Amsterdam, the first city we visited in our Euro Trip.
13 hours of non stop flight made us a bit jet lag however everything was OK when the plane had landed at 8 o’clock in the morning at Schiphol Airport. Since we arrived very early, we had a plenty of time to walk around in the airport, to know the area, the dutch sign and how their public transportation work.
Day 1: Learning the public transport
If you are ever experiencing traveling by public transport in Singapore (MRT) or other modern country in Asia, you won’t get trouble here. The payment system is basically the same, they use prepaid card called OV-Chipkaart. There are 4 types of public transport here, Intercity Train, Metro, Tram & Bus, and all of them using the same card as the payment system (click here to learn more).. Our favourite one is Tram 🙂 you will know why when you try it.
From the airport, take the intercity train to Centraal Station, then from there you can go to any part of the city by Tram or Bus.
The Dam Square
Dam Square lies in the historical center of Amsterdam, approximately 750 meters south of the main transportation hub, Centraal Station, at the original location of the dam in the river Amstel. It is the center of of the city, the busiest part of Amsterdam. You can start your shopping journey from this area, since it is the starting point to the famous Kalverstraat street.
Dinner with A Real Dutch Family
Accompanied by our friend, we were invited to her parent’s house to have a dutch dining experience. We were tasting cheese, wine and a traditional dutch cuisine. It was so Yummy…. 🙂
DAY 2: De Wallen – The Red Light District
Yaay… 18+ only! :p
Your travel to Amsterdam won’t complete until you come to Red Light District area.
Being one of the oldest areas of the city, De Wallen has architecture and layout that is typical of 14th century Amsterdam, although many of the buildings were built more recently. The canal system here was contained within the former walls of the city, of which the Waag is a surviving example and is the oldest remaining nonreligious building in Amsterdam. The area is also bordered by a small Chinatown.
The area also has a number of sex shops, sex theaters, peep shows, a sex museum, a cannabis museum, and a number of coffee shops that sell marijuana.
Yes, as we might know, marijuana is legal in Amsterdam, but of course you have to show your ID and proof you are old enough (20+) to be able to purchase it. One of the famous coffee shop here is The Bull Dog.
Not just those naughty stuff, in this area you will find a lot of good restaurants & gift shops as well.
DAY 3: Rijksmuseum & I Amsterdam Sign
The Rijksmuseum is a Netherlands national museum dedicated to arts and history in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and the Concertgebouw.
This is one of the must have to visit place in Amsterdam, others might want to see the collection inside the museum. But for us… it because we wanted to see the famous I Amsterdam Sign, Heeeee… 😀
Chasing The Train
Well it was the last day in Amsterdam, and we had to chase our train to Basel (Switzerland). The trip to Basel took 8 hours by a night train from Amsterdam Centraal Station. Traveling with the night train is an effective way to save cost for 1 night accommodation.
Next Euro Trip Day 4-6: SWITZERLAND
