I like to think that I am a source of inspiration to my offspring however, since that is clearly not the case with my children, I am trying again with my grand-children. As a 16th birthday present, I offered to take my eldest grand-daughter to somewhere in Europe. I was suitably impressed when she chose Amsterdam stating that she would like to go to the Van Gogh museum. I can't recall any of my children ever actually asking me to go to a museum so forgive me if I thought my influence was beginning to reap results.
I rarely take package holidays and prefer to travel independently. I particularly enjoy getting a bargain and managed to get a great deal on our hotel accommodation via Travel Trolley. I say a bargain - at £548 for three nights (without breakfast) it was not cheap and as I tend to stay in Premier Inn type hotels or cheap B&Bs, this was a lot more than I would normally spend. However, the price of £548 (Grand Hotel Amrath Amsterdam) was significantly lower than on other sites including trying to book directly with the hotel who were charging almost double the price. Flights from Southampton with KLM cost £79.11 each and car parking £46.10. Why do all airlines not offer parking deals?
Despite a delayed start, I can highly recommend KLM for efficiency and customer service. The children on board were delighted with the delay as they were taken to the cockpit and one lucky boy sat alongside the pilot for the whole journey. To say I was jealous is an understatement and I am going to fly with KLM again in the hope of another delay and this time I will be right in there asking to fly the plane.
It is extremely easy to get the train from Schiphol airport straight to Amsterdam Central Station (cheap at 8 euros return) and the hotel was only a fifteen minute walk from the station so very central for all types of transport which we used throughout our stay. The hotel itself did not disappoint. It is a beautiful old shipping building with art deco architecture incorporating mythology and maritime themes. All staff were professional and very helpful but a special mention to Ryan who helped serve breakfast and the concierge who had been in touch with me beforehand emailing me a map of how to get to the hotel as well as trips etc. he could book on my behalf.
The buffet breakfast is very good although expensive (25 euros pp) especially when there are so many cheaper alternatives close to the hotel e.g. Pancakes Amsterdam (delicious). I also, for some reason, had a real problem with the tea bags! Not your normal PG Tips which confused the hell out of me and I couldn't open the thing. When I did it went everywhere and I knocked over the hot water. It would been nice (and safer) to have this served.
The spa area including pool is included in price and we used it every night. After walking for hours the Jacuzzi is sheer bliss. We also had a treatment each which was reasonably priced and Jennifer in the salon was so helpful.
Knowing that we were there to celebrate (albeit in advance) Milly's 16th birthday, the hotel brought a cake to our room which is a thoughtful gesture and much appreciated as was the free mini bar (replenished daily).
The first thing we did was to take a one hour Amsterdam canal cruise to give us a sense of the area which is really worth doing. This was booked with Tours and Tickets (https://www.tours-tickets.com/) We then walked to the Anne Frank house and museum, waited in the queue for 45 minutes as we couldn't get tickets beforehand online then got the tram back into the city centre. The visit to Anne Frank's house is very moving and there is a stillness as visitors go from room to room. I think the silence is not only out of respect but the knowing that prejudice and hatred are not just our history but our present.
I very rarely go on planned excursions however decided on this trip to book a half day excursion to the 'Windmills & Countryside' with Tours and Tickets (https://www.tours-tickets.com/). It was money well spent (98 euros for 2). I booked through the hotel as they can offer a slight discount.
The tour guide was slightly over-zealous and I was a little concerned about his blood pressure. He repeatedly told us passengers how he loved his job but had obviously endured some traumatic experience previously as he carried a large clock to show everyone the time that they had to be back on the bus and became so excited telling us that the bus would leave without us if we were not back on time that he dropped the clock and it smashed into little pieces. He then shrugged and said it was the 'sixth or seventh time that the clock it went poof on the ground'. I had a fit of the giggles whilst everyone else hurried to follow his little flag. He also repeatedly informed us of his recommendation of where we should eat and then proceeded to march us all down to the restaurant. He was plainly either the co-owner of said restaurant or was on excellent commission as he greeted the staff like a long lost relative then handed out menus to us all. To be fair, the fish and chips were pretty damn good.
