48 Hours in Amsterdam: A Travel Diary

Amsterdam, Netherlands - 14-15 August 2016

It has been more than a month since we got back from our 2-week trip to Europe, and this vacation hangover doesn't seem to want to leave. 

The thousandsss of photos have been backed up but I don't seem to have the ability to post them up here along with a useful post, so here I am instead, dumping whatever photos I have transferred to my phone, and trying to come up with a somewhat comprehensible post. Heee

Let me start with our last stop. The capital of The Netherlands - The City of Amsterdam.

How to get there:

Thalys Train from Station Brussels-Zuid to Amsterdam Central Station.  That's an hour and 50 minutes of alternate naps and appreciating the view. 

Where to Stay:

We got a charming and convenient studio through Airbnb in De Pijp area. The neighborhood was quiet, safe, and easily accessible by tram. Also, nearby are a lot of lovely food and chill places. 

Where to go and what to do: 

Albert Cuypmarket - an outdoor market which I would've loved to experience. We went there, yes, but t'was a Sunday, and guess what? Yes, they were closed. Huhu

Red Light District (De Wallen) - what you've been hearing bout Amsterdam, well, you've got to see it for yourself. And then see the Oude Kerk (Old Church), while you're there.

Vondelpark. Museumplein. Rijksmuseum. Van Gogh Museum - If you're one who's fond of museums and art and history, Amsterdam is your place! Would've seen them all if time and euros weren't a concern. haha

Canal Cruise - bought a ticket online for Van Gogh Museum + a Canal Cruise, and it was well worth it. The Canal Cruise is a pretty lovely way to sightsee and learn about this city. 

Anne Frank Huis - Thought-provoking. Humbling. Do book your tickets online months ahead. We tried booking ours 4 weeks ahead and tickets were nada. We had to fall in line for almost 2 hours to get in.

Where to eat:

Burgermeester - Our first stop in every city was always food! Got this trio mini burgers - fresh, juicy, flavorful, and not greasy at all! One of the best burgers I've had yet!

IJscuype - we don't say no to ice cream. Even with the chilly weather that we from the tropics and the deserts will never get used to.

Foodhallen - With its rustic feels, and its vast choices - from Spanish, Greek to Vietnamese and Korean to whatever food you're craving right now , and centered by a bar to keep you in a perfect mood - i loved Foodhallen! 

De Bakkerswinkel - Breakfast goodness. And Dutch breakfast is pefect!

Where to grab some drinks:

Pilsvogel - just some 10 minutes away from our Airbnb. This pub just gets me in a good mood. 

Skylounge Amsterdam (Double Tree by Hilton) - enjoyed some shots, while soaking in this lovely panoramic view of the city.

And we basically just grabbed whatever Dutch beer we can find from the supermarkets, took them back to our studio to cap our nights off. I'm not a beer person at all, but Amsterdam just has every beer for every taste! 

What you cannot miss:

Netherland's stroopwafels - caramel syrup in between 2 thin layers of waffles baked to perfection. Nom nom nom. They say the best ones are in Albert Cuypmarket, but we obviously haven't tried these. We've had some in the Museumplein stalls and they were perfect. Grabbed a lot of these from the supermarkets too, to take back home with us. (Photo to follow. heee)

I fell in love with Amsterdam! With its chill vibes, good food, endless charm in every head-turn, I'm pretty much in a good mood the whole time. And that's rare! Haha. I am in love! 

Kisses. Hugs. And I'll have to be a professional cyclist if I'll ever be able pedal my way around the city of bicycles :)