After what has felt like an eternity I'm happy to finally share what was undoubtedly a long and tiring journey. While I've only travelled to Budapest earlier this year, Netherlands was different and new to me, and it managed to combine all of the elements of a beautiful concoction of the cool cafe lifestyle with their laid-back culture that I wouldn't mind planning for a second trip.
I stayed for a good 3 nights with my friends at Soest-Zuid in the province of Utretch just 2 hours from Amsterdam. This didn't bother me because I really enjoyed having to wake up to a view of the charming greener side of Netherlands every morning and avoiding the bustling city vibe at night.
My rule of thumb while travelling is to always experience any new city on an early morning. The first stop was the floating flower market also known as Bloemenmarkt market. While it's slightly sad that I couldn't buy any of the tulips to bring back home, it was already a treat to stroll along the shops and taking everything in.
It is very difficult to get lost in Amsterdam as you can easily find all of the tourist hotspots within the area. The Dutch are on top of my list of the nicest people on earth as they are very friendly and helpful with directions.
As far as eating in Amsterdam goes, the closest to local speciality is dolly enough; Indonesian food. It is hard to avoid signs offering 'nasi goreng' and the Dutch even serves sambal flavoured cheese! Apart from Indonesian food and stroopwaffels, the one thing you can not miss out is the "Vlaamse frites" -Amsterdam's flemish fries. They are served in paper cones and are about €3 with a variety of sauces to choose from (sambal is optional!).
Until next time!
love,
