Off To Spain!

We're heading out on our Spanish holiday! Forecast looks like 30 degrees Celsius! See you all when I get back!

Have a Relaxing Weekend!

Wishing every one of my readers and followers a wonderful weekend. What do we have planned?

• A reunion with our best friend from Mexico (now lives in Italy), Christian
• Couples movie night at the Pathe theater
  
• Picnic in the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest)
• Planning our trip to Spain
  
• Bowls of fresh cherries
• Summer dinners with market veggies
  
• A weekend of relaxation... hopefully!

Accordion Music

One of my favourite parts of living in the city is the constant stream of accordion music that wafts into our apartment nightly. As people get home from work, and head out to enjoy a "biertje" (small beer) outdoors, the groups of distinguished gentlemen (usually four or five of them) congregate in the middle of the town squares, pulling out their accordions and beginning a stint of classics like "besame mucho". While some may see them as annoying, or downright cheesy, I love it when the accordions are whipped out. It adds that extra something to a special dinner with great friends. One of my Dutch friends recently said that it added to the ambiance, and immediately inserted the word "gezellig".

Accordion music is indeed gezellig (the Dutch word for cozy/intimate/warm), especially when we're curled up on the couch reading and drinking some wine. I love hearing the sound reverberating off the canal houses, and watching the sun set low over the gabled rooftops. Perhaps this is one of my most cherished moments of the day, when dinner has been cleared away, and the dishes are done, Gabriel and I can open the wide windows of our apartment and listen to the beautiful music down the street.


Thank you, accordion players, for enhancing my time here in Amsterdam just a little bit more :)

Summer in Amsterdam

Today is hot here in Amsterdam. With a city packed full of people, bikes, trams, and cars how does everyone manage to stay cool? While some will have undoubtedly fled to the sea, others have stayed behind to soak up the sun beating down on the cobblestone streets.

When the weather is nice in the city, it seems like every citizen is outdoors. All of the cafes are packed with people, the parks are filled with groups of friends lazing about, and the roomijs (ice cream) stalls have winding line-ups.

Yesterday, on a walk through the busy evening crowds in our neighbourhood, we heard an English man ask a Dutch man if there was some sort of a civic holiday going on. "Nope, it's just sunny" replied the Dutchie. It's astonishing how busy it is when the sun is shining. Because people know what it's like to live in perpetual rain and darkness during some months of the year, any form of nice weather is greeted with open arms.

Welcome summer :)

Nice Try

I understand what the owners were trying to achieve, but I think we can all still see it...

This "camouflaged" satellite dish was spotted on a lovely little stroll through Amsterdam, on the way to the market. After many attempts to find a flowing colorful tunic for Spain, I only managed to buy some fresh blueberries, peas, broccoli, and tilapia filet.

Still to do before we leave:

1. Find a cheap bathing suit, possibly from Matthew Williamson's new H&M collection.
2. Buy Gravol...I have horrible motion sickness from planes.
3. Get Gabriel some board shorts.
4. Pick up some sunscreen and aloe (just in case the sun is too intense for our Northern European complexions!)
5. Pack
6. Fill my mp3 player with lots of fun beach songs, specifically this one:

Spanish Holiday

Coastal Mallorca: photo via here

For the past month we have been trying to put together a road-trip through Germany and into Poland. The logistics of the trip were getting too complicated, so we decided to look online for some great all-inclusive last-minute vacations. In the Netherlands, people get many more vacation days than in North America. For example, the base-line number of paid vacation days is 21 days (and that is just for an entry-level position!) As you spend more time in a company, or hold a higher ranking position, your vacation days can amount to 6 or 7 weeks, or even more. When looking for a last-minute vacation through Dutch travel sites, I was astounded by the amount of vacations listed for 22 days. There were plenty of all-inclusive deals, at a 4 star hotel in Turkey, Tunisia, or Greece, for roughly 450 euros for 22 days! Unbelievable! We actually had a hard time finding vacations for only 4 or 5 days, and they ended up costing more than if we fled the country for almost a month!

Last night, after searching for 3 hours, we finally booked a great vacation that I'm super-excited for. We'll be going to Mallorca (Majorca), a small Spanish island in the middle of the Balearic Sea, for 4 days.

