. It was literally twenty three degrees Farenheit the morning we shot the video below.
- When traveling you can find a surrogate mother wherever you go and I found a great one in Amsterdam. I came down with a horrible cold with a hacking cough, barely slept the night before, and had a huge talk to give the next day at SteemFest. We were in serious crisis aversion mode so we summonsed a trusty Uber car and found a vitamin shop about eight miles from the Volkshotel. There, behind the counter, was a cute older lady. She was probably in her seventies, stood barely five feet tall, and had white hair that resembled a Q-tip. I explained I had a bad cold and she instantly turned into my mother and grabbed a few remedies off of the shelf. She then marched us over to the juice bar and ordered the barista blend me a good immunity booster. The cough medicine was all natural (elderberry and zinc) and had a very imposing name, Vlierbessensiroop. It did the trick and I was able to deliver my speech with no problem thanks to my surrogate Dutch mom.
There are too many incredible things about Amsterdam to list in one post but the ones I mentioned above were merely some of the first to come to mind. I hope you enjoyed this installment of the "If You Ever..." series and I look forward to sharing more adventures in the coming weeks and months.
“To travel is to take a journey into yourself.” ~ Danny Kaye
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I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and goofball. To follow my unfolding story please visit my website here to sign up for my author newsletter.
Beautiful words of wisdom in there and the quote is a gem! Thanks for the article, sharing and quality work. Namaste :)
You're welcome @eric-boucher! I always appreciate your comments! Namaste.
My pleasure, on so many levels... Namaste :)
Really looking forward to this new series of yours. We have travelled from hither to yonder (see what I did there?) and found that with each new place - we gain a healthier understanding of different perspectives, ideas, people, culture, architecture, cuisine... and on that last one... Stroopwafels are insanely delicious :D
Thank you @hitheryon! Brilliant user name! Of all of the places you've visited what is your favorite?
I agree with what you said about the positive outcomes of travel. Being a struggling author I never had the means to do much travel outside the U.S. until I started here on Steemit. To satisfy my wanderlust previously I watched every travel show I could...Anthony Bourdain (No Reservations), Rick Steves, and many that aren't on the air anymore. Rick Steves also has an incredible podcast.
Traveling to Amsterdam left us with a hunger for much more than Stroopwafels. : ) I can't wait for our next trip. I'm especially excited for Ireland/England. My plan is to visit Oxhill Parish in Warwickshire where my ancestors left for American in the late 1600's. I appreciate your comment!
That's a tough one to answer! We'd all have different responses I'm sure... but for me I think my favorite is Rome... but the most influential for me was Mumbai. There are some places you visit and it completely alters your scope of humanity. I did housing research in Dharavi (a super dense informal housing community) that completely redefined the way I conceptualized the word "home." The kind of richness of overlapping cultures and daily routines there was not something I had ever experienced in person... and impossible to capture with a camera.
Anyway, enjoy your new sense of Wanderlust! Thanks again for sharing :) - Kirk
I bet each destination resonates in a different way. I would really like to experience India. The person who started the meditation group I below to, Paramahansa Yogananda was from Gorakhpur. I'm sure it's like a different world. It'd be fun to hear some of your travel stories! Thanks, @hitheryon!
Before going to Amsterdam, I was told "Watch out for bicycles, they're everywhere!"
Looking at the forecast slightly above freezing and raining, I thought "at least I don't have to worry about bicycles." I was wrong. As you said, they'll ride their bikes in any weather. I was shocked, not only were they biking, many were riding without gloves!
The Amsterdam trip lit a travel fire for Brittany and I as well. Where are you headed next? We're thinking some place tropical. Since we're both learning Spanish, we'll probably go somewhere Spanish speaking as well.
I feel of those cold and rainy nights were miserable to walk in, I can't even imagine biking in that kind of weather. I suppose most have been doing that since their earliest memory. We have a few overseas trips planned for next year. St. Thomas (USVI) in February/March, Montreal later in the Spring, and then hopefully Ireland/England in the Fall. I'm not sure if it will all work out quite yet since I have another novel to finish and promote. The Ireland/England trip may be pushed off until 2018, I hope not though. Any ideas for you two?
I'm not sure. If I had to guess, it will go something like this:
Me: "Hey Brittany, here are round trip flights to (enter destination here) for $200 in April, want to go?
Her: "Yes!! Let's do it!"
That kind of spontaneity is the best!
It was a good read. I learned something new. Just one thing though. If Minnesota is Siberia, then I must live at the North Pole. I'm in Saskatchewan, feeling like a Santa Claus now. Anyway, thanks for sharing.
Fun fact: Amsterdam is to the North of Saskatoon. I live in the Netherlands and I don't have a winter coat at the moment. Don't really need it yet: temperatures will be around +10 degrees Celsius until Friday. Thank you, Gulf Stream!
Here, it is currently -28°C. I've been to Amsterdam, Saskatchewan. It's not north of Saskatoon though. I have not had the chance to leave this continent to visit the other Amsterdam.
Very interesting! 10 degrees Celsius is comfortable for this time of the year. We likely won't see that until next April.
Thank you, @nonamesledttouse. Siberia maybe been a bit of an over exaggeration. I'm glad you enjoyed the post!
Saskatchewan! Well, I have never met anyone who lives there, so it's a privilege. Cheers, @nonamelefttouse.
Well that was fancy way to earn a new follower. There's a few from Saskatchewan using Steemit, but there are only about one million of us living here in Saskatchewan, so we are a rare treat.
Ha ha. Indeed!
Thank you for bringing back vivid memories of Amsterdam, my friend. I am thrilled you both have the bug. If Stroopwafels were used as currency, I think I would live a miserly life.
Yes, the Dutch know how to live. Can you imagine seeing the tulips in the spring?
Someday.
You're welcome, writing this made me relive it. "If Stroopwafels were used as currency, I think I would live a miserly life." That is quote-worthy my friend. : ) YES, I can imagine seeing the tulips in spring! They were planting some at the airport as we were leaving and it was a sign from the universe that we need to return.