Amsterdam

Bikes, Bridges & Beyond

It’s so easy to fall in love with this city. What’s not to like about tulips and windmills, canals, and the charm they exude. Plus there is stroopwaffles and the Kras...

Text & Photographs: Farzana Contractor

Amsterdam had been sitting in my bucket for a while now, along with Japan, Brazil, Czechoslovakia and Iceland. So you can imagine how excited I was when my train pulled into Amsterdam Central.

My excitement doubled thinking about where I would be spending my next three nights. I had heard so much about Anantara, where I was headed, the city’s most iconic luxury hotel.

It was love at first sight. What stunned me was the location. Right there on Dam Square in the historic centre. The full name of the hotel is Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam but the locals call it, just Kras. Nice. “Let’s go have coffee at Kras!” Sounds neat.

I can safely tell you, my stay in Amsterdam was made worthwhile in a big measure because of Kras. It’s so central you can keep popping in and out, whether to just sit in the square and observe the world go by or dart in when it starts to rain, as it is wont to in October when I was there. Or if you feel on one of your walking tours of the area around, that it’s getting too cold, you simply head back. There is much to see all around the hotel, but I will get to that later.

My room was charming, on the first floor, facing the Dam. When I was not out in the city, I was sitting at the bay window observing at eye level, the changing scenario. Groups of gregarious tourists, someone walking their dog, lovers lingering by the sidewalk, pecking now and then, smiling, laughing, hugging. Bunch of youngsters, dancing with their headphones on; all happy sights. I particularly loved when it started to get dusk and the fairy lights in the trees and on the many lanterns hanging on the boughs started to twinkle. And as it rained softly, the picture postcard scene seemed perfect. Almost like Christmas had arrived sooner.

The hotel built in 1855 is utterly charming. A balance of its outwardly old-world looks with modern comforts, subtle and classy. What I like is how the 402 rooms and suites offer different views, since they face different parts of the city. From elegant standard rooms to spacious apartments with canal views and private terraces. Though I liked my Dam-view suite the best.

The iconic luxury hotel overlooking the dam	The charming room with a stunning view	State of the art living

Breakfast at Kras in the Wintergarden makes you reel. Under the glass-roofed atrium the buffet that is laid out is superlative. There are also live counters serving eggs of your choice. Sheer abundance; quality and quantity. Cheeses, pastries, assorted breads, cold cuts, fruits... A live honeycomb with honey dripping elegantly, fresh juice from a machine laden with oranges. And sitting next to the milk bottles are Moet bottles. Champagne, anyone?

Breakfast time at Wintergarden	Cold milk or Chilled Moet	Fresh orange juice, anyone?

The spa at Kras is also seriously indulgent. It’s a tranquil escape from the bustle of the Dam activities. I did manage the time for one treatment and it was excellent.

However, the best for the last. The White Room. Dining here was an exceptionally pleasing experience. It’s been a restaurant space since 1885, clearly making it the oldest restaurant of Amsterdam and certainly the most prestigious too, with Jacob Jan Boerma, a chef with three Michelin stars as its advisor. Top culinary expertise is assured with this factor.

The White Room at the Kras	Chef de Cuisine Tristan de Boer

The White Room, as its name denotes, has got a sparkly feel to it. Elegant and timeless with an atmosphere most refined. It opened in its current form in 2016 and was awarded a Michelin star within a year. It sits easily on the list of the international foodie.
Chef Boerma is known for weaving acidity and spice into his dishes, giving them a certain vibrancy. A creativity, freshness and a balance of taste in his food,  you can only enjoy, not express in words.

North Sea Crab	Venison with beetroot

The tasting menu I had the pleasure of going through did put me in a happy state. Smoked Beetroot, BBQ Oyster, Langoustine, Rendang and Partridge to name the mains. It was paired with excellent wines. Dessert was a many splendoured thing, but I do love dessert wines more, and the Rovisco Pais Moscatel they paired it with put me in seventh heaven!

Ossetra caviar	Kingfish crudo

The combination of location, history and cuisine makes dining here not just about food, but being a part of a larger order. Heritage, you don’t trifle with.So, apart from staying at a really cool hotel, what can you do in Amsterdam? Certainly go on long walks, admire the quaintness of the city, its architecture, canals and bridges. You can visit its famous museums and art galleries. You can go have a look at Anne Frank’s house. You can eat great food at its high-end restaurants, or the many mid-level ones, or even off the street. You can visit its fantastic chocolate shops, or just go shopping at the many tiny vintage boutiques. You can go on bike tours, within the district, or even ride to tulip fields with some being just three to five kms. away. Provided you are there in the right season; March to mid-May.

