Twenty years since she last rode a bicycle, Nicky Getley bravely hops on two wheels to explore the Dutch capital Amsterdam, where cyclists rule, OK?
Amsterdam is quirky, bohemian, charming, interesting, entertaining and tolerant, home to around 811,000 inhabitants and 881,000 bicycles.
Some sources cite more than a million bicycles and it’s pretty easy to see how these estimations come about if you arrive at Central Station and take a look at its bicycle (fiets) parking facility.
Having not been on a bike in more than two decades and feeling a little intimidated by the heavy traffic, the fact that scooters are allowed in the cycle lanes and the 30kmph speed limit, it took a long time for me to garner the courage to get in the saddle.
It didn’t help that shortly after my arrival I saw an American tourist crash into a bollard as she was looking at one of the beautiful canal houses.
I decided to explore the city’s architecture, grachten (canals/waterways), museums, parks and shops on foot before putting the adage “you never forget how to ride a bike”, to the test.
I can now confirm that, broadly speaking, this is correct. Once you take off and start pedalling, you amazingly start gliding.
You may jump off if your seat is too high and you suddenly have to stop, or you may forget where to position the pedal for the push start and end up wobbling about the traffic lights, but once you are on one of those 35,000km of cycle paths, freedom and power pervade!
Power? Yes. Bicycles rule in this city, so pedestrians beware and motorists be afraid, as you would be held accountable even if a cyclist causes an accident by jumping a red light.
You simply cannot say you’ve truly experienced Amsterdam without exploring by bike.
Flat terrain with dedicated lanes and so much respect for cyclists makes it an absolute pleasure to cycle around and around three times faster than walking.
It is brilliant for commuting or getting to more outlying places, such as the beautiful Amsterdamse Bos.
Everywhere seems to be around 30 minutes away so you will see all sorts of people on two wheels, including couples in black tie heading to the opera.
I fell in love with my bicycle and cycling around Amsterdam – it’s an absolute must. A word of caution though, bicycles can flip if you get stuck in tramlines, so be careful.
All cities have unique personalities, amazing tales to tell, sites to see, food to sample and experiences to enjoy. Amsterdam displays its dichotomy of ‘naughty’ and ‘nice’ like no other, guaranteeing an educational, enlightening experience.
One weekend will never be enough to get to know this city, but hopefully the following will intrigue you enough to visit.
Sometimes people form perceptions about places based on tales, and sometimes tales shape personalities.
Amsterdam’s multiple stories include the ‘Miracle of Amsterdam’ from the 14th century.
Today Kalverstraat is one of the busiest (and best) shopping streets in the city and apparently one of the most expensive shop rental property streets in the world.
Its name derives from kalvermarkt (calves market), which is the purpose it served until the 17th century.
In 1345 in a house on Kalverstraat, an ill man received the Sacred Host from a priest administering the Sacrament of the Sick.
It is said that the man expelled the Host, which the priest caught in a bowl and tossed into the fire.
Instead of burning however, the host appeared to be floating in the flames. An anonymous lady then apparently thrust her arm into the flames without getting burnt and retrieved the Sacred Host.
She placed it in a case in the sick man’s room and they sent for a parish priest to collect it. The priest arrived and took the host with him to the Oude Kerk (old church).
The following morning the host had gone and it was discovered back in the case in the sick man’s room on Kalverstraat, so the priest was called to collect it for the second time.
The next day the exact same thing happened, and again the day after that.
Bicycles rule in this city, so pedestrians beware and motorists be afraid as you would be held accountable even if a cyclist causes an accident
At that point it is said the people understood God wanted to make this miracle public, so a procession followed the host as it was next taken from house to church and it remained in a reliquary until disappearing during the Reformation.
In mid-March each year, Catholics still visit the church to celebrate the Miracle of Amsterdam.
The Oude Kerk is one of Amsterdam’s oldest buildings, situated in De Wallen, the main red light district.
So in a naughty area, visit a nice church and marvel at the entire floor composed of gravestones, the fact that Rembrandt had all his children christened there, that you are standing under the largest wooden medieval vault (the roof) in Europe, and if you inspect the underside of the choir stall seats you will see some of the most impressive and naughty misericords ever carved.
Near the church you will find the oldest house in the city, Houten Huys (wooden house) at Begijnhof 34, built in 1435.
It is one of only two existing wooden houses, as timber construction was outright banned from 1669, following devastating fires in 1421 and 1452.
Sushi is extremely popular in Amsterdam, and Japanese and Indonesian cuisine is not hard to find, perhaps because Indonesia is a former Dutch colony.
After a day of wondering about De Wallen and Kalverstraat, head to Kyoto Cafe on Damrak, which offers an excellent all-you-can-eat sushi menu in the region of €22, which includes excellent scallops and prawns dishes.
The service can be shoddy but the food quality and value for money makes up for it.
Having mentioned Rembrandt, culture vultures will absolutely love the Museumplein area.
It is home to the Stedijlik, Van Gogh and Rijks museums, the Bols Museum (which culminates in cocktails) and a pretty big Albert Hijn. Albert Hijn is the Dutch equivalent of Tesco.