Mallorca is located just off the eastern coast of Spain: photo via here

We're staying in Santa Ponsa, right on the beach, and have a semi-inclusive deal which includes breakfast and dinner daily. The last time we went on a sunny "vacation" was two years ago, when Gabriel took me to Cuba. Since then, we've been throughout Europe, but haven't had the opportunity to lie on a beach and swim in the ocean. Malta was beautiful in December, but it was still pretty cold and we needed to wear jackets and jeans. I'm really looking forward to experiencing some hot weather (which has yet to show up in the Netherlands) and eating at cute tapas bars on the island! The island forecast is showing 86 degree farenheit weather with zero percent chance of rain for the whole time we're there!

Today I'm off to find some cheap holiday clothing, and begin making my packing list (I'm obsessed with list-making...) We're leaving in 6 days!

Unexpected Movie Premiere

Gabriel and I had a great weekend together. Although the weather was not as cooperative as it should be this time of year, we didn't let it spoil our fun and had numerous walks in the summer rain showers.

On Saturday night, we decided to head out to the Pathe de Munt theater to watch The Hangover. We had heard that it was a hilarious movie, and finally decided to make the 10 minute walk to see it. Unfortunately, it was all sold out, so we headed over to the Tuschinski theater just around the corner. The Tuschinski is a beautiful art deco theater built in the 1920's. It's facade is gorgeous, and an interesting mix of architectural styles.

As we approached, we saw tons of posters featuring Sacha Baron Cohen (aka the creator/actor Borat) in his latest role as Bruno. They were setting up for a movie premiere! We had seen earlier on tv that he was indeed in Amsterdam promoting Bruno, and saw that he opened a "Pink Light District" and cruised through the canals via jet-ski. While we waited for the premiere to be set up, we stopped in the Rembrandtplein for coffee and ice cream, and some good people-watching. Then it was time to see the premiere. We had front-row spaces, and enjoyed watching the build-up to Bruno's arrival. Eventually he popped out of nowhere, and entertained the crowds with a lively speech, saying that Bruno is "the most powerful documentary since The Lion King". Afterwards he proceeded to give the requisite television interviews, before disappearing inside the gorgeous Tuschinski theater.

Bruno cruising down the Amsterdam canals: photo via here

It was a random night, and completely unexpected. We had nothing else planned, so getting to see Bruno and being immersed in the excitement of a movie premiere was great entertainment. When it all ended, we ended up catching the midnight viewing of The Hangover. I thought it was funny, but definitely not on the same level as The Wedding Crashers. I don't think I laughed out loud at all during The Hangover. Ah well, it was a good night and I'm looking forward to actually seeing Bruno when it hits theaters in early July.

Cupcakes in Amsterdam

I found cupcakes!

Finally!

When I moved to Amsterdam, I was overwhelmed with the beautiful bakeries and delectable desserts served at restaurants. At almost every cafe in the city you can find appelgebak (a baked apple, raisin, and cinnamon cake that is served with coffee). Ice cream stalls are on every corner of the city, and tasty treats like stroopwaffels, oliebollen, and appelflappen are common bakery fixtures. What has been lacking, however, in the department of sweets, are cupcakes. I've introduced you all to De Taart van m'n Tante, a great cake shop in De Pijp. While they serve up beautiful cakes in a variety of unusual flavours, I haven't seen fluffy iced cupcakes.

cupcakes at last

As the months have progressed, my search for cupcakes has taken a backseat to more pressing matters. However, while I browse daily through some of my favourite blogs, I am constantly reminded of the great cupcake shops in NYC (ie. Magnolia Bakery), DC (ie. Georgetown Cupcake) and Charleston (ie. Cupcake). Why don't these shops exist in Amsterdam?!?!

One night, after watching a movie with friends at the Munt Plein theater here in the city, we were walking back along the canals to our apartments. I asked my friend where I could find cupcakes. "American cupcakes?" she replied.


"Yes, the pretty sprinkled cupcakes that you get when you're a child..." I knew it was a silly request, and completely random, but I was dying to find them.

