Dutch spring

Art Miaus Strolls Trees Eerie Raw Dinners (more) Art Music

Art Miaus Strolls Trees Eerie Raw Dinners (more) Art Music

The title of this post sums up my Amsterdam: the Amsterdam that came over me like a much awaited Munich rain, the Amsterdam which seemed to me out of place with its tiny leaned over "looks-like-they'll-crumble-over-us" houses, the Amsterdam with its public transportation card validation system which I thought will make me go crazy in the first day (you have to validate the card when you get in and as well when you get out of any means of transport), the Amsterdam with its amazing ("amazing" does not describe it really well) museums... the Amsterdam which I can't stop thinking of...

First things first: food hunting

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is super easy in Amsterdam, especially around the city center.

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Enjoyed some delicious lunches/ dinners at the following steakhouses and not only:

  • Guadalupe Restaurant (Prins Hendrikkade 92, 1012 AE Amsterdam);
  • Santa Maria (Nieuwezijds Kolk 16, 1012 PV Amsterdam, Netherlands) - but I am not 100% - certain this is the one;
  • La Vida (Zeedijk 97HS, 1012 AT Amsterdam);
  • Thais restaurant BIRD (Zeedijk 72-74, 1012 BA Amsterdam);
  • Café-Restaurant Azzurro (Zeedijk 46, 1012 BA Amsterdam);
  • Restaurant Kamasutra (Lange Niezel 9, 1012 GS Amsterdam).

As far as I can recall, all of the above restaurants had at least 1 cat (only saw one cat per restaurant) strolling inside, staying at the window or, as it happened in Bird Restaurant - "**miau(s)**ning". Super cute! Made me think of Munich (again) where you are allowed with your pet (dog) (almost) everywhere.

My mornings in central Amsterdam were a bit deserted because spring was just about to arrive:

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Art is actually what the "A" in "Amsterdam" stands for (no , not really, it's just my opinion):
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I was delighted to be surrounded by canals and to spot this fluffy cute dog:

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There's the saying "like riding a bicycle" - I don't know how to ride a bicycle, but being in Amsterdam it's like riding a bicycle:
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Best thing ever about Amsterdam: Museumkaart, the card with which you can visit all the museum in Netherlands for one year and mostly for free!
Got the chance to visit, for free, with the museum card, the following museums, although online it was written that museum card holders have only some discounts:

  • Science Center NEMO - an awesome place for children (and adults as well) to learn topics on Maths, Physics (plus other) through fun experiments;
  • The Rembrandt House Museum - Rembrandt's (actual) house starting with 1639;
  • Van Gogh Museum - by far an emotional museum;
  • Diamond Museum - with quite plenty of affordable diamond jewelry;
  • The Stedelijk Museum - a vibrant, raw, quirky and interesting international museum which hosts contemporary plus modern art, as well as design; I strongly recommend viewing the framed 3D painting like art installation of the ready-to-sleep sort of bed with the bottle of wine and the wurst, the metal cone with the lights and the TV-Buddha and
  • [The Rijksmuseum](The State Museum(https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en) - I think I'll personally need 100 plus days to see and take in everything.

A Sunday late afternoon stroll around Amsterdam Noord area, after a couple of early morning hours danced at an early rave/ gabber music event, came with stumbling upon a nice quiet park, which had ducks and American coots. I was so thrilled:
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After some few days spent in Amsterdam, I've gotten used with the so often hazy sky,
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the stickers covering the walls/ doors/ electrical panel boxes in the city center area,
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and sometimes I felt this eerie surrounding me:
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Amsterdam is a beautiful city which will sweep you off your feet, once you'll understand it.

Where - Amsterdam;
When - beginning of March, during some chilly mornings and (only) one warm late afternoon;
With - Nikon 1 V2 (50mm f/1.8G; 50mm - ISO 160; 1/4000s-1/100s - f/2.2-2).

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