Brett, my brother, is taking a summer business course through the University of South Dakota and spending time in Germany, Holland, and Belgium throughout this month. Since our time in Europe overlapped, we decided to meet up for a weekend in Amsterdam. The city might have a reputation for licentiousness, but for the Halversons it was a weekend of strictly family friendly fun. Our wholesome two days in the canal city were spent strolling about the bicycle-thronged streets, taking lots of pictures of boats, waters, and flowers, and trying to avoid getting run over by the fast-moving street trams.
We were both really scared that the planned meet-up would fall through and Brett would be lost in Amsterdam and I would spend the next two days trying to find him. No worries, however, as we seamlessly found each other in the crowded central station and started our tour with a walk down the red light district. Every guide book I brought (and I had several) noted that no trip to Amsterdam would be complete without a stroll through this hotspot for every vice Amsterdam is famous for. I felt more comfortable going in the day time, closer to lunch than clubbing time. (I am making no claims to coolness here.) From there we walked through Niewemarket and on to the Hienneken tour.
Brett would tell you, the tour of Hienneken's facility started out pretty weak, lots of history, which is funny because the factory in Amsterdam was never actually used to brew the beer. However, after the first free pint (followed by two more, gratis) the tour became a lot more fun. Interactive displays attempted to make the exhibits more like universal studios than the public library, and while it worked to an extent, the refreshments also played a large part in this museum's success. Definitely take the tour while in Amsterdam.
Our night continued with a canal cruise and Indonesian food, courtesy of my friend Melissa's recommendations. It was an idyllic, beautiful day! Both of us got some much-needed rest, which I think is a common circumstance for backpackers in Amsterdam. As Brett said while enjoying a Dutch dessert after dinner, "When people ask whether I went to any coffeeshops, I'll have to tell them no....but I did have a tasty cherry pastry." Totally true. The best day of my trip so far. Thanks, Brett!
We were both really scared that the planned meet-up would fall through and Brett would be lost in Amsterdam and I would spend the next two days trying to find him. No worries, however, as we seamlessly found each other in the crowded central station and started our tour with a walk down the red light district. Every guide book I brought (and I had several) noted that no trip to Amsterdam would be complete without a stroll through this hotspot for every vice Amsterdam is famous for. I felt more comfortable going in the day time, closer to lunch than clubbing time. (I am making no claims to coolness here.) From there we walked through Niewemarket and on to the Hienneken tour.
Brett would tell you, the tour of Hienneken's facility started out pretty weak, lots of history, which is funny because the factory in Amsterdam was never actually used to brew the beer. However, after the first free pint (followed by two more, gratis) the tour became a lot more fun. Interactive displays attempted to make the exhibits more like universal studios than the public library, and while it worked to an extent, the refreshments also played a large part in this museum's success. Definitely take the tour while in Amsterdam.
Our night continued with a canal cruise and Indonesian food, courtesy of my friend Melissa's recommendations. It was an idyllic, beautiful day! Both of us got some much-needed rest, which I think is a common circumstance for backpackers in Amsterdam. As Brett said while enjoying a Dutch dessert after dinner, "When people ask whether I went to any coffeeshops, I'll have to tell them no....but I did have a tasty cherry pastry." Totally true. The best day of my trip so far. Thanks, Brett!
1 comment:
great blog...
Post a Comment