There are certain things which people see as quintessentially Amsterdam. Of course, when you’re being tour guide, you tend to take people to the things that call to them the loudest. In the case of N, his Mecca was and is, the Heineken Brewery.
From what I understand the brewery is no longer in this space, but the building is preserved now in the form of the “Heineken Experience”. Himself and I left them to this one while we went off to sit in a café and have cake!
So much to do, so little time! It was up early in order to fit everything in today! It was one of the few days where we did have a timing deadline, as I had organised to meet up with friends in the evening.
In this vein we did something that I hadn’t actually planned for and wasn’t on the itinerary. We headed to Loop, the yarn shop.
I was so good! I was so strong! I made it out of there with no purchases! Hooray me! (I think Himself went into shock!) Would you like to know more?
Himself had a birthday. We decided that in honour of this occasion, we would go somewhere we hadn’t been yet; Leidseplein!
With a high concentration of bars, pubs, clubs, and cafes, we knew we’d be sure to find something that suited us.
The first place that had looked likely in an online search provided us with pre-dinner drinks.
Not the cocktails we were hoping for, but it was the poor nervous barmans first night on the job and he was a touch clueless. Sweet, but clueless. By the way, that is how you get mixed drinks in Amsterdam. If you’re lucky it’s the liquor (vodka) in one glass and a bottle of what you decide to mix it with. If you’re unlucky it’s a glass of each. They turn up as 4 separate items on the receipt too!
We were the only patron in that bar and it was 8:30. It was also a Tuesday night. We shuffled on.
ambling up the road a bit we stumbled across an Italian Trattoria. You’d think after Leichhardt we would have had enough Italian food, but in we went. Himself likes Italian!
We began with a wine selection
Then antipasto
Followed by calamari fritti
And as usual, we were too busy eating it to get a photo of the veal saltimbocca. (Veal with prosciutto and cheese) Trust me, it was delicious.
We were the third couple in there. Of the other two, one were English tourists, and the other were American tourists, and as we were leaving another group of Americans came in for pizza.
The two staff who were on seemed very taken with the fact that we were practicing our overly rusty Italian on them. We all had fun. 🙂
The fountain outside hotel Americana puts on a good show too.
Then it was time to take in the final sights as we waited for the tram to take us home.
Thank you Leidseplein, it was a truly lovely evening.
And happy Birthday Himself. May the adventures only continue My Love. *smoochies*
Introducing friends to the White Cockatoo. (Yes, that’s 2 between 4. No, they weren’t finished.)
Visiting your Local Yarn Shop,
with Noro corner.
Finding an Oopmah Band celebrating Oktoberfest
Sausages and bacon for breakfast!
Indulging at the Lindt cafe with a brownie,
and an $8 chocolate shake.
As always, there was also plenty of time to indulge in a little movie quoting too!
Were you listening to me, Neo? Or were you looking at the woman in the red dress?
Quick post about the pub we went to last night for dinner; The White Cockatoo.
You hear stories about the schnitzel … and then you order it. We decided each schnitzel must be a complete chicken.
We ordered 3 between 5 people.
The Australian
The Mexican
And the Seafood (garlic prawns and calamari)
The only one I got a finished picture of was the Seafood. But I think it speaks for itself. The other plates were in a similar state. (This was between me and Himself)
The suggestion for next time is one schnitzel between five, and then (if we finish) a desert!
WIN!!!
ghoti industries 