February 15, 2010
A Travel Writer’s Take on Amsterdam
I have one of those jobs that allows me to live anywhere. It also affords me the chance to explore the rest of the world when I’m gone. I’m a freelance travel writer, and I moved to Portland in summer of 2007. I’d been living happily in New Mexico up until that time but felt compelled to try something new, and considered a number of great cities.
As I’m on the road about half the time, one thing that sold me on Portland was that, although it’s a manageable city with close proximity to greenery and the outdoors, it still has a world-class airport with plenty of direct flights, including international service to Asia and Europe. I keep my fingers crossed that PDX will land some future international routes, and in the meantime, I’m thankful for those we have.
As it happens, I’ve also long been a fan of one of the cities with direct flights from here, Amsterdam – I even wrote a guidebook on the city back in the ’90s. Just this past May, I returned for a visit and to research a few stories for different outlets (I write for a mix of publications, some mainstream, and others with a mostly gay and lesbian readership).
With my recent visit still fresh in my mind, here’s my quick-and-dirty take on what I most recommend seeing and doing if you find yourself in Amsterdam for a few days:
The tree-shaded lanes and canals of the Jordaan. Photo courtesy of Andrew Collins.
You can escape some of the more tourist-heavy parts of the city with surprising ease – the Nieuwmarkt area has some wonderful little lanes dotted with design shops and cafes – try Staalstraat and Zwaneburgwal in particular. From here you’re very close to Rembrandthuis - the home, studio and museum of Dutch Painter, Rembrandt van Rijn – which is absolutely worth a visit.
Another excellent neighborhood for strolling and lazing away the afternoon in diverting cafes is the Jordaan – cozy Balthazar’s Keuken is a fantastic spot for market-fresh country French cooking, with a menu that changes weekly.
As culinary joys go, also be sure to try Indonesian food while in town. The traditional rijstaffel (“rice table”) meals served at countless spots around the city offer a terrific sense of what this flavorful, sweet-and-spicy cuisine is all about. Restaurant Selecta is one of my favorite places for rijstaffel – it’s just around the corner from Reguliersdwaarsstraat, which is home to several of the city’s most popular gay bars.
A rijstaffel feast at Restaurant Selecta. Photo Courtesy of Andrew Collins
If you get the chance, budget some time to explore a couple of nearby cities – several great ones are within 30- to 90-minute train ride. I’ve always enjoyed my time in nearby Leiden, a bustling university town since the late 16th century that’s rife with canals and gardens. Another favorite is the Dutch seat of government, The Hague, which is rich with museums (the Gemeentemuseum has a huge collection of works by Dutch modernist Piet Mondriaan).
Rotterdam's famed cubic homes. Photo courtesy of Andrew Collins.
Zandvoort is a scenic resort town on the North Sea that’s one of northern Europe’s favorite gay beach towns – Portlanders partial to Sauvie Island might be happy to know that Zandvoort also has a popular clothing-optional beach. And then there’s the second-largest city in the Netherlands, Rotterdam, which many visitors have dismissed over the years as a gritty, industrial port city. There’s truth to this, but I love it here – you’ll find some exceptional examples of avant-garde post-World War II architecture, and a burgeoning cafe and nightlife culture.
Andrew Collins
Freelance Travel Writer
For more of Andrew’s writing, visit www.gaytravel.about.com
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