Amsterdam's Damp Embrace (and the Quest for a Decent Stroopwafel)
okay, so amsterdam. it’s…a lot. i just landed back home, smelling faintly of canals and regret (mostly regret over that one questionable herring). i’m a freelance photographer, and honestly, i went there chasing light, but mostly found grey. beautiful grey, mind you, but grey nonetheless.
The weather? i just looked it up and it’s…actively weeping right now, which feels about right. it was hovering around eight degrees when i was there, but the humidity made it feel like six. like being wrapped in a slightly damp, woolen blanket. not unpleasant, exactly, just…present. the air pressure was weirdly high, though, like the city was holding its breath. i swear i could feel it.
my accommodation was in the jordaan, which everyone on TripAdvisor says is “charming.” it is pretty, all those narrow streets and wonky houses, but it’s also full of tourists taking pictures of wonky houses. it’s a bit of a loop, really. i overheard someone complaining at a *cafe that the prices have gone insane, especially for anything remotely resembling a decent stroopwafel. apparently, you need to go to a specific little bakery near the albert cuyp market to get the real deal. i didn’t make it. i failed the stroopwafel test.
people kept telling me to visit the van gogh museum, but honestly, i’m not a huge museum person. i prefer wandering. i spent a lot of time just walking along the canals, trying to capture the light (or lack thereof). i did go to a tiny little photography exhibit in a converted warehouse - found it on a local events board here. it was mostly abstract stuff, but it was cool. the guy running it offered me a beer and we talked about the merits of film versus digital. he was firmly team film, naturally.
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"don't trust the guys selling 'magic mushrooms' near centraal station. seriously. just…don't."
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that was a warning from a bartender i met. apparently, it’s a common scam. i stuck to coffee, which, by the way, is excellent. amsterdam takes its coffee seriously. i found a little place called Lot Sixty One Coffee Roasters that was genuinely amazing. worth the detour.
my neighbors were…interesting. a lot of students, a lot of people on bikes, a lot of people who seemed to be permanently lost. if you get bored, rotterdam and the hague are just a short train ride away. i didn’t go, though. i was too busy trying to find that perfect stroopwafel.
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"the best way to see amsterdam is by bike, but be prepared to be nearly run over by someone else on a bike."
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that was a piece of advice i got from a very frazzled-looking tourist. it’s true. the bike lanes are a warzone. i almost became roadkill several times. i also heard someone say that the red light district is “overrated,” but i didn’t venture in there. not my scene. i did spend an evening in a jazz club* though, which was fantastic. you can find listings on this site.
overall? amsterdam is…complicated. it’s beautiful and chaotic and expensive and damp. it’s a city that gets under your skin, even if it also gives you a slight cold. i’d go back, but i’d pack better boots and a serious stroopwafel strategy.
You might also be interested in:
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- https://votoris.com/post/namangan-was-a-giant-dusty-mistake
- https://votoris.com/post/chasing-coffee-and-coastlines-in-changwon
- https://votoris.com/post/cebu-after-dark-a-night-wanderers-graffiti-crawl