"They're not really a Dutch thing. We don't put a lot of icing on our desserts. We have muffins though," she responded.

Muffins are not the same as cupcakes. They're denser, not iced, and generally filled with fruit, nuts, or vegetables. I was on the hunt for cupcakes. Why didn't I just bake them myself? Well, that's because I only have a microwave/oven combi contraption in our tiny kitchen, and every cake I bake in it ends up flat as a pancake. It's very difficult to find baking soda or baking powder here in the Netherlands, although they can be found. I haven't seen vanilla extract at the local grocery store, and I'm not about to go on a hunt for it. It seems more fun to hunt for the actual cupcakes themselves....

Today I found them! Behind the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), which is in the Dam Square, is a little alleyway. At the first cross-roads of the alleyway is a cafe called De Drie Graefjes. Right next door is a cupcake mecca: the American Bakery!


Run by a kind man from Minnesota, the American Bakery greets you with a warm smell of freshly baked cookies and cakes. As I was pondering my cupcake selection, the owner was busy pulling batches of treats out of the oven. Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting....dark chocolate with double chocolate icing....vanilla with pink sparkles...confetti cupcakes with sugar white topping....so many choices!

confetti cupcake

Ah well, I just had to buy them all. It's terrible, but I have been searching for such a long time that I owed it to myself to buy them :P They cost 2.25 euros each, but the owner threw in a free one :) He usually also sells Red Velvet cupcakes, but he hadn't finished making that batch yet today (umm...obviously I will just have to go back there on the weekend to try it out!)

When you arrive at De Drie Graefjes, which is a restaurant, you need to go next door to the bakery. I didn't know, and thought that the restaurant didn't have cupcakes today...then I asked and found out that the cupcakes could be found next door in the bakery.


If you are looking for a sweet-tooth fix in Amsterdam, and one that fulfills your craving for childhood nostalgia and a bite-sized bit of whimsy, head over to the American Bakery in the heart of the city :)

Here are the necessary details:

Where: Eggertstraat 1, 1012 NN Amsterdam (about a 5 minute walk from Centraal Station)
Web: http://www.dedriegraefjes.nl/
Telephone: 020-6266787
Email: info@dedriegraefjes.nl
Cost: all cupcakes are 2.25 euros each
Taste: I haven't eaten all of mine yet, but the carrot cake was delicious and the confetti was super good too (very sweet, but that's the whole point of a cupcake!)

Summer Wishes

It seems that the summer weather has escaped us here in Amsterdam. Flip-flops and sun-burns are now just a memory of two weeks ago. I guess this is all part of the coastal climate here. Today it has been nothing but rainy-sunny-cloudy-sunny-rainy. The winds shift at a moments notice, and perfectly clear skies are replaced by rain-filled clouds waiting to open up.

fresh cherries from the market yesterday

This will be my second summer in the Netherlands. Last year, the climate was just as unpredictable as this year is turning out to be. Nonetheless, we captured the Dutch mentality of making the most of the sunny time, and enjoyed lazy boat-rides along the canals, bike rides through the countryside, and late-night dinners at sidewalk bistros.

Two weeks ago Gabriel and I joined a fitness center in the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest). We had no idea we lived so close (a 15 minute drive) to such a peaceful haven. The Amsterdamse Bos is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, attracting runners, cyclists, rowers, and casual day-trippers. Regattas are held along the wide river, and there are bicycle rental stands on the premises. After living thisclose to neighbours, constantly hearing the sounds of trams and bicycle bells, and feeling a little inundated with tourists, it's nice to escape to the forest for a few hours of peace and tranquility.

In fact, the Amsterdamse Bos actually makes me feel like I'm back in Canada. Wide open spaces, lots of trees, and clear skies without the disturbance of buildings is really calming. In addition to our membership at the fitness center, we also bought memberships to the tennis facilities. Our health club has over 40 tennis courts, both indoors and outdoors (the beautiful red-clay courts, reminiscent of Roland Garros, that are all too uncommon in Canada).