It was a lovely afternoon. During the trip we went to the working windmill village of Zaanse Schans a cheese factory in Volendam and then by ferry to Marken to see clogs being made.
I spotted clogs in the garden being used as plant pots and I asked the nice clog-maker if I could buy one. He said since I had asked so politely (manners cost nothing) that I could just take one. Unfortunately this was said rather quietly and it then looked as if I had pinched a clog from the garden especially as I stuffed it into my bag suspiciously. This was a size 12 (at least) clog so huge and, whilst everyone else had clog shop bags for their purchases, there was I with a massive clog sticking out of my bag. My grand-daughter was mortified. Once back in the hotel I realised that the clog would not fit into my hand luggage so I had to leave it in hotel room when we left with a little note for the house-keeper saying 'please use as you see fit'. I am sure they have seen and found worse.
Please see previous post on travelling with a teenager to understand that by day three I was in desperate need to talk to someone. When I asked my grand-daughter if she was enjoying the trip she remarked that it was great that the cafes had Wi-Fi. We were up early and had eaten at Pancakes Amsterdam for breakfast. As Milly was quiet I asked if everything was ok and she responded that as it was only 9am she was finding it difficult to say a full sentence and felt 'dazed'. She did ask me who Van Gogh was (which I found a little strange as she had previously asked to visit the museum) and my response of 'he is the one that cut off his ear, think sunflowers' was greeted with 'thanks, I will use that in my GCSE Art paper'. So given conversation was clearly not on the agenda, we agreed to go to the Noordemarkt Flea Market which we both loved. Milly bought two vinyl records (The Beatles and Aretha Franklin) and I ate lots of apple cake.
I purchased a 24hr hop on/off boat ticket again from Tours and Tickets (https://www.tours-tickets.com/) which was well worth the price of 25 euros. We took the 'green route' to the Albert Cuyp Market then walked to the Van Gogh museum. We then got the boat at the Rijksmuseum stop to go back to the centre. It really is by far the best way to travel.
When we finally reached the Van Gogh museum, I asked Milly what artists she studied in her art lessons. She looked at me blankly so I suggested that she had studied Van Gogh and that is why she had chosen Amsterdam for her trip......nope! Apparently, in a Dr Who episode ('Vincent and the Doctor' - tenth episode, fifth series), the Dr and his lovely assistant met Van Gogh so Milly was curious as to who he was. Nothing to do with her studies or GCSEs and definitely nothing to do with me being her muse!!! She did however appear to enjoy the museum and she said his paintings were 'quite good'.
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By day 4, she appeared to be a nervous wreck every time we left the hotel and was convinced that I was going to be killed by a bike. They are pretty ferocious and I admit I kept forgetting that (a) there was a cycle lane (which is an excellent idea) and (b) that they are on the 'other' side of the road however I had it under control. Our one and only argument (slight tiff) was when she yelled at me to stop as a motor bike came looming towards me.
Amsterdam is amazing. It is pretty, diverse vibrant and so much more than the Red Light District and weed. My personal favourites are Prisengracht which is the most picturesque of canals, lined by shady trees, parked bikes and cool houseboats and Pluck, a little shop/café which is located in the 9 streets of Amsterdam . We also loved a little boutique called Bijons Vintage which is a must if you like vintage clothes.
Our days were full on and feet were pretty sore from walking despite using the hop on/off canal boat. We spent four days in Amsterdam and could not possibly do everything in such a short time. On my next trip I would love to rent a houseboat and will definitely stay for at least a week.
I asked Milly if there was anything that she learned from her trips away with me. This was her response:
1. If a café or restaurant is empty do not go in. If it is full (especially of local people), go in
2. Remember if you are polite you may be given a free clog
3. Every bag has a purpose
4. Plan ahead and every night look at the map again (and again) and repeat what you are going to do the next day just to make sure everyone knows the plan
5. You do not need to pack a lot but you do need a toothbrush, a hair bobble, clean pants and your passport
6. Take fruit from the breakfast buffet for a mid-morning snack
Do I inspire my grand-daughter - perhaps not, but Amsterdam did.
Lots more photographs on Instagram .... flipping_nora
Tours & Tickets
