all i can say is, these people KNOW how to party. I have never seen anything like it. I thought my friends were exaggerating when they told me the streets and canals are jam packed with happy people, but as you can see this is exactly what happens on Queens Day in glorious Amsterdam. I took a tonne of photos and here is a snippet from my Queen’s Day photo album. I have a feeling there will be a part two and three to come! It is hard not to get caught up on in all the action, the buzz is contagious and hopefully you will feel it a little in these shots.

Click here to open a new page for this posts soundtrack (hint, it’s yesterday’s song, it just has to be!!) and then scroll slowly through the images below, enjoy…

something you don’t want to happen to you…

What an awesome day. If you have ever had the urge to come to Amsterdam, THIS is the day to come. You will be guaranteed to have the time of your life.

This is my first Queens Day here in Amsterdam. The whole city is one massive party – the streets are full of happy people, everyone wears orange, and the streets become a ‘free market’ – like one gigantic car boot sale. I have my orange Ben Sherman shirt ready for the occasion. Although I am in crazy deadline mode again, I will try to get out my camera to take some snaps for you, but in the meantime, this day gives me the perfect excuse to share this song with you! It totally cracks me up and brings out the Dutchie in me…Happy Queen’s Day everyone!!

I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of these little guys and was delighted to see a tiny orange furry head pop up this morning, quel plaisir!! These birds are called coots and they have made an, um, interesting home just outside my kitchen window. They are water-dwelling birds, they create nests with twigs and whatever they can find in the canal. It is a stylists nightmare. When I first arrived to my new home the first thing I noticed was this eye sore and I wanted to get rid of it immediately, until I found out it was in fact, a home as well. So while I’ve been sipping on my tea in the kitchen each morning I watch these funny looking black coots build their nest higher and higher and I try to imagine all the things I could offer them to make their nest a little more appealing to the (my) eye. It was only a few weeks ago I noticed there were eggs and it reminded me once again that prettiness (or the lack there of) does not equal true natural beauty – I now feel so honoured to be neighbours with this adorable family.

So welcome little one. What shall we name him?

i’m thrilled that you all feel the same way about amsterdam. i assure you there is much much more to this city than coffee shops and red lighted windows. here is a detailed description of last sunday’s wander. From now on when I take photos of my walks I will give you a detailed description like this one so you can make a note for the next time you visit…

So, the photos below were taken on my favourite walk: I start at utrechtstraat which is a strip of fabulous restaurants, cafes, homeware stores, music stores and delis. I then wander up towards rembrandts plein (‘plein’ means ‘square’). Then I continue up over the bridge of the amstel until I reach the beautiful staalstraat (‘straat’ means ‘street’) bridge, seen in one of the photos below. Once here I turn right onto staalstraat which is full of gorgeous design shops including droog which is one of amsterdam’s destination design stores. Even though this is such a little street you could spend hours wandering between the stores. At the end of this street is one of my all time favourite amsterdam cafes: Puccini’s. The menu is fresh and delicious and no matter what time of day you wander this way, you must indulge in a puccini hot chocolate. I will not say anything more about this hot chocolate except that you must. Puccini’s also has a chocolate boutique just a few doors up so you can take home some gifts (for yourself).

So, after my chocolate comotose I turn left along the canal and this is where you will find all those quaint and quirky painted doors I featured in Part One. It’s along here that I change my path to discover new streets, so you just keep meandering and see what you discover along the canal, but keep to your left as you walk on ahead and you will make your way to Nieuwmarkt which is another big square and marks the end of this walk but the beginning of another favourite Pia walk (which I will share with you next time). But don’t leave just yet as right in front of you is In De Waag, an incredible medieval looking building turned restaurant which was once the Amsterdam ‘gatehouse’. Inside are beautiful beamed high ceilings, the whole restaurant lighted with candles. It is magical. Here I indulge (again! always with the indulging) in a glass of champagne and a little plate of Dutch bitterballen – I think these are some of the best in town. They also serve delicious cheese croquettes. You must arrive before 5pm though as the bar section closes to make room for dinner guests. I suggest you aim to arrive here at around 2-3pm as they change the candles in the huge chandeliers and that is quite a sight. You can also sit outside In De Waag when it is a sunny day. Bliss.

I hope these little ‘wander guides’ come in handy for some of you, do let me know! I have heaps up my sleeve I could share including wanders in Paris, Vancouver, and Sydney, as well as Amsterdam (oh and a little town in North Italy that I would love to share with you soon) if you like the idea of this let me know and I will add more.

Next Up: a funny little thing…

here is the second series from the delightfully sunny sunday i spent wandering the streets of amsterdam. i have loved reading your comments in part one, and i think you should all come and visit amsterdam again and again, it truly is a beautiful city! perhaps the following photos will help convince you to pack your bags (oh and it is queens day here soon, i hear it is quite spectacular, i am looking forward to it!)

the soundtrack for this post is right here. just click on this link which will open the song in a new window and then come back to scroll through the photos. enjoy…

i took alot of photos. that’s how excited i was to be out in the sunshine. i probably took enough photos for a ten part series. but i shall not do that to you! these are just little snippets. the song is by peter bjorn and john, thank you boys.

let me know if you would like the names or streets from any of the above and below images, i’d be happy to share with you my favourite amsterdam wanders. and i’ve saved my favourite photo for last, now this is the life…