I began playing tennis when I was 4 years old. I remember I played using a quarter of the court, and my first coach used to call me the "Volley Queen". I stopped playing during most of my childhood, and picked it up again when I was 12 years old. From that summer in Kentucky, I was hooked on the game. I'm pretty sure I was more interested in wearing the cute tennis clothes more than the game, but nonetheless, I stuck with it. I also began attending tennis tournaments, where I met some great players like Pete Sampras, Marat Safin, and Roger Federer.

In high school I played for our school's tennis team, and took lessons three times a week. In university I played varsity, where we practiced for two hours a day, every day, and on weekends we traveled throughout Canada and the USA for tournaments.

After my second year on the varsity team, I stopped playing tennis altogether. This huge part of my life suddenly ended, and I no longer had any appetite for the sport. Just like that, I put down my racquet, and never looked back. To be honest, I didn't even miss it. All of those practices in university, the stresses of the team and schoolwork, and the politics of competitive tennis just turned me off from the game. It had stopped being fun, and became more of a chore.

Playing with Gabriel, who is just beginning to learn the sport, has been great. He is a natural athlete, and plays with more skill than some people who've played their entire lives. Getting back on the court after a three year hiatus has been interesting. My game has disintegrated, but slowly, I can feel my strokes coming back and my footwork familiarizing. Every once in a while I'll hit a shot, and it will feel so familiar, that I can get a taste of how I used to play. It's like my body is slowly remembering how to hit, and these glimmers of my former skill are shining through. It's so nice to play for fun, to not worry about being competitive (although it's in my nature...) Getting back on the court has really made me feel more at home in the Netherlands too. It's a familiar part of my life from Canada that has resurfaced here in the Amsterdamse Bos.

This summer, I wish for.... lots of great singles and doubles games on the cool clay courts, lots of time spent under the trees, hearing the comforting sound of tennis balls being whacked over the net, and the spray of clay hitting my ankles as I glide across the court.....

What are your summer wishes?

Awards and an Interview

Thank you to Ella Everywhere for the Friendship Blogger Award. Ella also shares my love of travel and adventure, and is constantly planning fabulous trips overseas. Over the past year I have really formed some great blogger friendships, and am grateful to every reader who visits, comments, and follows my blog. Thank you to every one of you! You've all made this introduction into blogging a lot of fun, and I've been so happy to discover this new hobby :)

I pass this award on to:

Bluefish
Lauren (Lo)
Pinay in Dutchland
Anita
Isabella



This award is from Iva, at Iva Messy. She gave the award to all of her followers, and I am going to do the same. I've loved sharing my adventure with you all, and reading about yours too! So take this award and post it on your blog, and thank you again for following :)



Today I was also lucky enough to participate in A Letter From the Netherlands' Expat Interview Series. To check out the interview I gave, visit Amanda van Mulligen's fabulous blog!

Blue and White

I'm sure you've all heard of the small village of Delft. Located 40 minutes away from Amsterdam (by train), this beautiful town is famous for its blue and white pottery which has become a symbol of the Netherlands. In any tourist shop, you'll find clogs, windmills, and of course, blue and white "Delft" pottery. If you want the real stuff, a trip to Delft is a great break from the bustle of Amsterdam, and a picturesque town to find a great pottery souvenir.



On our first trip to Delft, Gabriel and I bought a small hand-painted dish for quite a few euros. Looking back, we were probably too eager to get some authentic Delft pottery, and were likely ripped off. It sits in our windowsill now, holding seashells and green sea glass found on the beaches of Terschelling.

One of the best things I've done in Delft is climb to the top of the old church in the main market square. Although it was enormously tall, and the winding cramped staircase became quite claustrophobic at times, I am so glad that we made it to the top. The views of the city were breathtaking: beautiful tiled rooftops, small canals, cobblestone streets, and the lush farmland beyond. It was well-worth the hike up! The only semi-scary part of the whole ordeal was passing people who were climbing down the same staircase. With very little room to maneuver, it became a lesson in pressing yourself up against the cold tower walls while people squeezed by, trying not to plummet down the rest of the way. In short, my only advice is to go early, and to visit on weekdays. I can only imagine visiting on the busy weekends in the summer; it probably would be quite anxiety-inducing.

view from the top

A great recommendation, in case you don't want to spend a fortune on a piece of painted Delft pottery, is to visit the local antique dealer. de Kaerskorf Antiquiteiten is located just behind the main square, near the town hall building. Here you can find beautiful Delft tiles dating to the 1500's, some as cheap as 5 euros. Dutch ice skates, poffertjes pans, and other antique homewares fill the small shop. Next time I go back, I plan on purchasing something from the elderly gentleman who runs it.