If, like me, you can spend hours in supermarkets looking at what other cultures consume but don’t have that much time, some typically Dutch items to go for would be vla (Dutch custard) in the chilled dairy section and gestoofde peertjes (bottled or canned pears).
Along with copious quantities of cheese, stroopwafels are a Dutch staple. Having sampled every brand there is, my vote for the best stroopwafels in the city goes to Hema – there’s a pretty big store in Kalverstraat.
Cheese is everywhere, and there’s a museum on Damrak too. Try truffle cheese if you haven’t already, it’s mouth-watering, and samples of all sorts abound at the Albert Cuyp Market.
If you’re in the Museumplein vicinity, a visit to the Rijksmuseum is essential. Aside from its magnificent collection of art the building itself is awe-inspiring and worth booking tour.
Walking through the Rijksmuseum passage at night and simply looking up at the brilliant stone carvings on either side (don’t get hit by a bicycle while you’re looking up) is a treat.
If you walk through this passage from Museumplein towards the city centre you can either go slightly left and head to Leidseplein with its casinos, clubs, restaurants and shops or continue straight along Spiegelgracht with its multitude of art galleries and antique stores.
If I could only choose one, I would pick Spiegelgracht as aside from walking along one of the most beautiful canals, your imagination is set loose with the amount of art and artefacts on display.
The Anne Frank house is one of Amsterdam’s famous attractions, and while there is very little inside in terms of physical items, its presentation, atmosphere and energy makes it a rather emotional place to visit.
If the weather is nice and if you enjoy walking head to Vondelpark and soak up the atmosphere or go on a canal boat ride.
From there you could always head to PCHooftstraat where Chanel, Louis Vuitton and other premium brands line the street.
For those wanting some body and mind care, there are numerous spas in the area, and if you head to Overtoom, there are two hot yoga studios that are very welcoming to new students (Absolute Yoga and Forty Degrees).
To try the official Bikram yoga, head to the studio near the main station in Prinsengratcht or their other studio in Ceintuurban. You’ll feel like a new person when you walk out!
There are some excellent restaurants in the Museumplein area such as the Indonesian Sama Sebo (PCHooftstraat), which does a pretty hefty rijsttafel, literally translated to ‘rice table’.
If you prefer something lighter, visit the Seafood Bar on Van Baerlestraat, as the lobster is excellent and their wine menu is fabulous.
Spiegelgracht runs along one of the most beautiful canals and your imagination is set loose with the amount of art and artefacts on display
Grabbing something on the go or simply wanting a snack, look for a Simon Meijssen bakery. There are a couple of them dotted around the city, their wholewheat croissants, 100 per cent beef sausage rolls, gevulde koek and appel rondels are to die for. Anything you buy from there is bound to be a treat.
On the subject of treats, let’s move on to naughty Amsterdam. De Wallen, mentioned earlier, is the (in)famous red-light district and I believe no less educational than the Bols Museum.
Adult entertainment and coffeeshops are another interesting facet of Amsterdam’s personality. They are a part of the city’s heritage and major tourist attractions.
As there is no light without shadow, at least a nose around the red light areas should be on the itinerary.
To get some more insight into this quirky side of the city, a visit to the Sex Museum on Damrak is worthwhile as well as Yab Yum (a former brothel turned museum) and the new Red Light Secrets museum documenting prostitution in the city since the 16th century.
For those with an interest in the darker, medieval side of Amsterdam and Europe there is a Torture Museum on Singel (not to be confused with the one on Damrak) that has an interesting and informative display of dark devices.
Having exhausted your body, mind and spirit spending a few days in the city it might be time to head to a coffeeshop.
Get more of an informed opinion by dropping into the Hash, Marijuana and Hemp Museum in De Wallen – if you can manage one more museum.
Recently there were rumours of coffeeshops banning sale of weed and hash to tourists. This ‘ban’ didn’t last long, as Amsterdam thrives on tourism.
Ultimately the authorities decided coffeeshops were no longer allowed to sell their wares alongside alcohol.
There are, in effect, three places to visit: cafes – child-friendly and great for normal cake and coffee; coffeeshops – great for space cakes, weed and hash; and pubs – great for getting drunk.
Some pubs allow people to smoke cigarettes but won’t sell weed/hash.
Coffeeshop attendants tend to be super-helpful to clueless tourists and each shop has a menu usually indicating which strains they offer, their strength and whether they are sativa (high-effect) or indica (stoned-effect).
The multiple strains and effect of THC in marijuana is interesting to learn about, especially with the number of reports regarding its cancer-fighting properties.
Coffeeshops also have some of the best coffee in the city (there was a reason for their name, after all) and it’s polite etiquette to order a coffee or drink when paying a visit if you can tolerate sitting in the smoke and smell!
You’re best advised not to mix alcohol and coffeeshop wares – that’s why the authorities clamped down on the sale of both in one venue.
So, now you have been briefly introduced to Amsterdam, if you want to get to know it better simply jump on a three-hour flight from Malta.
Air Malta do direct flights five times per week.