You can also go have a look at the windmills that Amsterdam is famous for. Or go for boat rides through the narrow canals. Of course, one visit to the red-light district is de rigueur, especially for first-time visitors like me. I did, and came away impressed.
So what is a good place to start? I would say, around the Dam. I always like to get to know a new city through the eyes of a local. Naturally, they know their city the best. And I was most fortunate to meet Karin, a city guide who had an in-depth knowledge of the city she was born in and grew up in. It was to be a bicycle tour which we had to call off, no thanks to the rain which decided to come down. So Karin parked her old bike against a wall, picked up umbrellas from the hotel concierge and we were on our way. Leisurely ambling through the narrowest of lanes I doubt I would get into, were I to be on my own.

Tourists at the dam	Always crowded here	A good place to start

We went over bridges on canals of all kinds. Do you know there are 165 of them, stretching over 100 kms? And more than 1500 bridges which connect the waterway?

The canals have their own story. And I was so intrigued by them, I had to learn more. Firstly, I found the canal system of Amsterdam is considered the world’s greatest urban planning achievement, a fact recognised by UNESCO. It reflects Dutch mastery of living with water – turning a marshy delta into a thriving modern city.

It all began when early settlers, between the 9th and 13th century, began to live on peatlands in a small fishing village along the Amstel river. As population and the town grew, dikes and primitive canals were dug for defense and drainage. It was only in the 17th century, considered the Golden Age Expansion, with the building of the Grachtengordel (Canal Belt), an engineering marvel, that things changed. The growing population was taken care of, trade flourished and grand houses with tall, narrow, gabled facades, built by merchants, alongside the canals, made their way, showcasing new wealth.

Canal Cruising	Tourists love it!	Karin, the best city guide

Today, due to its extensive canal network, Amsterdam has been nicknamed Venice of the North and these very canals define the city’s beauty and identity, with its unique architecture; a blend of ornate homes and cutting-edge contemporary structures. Walking along the various canals is the best way to absorb the city’s atmosphere. It would not be an exaggeration to say each walk is a history lesson and every canal reflects centuries of ingenuity. Take the Jordan district, for example. Formerly it was a working-class area, now it’s among the most expensive real estate in the city, with chic cafés and art galleries where homes of the poor are converted to Bohemian modern homes of rich people.

If today Amsterdam is one of the world’s most powerful cities and Europe’s leading trading hub, it’s thanks to its attitude of tolerance. Immigrants were welcomed, thinkers and artists encouraged. Colonial expansion and banking innovations make it a cosmopolitan city where everyone seems to be living in peace and harmony.

Nowhere do you see this nature of the city best, than at the Dam Square. Large protest rallies are permitted. The police stand by keeping their eyes wide open, but they don’t give off negative vibes. They are there to look after you, not work against you. The day I was there was the biggest rally ever (250,000 people filled the Museum Square), anywhere in Europe, in protest of the genocide happening in Palestine. Yet, the city was not disrupted and neither was there any violence. Speaks a lot for the character of a city and its people.

Protestors supporting Palestine

All of Amsterdam moves on two wheels. The bicycles are everywhere. They make the streets look young and friendly – though I can safely add I saw many elderly people on bikes, too. I believe there are more bikes than people out here – with an estimate of 24.1 million bicycles in the country (which averages 1.4 bikes per person), it’s not just about transportation but the city’s cultural identity. There are extensive bicycle lanes, with traffic rules tailored for cyclists.

As for the flower-covered bikes you see scattered all over the city are the work of Warren Gregory, better known as the Flower Bike Man. Originally from Florida, USA, Warren moved to Amsterdam with his wife Michelle in 2004. She suffered from epilepsy and struggled to remember where she had parked her bike. To help her identify her bike, Warren started decorating it with flowers. The idea blossomed, literally and everyone started decorating more bikes with flowers, butterflies and clocks, turning them into landmarks across the city, serving as public art. Today, these flower bikes stands as a symbol of love, resilience and joy.

Bicycles, a way of life	Warren's flower-bedecked bikes	A sight all over Amsterdam

The waterways, once a practical transport mode, are no longer so. Some locals do own boats but use them for recreational purposes. It’s the tourists who love seeing Amsterdam by boat. And there are many popular cruises you could book yourself on. Most are for one hour and cost about euros 15 to 25 per person. Of course there are speciality cruises with dinner and drinks, many with multi-course meals.

I was in Amsterdam in the wrong month where tulips are concerned so I made do with asking Karin to take me to a florist where I could see the different kinds. I can tell you tulips are something else. I am a huge garden person who grows a great deal of flowers. I had every intention of buying some bulbs to bring back home but unfortunately there wasn’t enough time to browse. I just had to feel good, shooting as many pictures as I could.

Tulip museum	Tulips, by the way

But for those who will be here in the right season, which is Spring, make a trip to the tulip fields. The peak bloom is usually in mid-April and the most famous fields are in Lisse and around Keukenhof Gardens. You can get there by car, which takes about 30 to 40 minutes from Amsterdam.