I'm off to play tennis, enjoy your weekend everyone :)

Number 28

I came across this narrow home one afternoon...


Sandwiched between two stately white homes, it seems like it was just a former alleyway that had been closed with bricks...


I wondered what it looked like inside, how many rooms it had, and how many people could fit in it...


I've seen these narrow canal homes in Amsterdam, but this one, just a little over one meter wide, is a close tie for the narrowest...

Pink Peonies

The beautiful bouquet of van Gogh sunflowers (zonnebloemen) my Dad bought from the market is slowly wilting, so tomorrow I'm off to the market to pick up some hot pink peonies.

It's peony season right now in the Netherlands, and these beautiful pink fluffy snow-ball flowers are in all the markets.

They're also my new favourite flower (*hint hint*).

What NOT to do when you visit Amsterdam:

I try to remain positive on my blog. I visit new cultural attractions with an open mind, see the beauty in each new town I visit, and if all else fails, show some nice photography and let that be my lasting impression.

However, after having visited almost all of the tourist attractions in Amsterdam, I feel the need to share with you all what not to do when you visit. Amsterdam is almost always a place to visit for 2-3 days, before taking the high-speed train down to Paris, or popping into Germany. While you are here, you want to make the most of your Amsterdam experience. Wasting time on the attractions that will not show you the beauty of the city, paying top-dollar for bad food, or getting lured into tourist traps is probably not your idea of a good time. But these attractions on your list are very popular, you may say. You may also say that your guidebook specifically pinpoints these attractions. They're popular because they are strategically located in the most tourist-dense areas of the city, they're convenient, and they do a nice job of marketing themselves. After all, their business is to get people in the door.

So here it is, "What NOT to do when you visit Amsterdam":

1. Canal Cruise - On my first visit to Amsterdam, we took a canal cruise. We bought a hop-on-hop-off ticket, and immediately hopped off on the first stop (we never got back on). Subsequent visitors have requested rides on the boat, so we've obliged. Every time I go on one of these (3 times now, to be exact) I can't help but wish I was outside walking along the canals instead. The windows are dirty, preventing you from seeing the beauty of the city. The smell of boat gasoline is suffocating, and the only good views you get are of the garbage floating between the docked boats on the canal. Besides the stifling heat of the summer, which produces a greenhouse effect in the glass-covered boats, you will have a strained neck at the end of the looooong tour, having tried desperately to see the sites as an 8-language automated commentary continues without a break.

Instead: Stroll along the canals by foot, pausing to visit unique art galleries, hand-made clothing boutiques, and outdoor cafes. The best canals to stroll? The Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht win my vote.

2. Canal Bike - The "Canal Bike" is basically a paddle boat that you can maneuver around the canals with four people. It's hardly the canal-boating experience that you're aiming for. Instead, all you're getting is sore legs, frustrated fellow boat-riders, and likely, lost. Everyone I've seen canal-biking looks like they want to throw themselves into the canal after the initial ten minutes of novelty wears off.

Instead: Party with the locals at a cafe or bar, and perhaps make friends with someone who has a real canal boat, who can take you around for an authentic boating experience.

3. The Amsterdam Dungeon - On the popular Rokin, just off the Dam Square, the Amsterdam Dungeon displays torture devices used in Amsterdam's past. The signs may look scary and bloody, but the actual "Dungeon" is reminiscent of a bad high-school project. Skip it and visit the alleyways of the Red Light District at night if you want to be scared.

4. Free Diamond Tour of Coster Diamonds - This sounds like fun, and is so closely located to the van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum that it's a convenient stopping place for many visitors. Beware, the whole tour is quite long, and you will be lead through a labyrinth of expensive diamond showrooms, where sales people will sell, sell, sell. The tour of the diamond "factory" is really only in the small foyer of the building, after which you are funnelled into the inescapable selling sequence.

