Amsterdam: My Unexpected Favorite

I am absolutely in love with Amsterdam. Minus the fact that it is known for being dreary, among other things it's famous for, it has completely charmed me. As I mentioned before in my Australain friends post, I would drop everything and move there in an instant. I guess that really isn't saying much since I would pretty much move anywhere I've visited so far anyway. Regardless, it was a great place to host my emotional turnaround following Berlin and Copenhagen.

First of all, Amsterdam is super relaxed. I guess judged on the amount of Amsterdam's coffee shops, that is to be expected. But more than that, the canals, bridges and winding alleyways make it impossible not to feel calm. My favorite day in this city was when I just wandering towards the Anne Frank house and got lost walking down a street along a canal. I didn't even care if I was absolutely lost and maybe wouldn't make it to the museum, the sights along the water were worth it. I even found this AMAZING little high tea cafe that I returned to after going through the Anne Frank House.

Second, Amsterdam has so much to do. The amount of museums in Amsterdam has got to be disproportional to the size of the city. While I was there, I managed to go to the Van Gogh Museum and, obviously, the Anne Frank House. Both were outstanding, and were incredibly easy to walk to, even though I got lost to both. The layout of the city actually reminded me a lot of Venice. Each little turn of the road meant that it was a new street. Crossing a bridge means a new street, and pretty much anything you do, you will have to consult your map a few times to figure out how many streets you have been on until you finally realize where you are. It's confusing, but I really like it.

Finally, the fries are out of this world. Throughout Europe, kebabs are a huge thing. This means a constant supply of falafel because they are always the last stores to close. Waffles and pretzels have also been very common since hitting Germany. However, in Amsterdam, it is ALL about the fries. There are shops selling fries everywhere with a variety of toping. The most popular are sweet mayo and then mayo. There is also ketchup. Actually, there is another topping named "American sauce." I tried ordering it just because, but the incredibly nice worker who was serving Amy and me shook his head. Apparently, American sauce is really not good. Figures.