Exploring Amsterdam

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Today’s Itinerary:

Red-light District
Molen Van Sloten windmill
Shopping Streets
Dam Square

Arrive pretty late in Amsterdam, doesn’t mean that we decide to sleep directly. After chek in in Multatuli Hotel (or Agoda Multatuli link), we decide to exploring the neighbourhood. Amsterdam has a totally different atmosphere from the previous town we visited. The ambiance is different here, very classic here surrounded by many canals. All of that will make time run so slow and all you have to do is lie back, relax and enjoy your life.

fly to Amsterdam

Find Schipol Airport information and the cheapest flights to Amsterdam at fly.co.uk.

De Wallen is the largest and best-known red-light district in Amsterdam and a major tourist attraction. De Wallen is a network of alleys containing approximately three hundred tiny one-room cabins rented by female prostitutes (and some ladyboys) who offer their services from behind a window or glass door, typically illuminated with red lights.

The area also has a number of sex shops, sex theatres, peep shows, a sex museum, a cannabis museum, and a number of coffee shops that sell marijuana. Yes, prostitution is legal in Netherlands, they even contribut a lot through tax. Twenty minutes of sex typically costs €50.

Heading here will not too difficult. It is located in south of Amsterdam Central station and the east part of Damrak Street. Out of station, head to the left side, cross the street and walk along the Damrak Street. Then follow the crowd until Zeedijk. The red light will switch on from 5 pm to 4 am. It’s usual for tourist to come and do the “window shopping” here. Even it is late at night, you don’t have to be afraid for criminal since an “invisible” police has their eyes fully guarded this area. Please don’t try to take pictures of the “goodies” in the window since it is reported that the camera could be seized away

Early morning, we headed to the café for a fabulous breakfast. We met a waitress that understand Bahasa. Her parents came (or force to came) from Ambon by Deutch. Through the invasion to Indonesia for almost 3,5 century, we could see a lot of Deutch’s touch in Indonesia or vise versa here. One easy sample is numbers of Indonesia restaurant in Amsterdam.

Transportation in Amsterdam (tram, bus and metro) is operated by GVB. We could use the 18 tracks tram when exploring Amsterdam. Contrast from the oldies version of Hongkong tram, the Amsterdam tram is modern, fast, and eco friendly.

Ticket or strippenkaart contain of 15 lines cost of € 6.90 (now € 7.30) will be stamped for each journey. The card is valid for both metro or tram. A short distance will be stamped in 2 line while a long distance one will be stamped in 3 lines. The card could be even be shared. You don’t have to say a thing, just give the card and the officer there will stamp your card.

Another card that newly implemented is OV-chipkaart like Oyster or Octopus that is rechargeable.

Our day begins with the search of Windmill, icon of the county. Actually, Eindhoven is the right place to find the mill instead of Amsterdam. But due to our eagerness and limited by time, we are insist to find the mill. The nearest mill could be found from the city is Molen Van Sloten windmill. Just take tram no 2 to the last stop and continue on foot for 15 minutes. The mill itself work as an icon only since the wind is not strong enough to move the mill.

After taking pictures, we return to Amsterdam Centraal, and then decided to continue our day by bike. We rent it in MacBike Bicycle Rental, located in the station building facing out. Daily rental will cost € 7.

For your info that the bike used here is the old granny bike, completed by 2 kind of locks (it’s guarantee that your bike will lost if you forget to lock it. It doesn’t have hand brake and you have to reverse the pedal for brake. You will need to get use of it for a while then you will start to enjoy riding it around the city, anywhere you like before you have to return it at 5.30 pm.

Amsterdam is a bike friendly city by providing a special line for bikers. Cars and bike will give way to you also. Even so, you may pay attention to some signs and the no bicyle zone sign.

Riding our bike, we start exploring the shopping street like the flower market, Bloemenmarkt, or the Leidsestraat dan Prinsengracht. In a book store (forget the name), the books are on sale and we bought so many here.

Streets and canals here are so much alike so after a few rounds we just realize that we passed the same streets so many times. Therefore, you would need a map in your hand while riding to your destination.

Watch my own video about Amsterdam canal:

Another must see place is Dam Square where the Fatahilah Museum in Jakarta is the replica of the square. Like the other square, this is the center where people will meet, rest, or chat by enjoying the pigeon or feeding them.

If you visit Amsterdam in spring time, you must visit Keukenhof "Kitchen garden", also known as the Garden of Europe, is situated near Lisse, Netherlands, and is the world's largest flower garden. According to the official website for the Keukenhof Park, approximately 7,000,000 (seven million) flower bulbs are planted annually in the park. Keukenhof is located in South Holland in the small town of Lisse, south of Haarlem and southwest of Amsterdam. It is accessible by bus from the train stations of Haarlem, Leiden and Schiphol. It is located in an area called the "Dune and Bulb Region" (Duin- en Bollenstreek).

After dinner and pick up the luggages, by metro we head to Amstel Station. Out of station there is Eurolines bus terminal, where a bus will take us to Frankfurt. By taking a night bus, we have saved 1 day hotel since we will arrive in Frankfurt in the next morning.

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