5. Dinner at La Madonnina in Rembrandtplein - Hands-down the worst Italian food in Amsterdam. Soggy pizza with raw crust that would have any real Italian chef deeply disturbed. Your best bet is to skip Rembrandtplein for dinner altogether and just order a beer while people-watching. The food is overpriced, low quality, and, in the case of La Madonnina, seriously gag-worthy. Worst restaurant I've visited in the city yet.

Instead: da Portare Via has the best pizza in the city, for cheap prices. It's authentic Italian wood-fired with the finest ingredients. Located on Frans Halstraat 63 and the Leliegracht 34.

6. Satellite Sports Cafe in Leidseplein - All of the restaurants in the Leidseplein are specially designed with tourists in mind, and therefore, ridiculously low-quality and expensive. This place, in particular, rarely sees a Dutch local. In fact, having briefly worked here, I can confidently vouch for the unclean kitchen, poor service, and unhygenic waitstaff (ie. fingers in your food, eating off your plate before you even get your meal....)

7. Bike Rentals - Yes, you want to experience Amsterdam like a local. I understand that. What I don't understand is the need to rent a conspicuous bike and pedal cluelessly through the city. Stopping in the middle of the bike path to consult your map, riding on the sidewalk, and slowly meandering through a busy intersection does not bode well for your safety or the safety of thousands of well-seasoned bikers who are just trying to get to work.

Instead: Experience Amsterdam in an authentic way without the bike. Walk around, visit some out-of-the-way restaurants, eat appel gebak with a cupje koffie at a "bruin cafe" and take time to laze in the Vondelpark before catching a free Friday night concert.

8. Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum - This seems like an activity to do after having exhausted all other options. However, after living here for over a year, I still have not seen everything this city has to offer. Save the generic "wax museum" visit for places which boast little else to do, such as Niagara Falls.

Instead: Visit a more meaningful and Amsterdam-unique attraction, such as the Anne Frank Huis, NEMO (science and technology center), the Tropenmuseum, or the Concertgebouw.

9. Heineken Experience - Three glasses of Heineken for 15 euros in a futuristic bar filled with over-eager young males is not the real Amsterdam. Read my review of this "experience" here.

Instead: Use those 15 euros to go to the Heinekenplein, directly behind the brewery, and have drinks outside with real Amsterdammers.

10. Stay in the Dam Square - Don't be afraid to venture out of the DamRak, Dam Square, Rokin area. There is so much more to Amsterdam than street statues (Darth Vader, Fat Batman, The Mask...we've all seen them in front of Koninklijk Paleis), overpriced Argentinian food, and pickpockets. Experience it!

Instead: Lovely neighbourhoods like the Jordaan, De Pijp, and Oud West offer a taste of the city. Instead of saddling up at the McDonalds or KFC on the DamRak, walk 15 minutes to a cafe and have a cheaper tosti, pils (beer), or bar snack.

Featured!

Check out a feature article I wrote for The Lost Girls, on Dispatches From the Road: The Netherlands.

Their blog is fabulous and is such a motivation for anyone considering moving or traveling abroad. Three working women in NYC, quit their jobs, and take off on an extremely fun adventure to escape the rat-race and re-discover their passions.

Dutch Beach Culture

The Netherlands has a great "beach culture". With so much of the country near the North Sea, it's no wonder that tons of great beach towns have popped up, offering great cafes, bars, and nightclubs along the windy shores.

An easy and accessible beach is Zandvoort, only a 20 minute drive from Amsterdam. With a wide white sand beach, lots of great restaurants, and tons of "beach clubs" (where you can rent wind-screens and lounge chairs), Zandvoort is a popular destination. Even more popular is Bloemendaal beach, which I've mentioned a few times before. Bloemendaal is more catered to younger Dutch locals, usually from Amsterdam. It has great all-night parties, and lots of well-known DJ's are featured there.

Zandvoort is more child-friendly, and is a haven for many tourists from other European countries, such as Germany.

When the city becomes unbearably hot in the summer, many citizens head to the shore to beat the heat and feel a cool breeze. This is all the more necessary in the Netherlands where it is rare to have an airconditioning unit in your home! Last summer, however, it was only really really hot for a few weeks in July, so I can understand the reasoning behind not installing an air-co unit.

