Amsterdam and the July Paris Letter

Last Wednesday morning, while madly trying to finish the July Paris Letter (I did not)I ran to catch the train to Urban Sketchers Amsterdam symposium.

What I ran into was a huge heatwave that messed up lots of my plans.

Here is your classic Dutch cat napping amongst the Edam. Did you know the Dutch are the tallest people in Europe?

Chalk it up to drinking tremendous amounts of melk. And kass/cheese. And ice cream. Evidently they are also very fond of  Pindakaas/ peanut butter. Be prepared to look up when you ask directions. You'll be doing this many times over. If you're shy go somewhere less confusing.

I found what I think is the best apple pie in Amsterdam. I know...its really a cake but if they insist on calling it pie, let them. You must try it. Or try several as I did to get a broader perspective. And a broader something else. I loved the home-made pie at Broodbar at the end of Koestraat close to Metro station Nieuw Markt. This pie is neither too moist nor too dry and the crust is like hardened crumble. True a sledgehammer would help cut the crust but one mustn't grumble.

I had the famous Patisserie Holtkamp pie at the Rijks museum restaurant and it didn't come close. By the way hanging out at the Rijks is a good idea. They have AC and stay open till 6. Def a fun, chic spot for watching the Dutch and easy to get to at Museumplein.

Here I discovered the joys of 'verse munt thee' or mint tea. What I thought was a mojito is one of Amsterdam's popular drinks if you're not imbibing Amstel or other beers. Simply a bunch of fresh mint jammed in a glass mug (I'm getting one tomorrow). Then pour hot water over it. Voila. Honey can be added. Terrifically refreshing and you don't have to go to the Netherlands to find the ingredients either.

I became obsessed with sketching and painting it. So much for my Urban Sketcher ambitions. Almost all trams seem stop there.

Hanging out in Amsterdam's very cool new metro stations is highly recommended in a heatwave. Imagine the Branly museum. Space is vast. New York MTA should visit. Escalators as long as city blocks.

And so breezy. I bought a 4-day transit card for around 24€ 

I moved the last 2 nights to the rather unusual Lloyd'sHotel near the docks. All the rooms are different. It was formerly a way station for emigrants going to America. Then a prison. My 1st room was prison-like. They upgraded me to this lovely room with AC.

The last morning I happily painted like a maniac. Only mint tea of course. The July Paris letter is done and will hit the post tomorrow. I'm sorry for the delay. July has been problematic with sciatic etc. The Paris map is coming SOON! Thanks for your patience PBers ❤️ And thanks for reading Parisbreakfasts. Feel free to share. If you'd like an Amsterdam mint tea watercolor or Paris letters let me know🥂🍾🍒. Love❤️ from Carolg ☕️ in Paris

The Seafood Bar - Amsterdam

Maybe the most important research you can do when planning a trip is deciding where are you going to eat. Accommodations are secondary since who spends time in their room? But food is key and my research said we should run not walk to The Seafood Bar as soon as we hit the ground running.

Fortunately there is a new second branch (2 weeks old) of The Seafood Bar right in the center (Centrum) of Amsterdam at Spui 15, easy walking 15 minutes from our B and B.

Solli, my traveling companion, prefers to eat organic, pasture-fed and bio. I was thrilled when I checked the website.

The Seafood Bar uses exclusively day-fresh products of the highest quality. Our products are 100% natural with no additives.

When possible we use biological and Fair Trade products that have a transparent and responsible origin.

Wherever we can the fish we serve is line caught, MSC certified, selected and prepared with great care.
All music to Sollie's ears.

You're looking at the seafood display in the back. The owner was formerly a fish monger so freshness is key. Three years ago he opened the first TSB at Van Baerlestraat 5.

The glistening seafood reminds of classic 17th century Dutch paintings.

There are elegant displays where ever the eye lands.

I asked the owner who designed the restaurant. You can almost hear the waves crashing. He said he'd done it.

Because we were the first guests to arrive and a photographer was shooting at the bar, they asked if we'd mind waiting before sitting down. Then they gave us 'consolation' Zeeland oysters. Delicious.

We knew exactly what we wanted. The menu is on the website.

First, the out-of-this-world lobster soup (9,50) made from pulverized lobster shells!

Was it good you ask?

We'd set our hearts on the 'Fruits de Mer' plate (22,50).

Sitting up front at the marble bar, we didn't miss a trick and asked endless questions. The staff were adorable.

Ta Da!

Pretty incredible if you love seafood.

No wonder Dutch paintings are full of abundance.

The owner asked us to try his new chilled ceviche soups - salmon with coriander, cod with mango, scallops with blood orange.
Beautiful artistic plates.
Then we ordered a large canal boat to cart us away.
We didn't eat till breakfast next day and even then it was not easy.
A big dank u wel to The Seafood Bar for treating us like princesses!
And thank you to Pam and Ted for sending photos of their framed Paris Sketch letters.

Amsterdam

Both Solli and I are preternaturally late. Bear never. He got us to our 7:25 am Thalys train at Gare du Nord on time thank goodness. Always at track 8 or 9 by the way.

3 hours later. Voila! AMSTERDAM!

Off to our AirBnB in the Red Light district to dump our stuff and then explore and EAT LUNCH!

Amsterdam has not changed so much physically from the old days.

Yet it is a vibrant, energetic city with a town feeling and endlessly, breathtakingly beautiful.

I immediately fell in love with all reflections

In the canals.

Even on fabulously shiny doorways.

We never got to ride in a canal boat, though I'd love to paddleboat next trip.

We never got to the tulip fields, Keukehof. Too early. We heard everything blooming was inside the green houses.

We did get to the small, informative Tulip museum on Prinsengracht 220 right next to

The Cheese museum, more of a shop with plenty of tastes and fun.

We never got to eat waffles or pancakes!

Or sit in all the beautiful canal-side cafes. Next time.

How come everyone looks like

They stepped out of a Vermeer painting?

Everyone was delightful, helpful and friendly!

We did eat applecake on at least 3 occasions in 2 days. That big puff is whipped cream on top not meringue. These are from Patisserie Holtkamp, the best in Amsterdam we were told by the customers and I don't doubt it for an instant.

We did get to eat the BEST lunch of our lives at The Seafood Bar - a whole post to come.

We did visit the canal house museums (a must-do) like the Museum Van Loon - an exquisite look inside life of wealthy Amsterdamers of 300 years ago.

Back in the Red Light District the swans don't mind a bit and neither did we. Did we like Amsterdam? We LOVED it!

What to do in Amsterdam? 

THANK YOU PBers for all of your terrific suggestions in the comments. You made it so easy. Basically you can be happy just wandering. Amsterdam is a lot like Venice, but alive, bustling and in some residential areas like Jordaan quiet, contemplative. 

More Amsterdam posts to come!

More Amsterdam pictures on Flickr.

Enjoy!