The symbols of Dutch engineering and heritage – the windmills are all around, too. From 3 to 20 kms., you can take your pick. For a more classic windmill postcard (Instagram?) experience, head to Zaanse Schans, 20 kms. northwest of Amsterdam. You could take a train there. Or for a more local feel, there is De Gooyer or Molen Van Stolen, right in Amsterdam.

Brings me to the last of the attractions, sight-seeing or otherwise, of Amsterdam. The famous red-light district. It’s in an area called De Wallen and is located in the medieval city centre near Oudezijds Achterburgwal canal. Smaller ones include Singelgebied and Ruysdaelkade, but De Wallen is the oldest and the largest with about 300 “windows” where you peek to take your pick.

The district dates back to the 13th century when sailors and traders frequented the port and prostitution became part of the city’s economy. Over centuries, the area evolved into a regulated zone and was later legalised. Since red lights were used to signal availability, the term “red light district” came into use.

Now prostitution in all of the Netherlands is legal. Since 2000, the city has issued licences for brothels and enforces rules to protect worker’s rights. Sex workers rent window cabins and operate as independent entrepreneurs, paying taxes and following health and safety regulations.

On a personal note, walking through one such lane, I was rather taken up by how attractive these women looked. Beautifully made-up and so well-dressed, or rather undressed, in sexy bikinis and attractive negligées. They could be top models off a ramp! They were in fact Dutch citizens, as well as women from around the world, once again depicting Amsterdam’s cosmopolitan character.

A word of caution; taking pictures of sex workers in the district is strictly prohibited. Enforcement is strong, police are very attentive to that and the fines are high.

Just as an aside I might add, De Wallen is a historic area and there are many landmarks alongside the red-light windows. The Old Church (Oude Kerk), Amsterdam’s oldest building dating back to 1213, for one. It has stunning stained glass. There is also Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder (Museum of Our Lord in the Attic), a hidden 17th century Catholic church built in the attic of a canal house, another symbol of Amsterdam’s religious tolerance.

There is the Red Lights Secrets Museum offering insights into a sex worker’s life, the history of prostitution in the city. It’s located in a former brothel. And lastly the area just outside De Wallen, Nieuwmarkt, which has the Waag (Weigh House), a medieval building, once part of the city gate, now a bustling square with Asian restaurants, cafés and shops. And the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist temple. Talk about adding cultural diversity to make it an even more interesting walk.

Which actually does bring me to food in the city. Amsterdam is one place where you can go from Michelin-starred tasting menus to grabbing a hot stroopwafel on the street within minutes.

There are many fine-dining options in the city. To mention three of the best...  The White Room at Kras, for sure. Then there is De Silveren Spiegel serving refined Dutch cuisine in a historic 17th-century building.  Lastly, Ciel Bleu, on the 23rd floor of Hotel Okura, a two Michelin-starred creative European restaurant.

In the mid-range, the local recommendations that came up were: Zoldering, a wine-focused bistro, Hoi Tin – a hotspot for Dim sims, Namche – Nepalese, if you please, and Esra – a Turkish place blending with international cultures. This selection proves that the locals are quite experimental and would much rather eat global food when eating out. And they do like to mix and match.

Like blending traditional Dutch staples – herring, cheese and apple pie with other street food with global influences – Indonesian rijsttafel, Surinamese roti, to Turkish doner and Moroccan lamb skewers, at markets like Albert Cuypmarky and Noordermarkt, which are hubs for these street food specialities.

Just so you know, when the locals eat their own food off the street, it is the following. Haringkar; raw herring with onions and pickles – it is a Dutch classic. Stroopwafels; thin waffles with caramel syrup. Kibbeling; fried, battered fish bites, usually cod, served with garlic sauce and patat; thick Dutch fries with a topping of mayo, satay sauce or curry ketchup.

A charming cheese shop	Ah, Gouda!

I was very keen to buy some Dutch cheese, so Karin took me to a shop where I indulged my heart’s desire. And then since she was keen we see the exclusive place where locals buy their chocolate from, we went to Puccini. What a place! You know it’s special the moment you walk in. Handmade and perfect with assorted flavours; pralines, truffles, the works.

Chocolates galore!	Puccini, a local favourite	Take your pick	Local delicacies

When it was teatime we walked into Café Papeneiland to eat the tastiest and most generous piece of apple pie ever. I skipped the coffee, opting for a hot chocolate, my weakness!

There is lots more I want out of Amsterdam and I am certain sooner than later I will be re-visiting this charming town of boats and bridges, canals and culture, and so much more. Probably one April when I will be able to cycle to the tulip fields and there, overlooking the tulips, I will have a glass or two of some good Bergdorpje!

Apple pie at Café Papeneiland	That whipped cream... Uff!