Zandvoort Beach

Sometimes the traffic from Amsterdam to Zandvoort/Bloemendaal is so thick, that they shut off the beach and prevent anymore people from heading to the shore. Those stuck in the traffic jams often just park roadside, unpack their picnics, and spend the day at some random park or grassy patch.

For those who do make it to the beach, a long day of sun-tanning (the Dutch loooove tanning), voetbal (soccer), windsurfing, and relaxing ensues. With a pint of beer, some great bar snacks (ie. bitterballen) and plushy couch at an outdoor cafe, you can't go wrong with a day-trip to one of the Netherland's great North Shore beaches!

Only in the Netherlands...

While on a daily trip to the Albert Cuyp Market (my parents share my love of street markets, and eagerly scouted out all the stalls) I saw this sign.

Stroopwafels are a Dutch treat, and served hot from the stall "P.C. Stroopstraat" at the market. They're two wafer-thin hot "wafels" with sweet syrup in between. Often bought in supermarkets (and available in North America now too!) they obviously taste better fresh-from-the-grill.


So while browsing for a pair of leather boots, I couldn't help but laugh at the sign posted above the leathergoods: "Forbidden With Stroopwafels". I guess one-too-many customers were eating the treats from the neighbouring stall, and the shopkeeper found some unwelcome syrup on his shoes. Makes sense, but I still found it humorous because it's so uniquely Dutch.

Wishing you all a great weekend!

Dutch Food Meme

Ever since moving to the Netherlands a year ago, Isabella's blog "A Touch of Dutch" has been my go-to source for all expat information. If I needed to learn about the Dutch medical system, to find info on a specific holiday, or get inspiration about integrating into life here, I clicked over to her blog. Throughout this year I have been fortunate enough to get to know her as a great blogging friend, and I encourage all of you to check out her amazing and informative blog, if you haven't done so already!

Yesterday she tagged me in a "Food Meme". I have decided to adapt it to refer to specifically Dutch foods.

The rules: List 7 items related to food or drink you love, also list 7 items you don't like. Then tag 7 others and find out if your taste buds have something in common.

7 Dutch Foods I Like:

1. Poffertjes - Tiny Dutch pancakes topped with powdered sugar and butter.

2. Bitterballen - Deep-fried balls of sauce/meat.

3. Gouda cheese - Fresh from the market, sliced with a Dutch cheese slicer.


4. Douwe Egbert Koffie - The coffee just tastes better here!


5. Pannekoeken - Flat Dutch pancakes topped with ham/cheese, strawberries, or anything else you can imagine!


6. Rookworst - Smoked sausage. Especially good if bought from Hema and served with mashed potatoes.

7. Appelflap - Crispy apple turn-over type treat.

Enjoying some fruit and an "Appelflap"

(Ok, I realize after looking at this list that these are not the healthiest foods...far from it! I enjoy them in moderation, except when I have visitors and need to show them all of these great Dutch treats!)

7 Dutch Foods I Dislike:

1. Raw herring - I thought I liked it, but now I can't really eat it without feeling ill.

About to try raw herring for the first time....

2. Filet Americain - Raw beef, commonly spread on bread or crackers.
3. Pinda Saus - Peanut sauce served with chicken sates (an Indonesian dish that's very common here)
4. Sausage broodjes - Sausage served in a flaky pastry, commonly bought quickly to eat on the train.
5. Drop - Black-licorice flavoured popular candies, often very salty.
6. Paard vlees - Horse meat. A common meat found in all grocery stores.
7. Super-spicy Indonesian food - I have the lowest tolerance for spicy foods ever!

Now I am supposed to tag 7 others to do this Meme. I'm interested to know, for all those expats out there, which foods you like and dislike in your new country.

1. the writer - An Alien in Copenhagen
2. Anita - Greetings from Holland
3. twopenneth - Going Dutch
4. Bonnie - The Blue Suitcase
5. Amanda - A Letter from the Netherlands
6. Annamieke - In the Land of Cheese and Windmills
7. whoever else would like to do this!