Grounded for the night
If you’ve been keeping with our travels, you’ll know that Deb had food poisoning on the way home from Barcelona. With only 24 hours in Amsterdam, I was itching to explore. While Deb was recovering, she encouraged me to go out and explore.
24 hours in Amsterdam
First things first. I had to procure some nourishment for Deb as she needed to increase her intake slowly. Chicken broth and bananas were in order. Deb has celiac disease. As such I have to watch out for gluten. Fortunately, throughout most of Europe, gluten free food isn’t too hard to find. I went to the grocery store down the block and studied the labels on the various packets of broth. Being unprepared for a Dutch layover, I Used Apple Translateand was able to read the labels to determine what was safe or not safe. FYI: Glutenvrij is dutch for “gluten-free”.
I come back to fine her drifting off to sleep. This hotel is Hygge AF! I kind of want to snuggle up too, but I’m also eager to explore. Deb asked me to take some pics to show her what I’m doing along the way.
Food delivered, it was time to explore. What to do alone with one night in Amsterdam (that didn’t involve brothels).
What’s on the menu?
Always on the search for local gastronomy, I did a quick search for dutch foods to try. I hopped over to iamsterdam and did a search of dutch foods to try. List in hand (well, on my phone), I headed to the front desk and asked for advice. The two hosts recommended a few restaurants and the street food in the Christmas markets outside. They also mentioned a good place to try Jenevir, the dutch precursor of gin.
before you head out
Important information when in the Netherlands. Being aware of bikes at all times. Bikes are the main mode of transportation here, and winter doesn’t change that. there are hundreds of bikes going down every street. Stay out of the bike lanes or you will get run over, or seriously annoy the locals. It was so interesting to see the young people in their short skirts and heels, riding a bike in the cold drizzle and chatting to their friends like it was summertime.
On a mission.
Amsterdam was all lit up. It was the middle of December and the Christmas theme is going full blast. Every street adorned with lights, wreaths and other festive decor.
The first stop is at an outside concession stand near Hans Snoekfontein. You can smell the delicious pastries from the other side of the square. It here that I pick up some Oliebollen. These Deep-fried dough balls dusted with powdered sugar, and are often eaten as a sweet treat during the Christmas season. crispy on the outside, soft and warm on the inside. It’s a sweet and savory delight. Mine were filled with lemon (I think).
From here I just meander down the road, trying my best to just get lost in the festive atmosphere.
Jenever, the birth-parent of gin
I ramble along on a somewhat intentional trajectory until I come up to Wynand Fockink. This is the Jenever (or genever) place the hotel staff recommended. Wynand Fockink Proeflokaal and Spirits has been distilling jenever since 1679 and is Amsterdams oldest tasting room.
Jenever is known to be a precursor of English gin. its existence dates back to at least the 13th century. the first known recipe for jenver was written in 1522. the English discovered the spirit while fighting the Spanish in the thirty years war and brought it back home, where it became the gin we know today.
Entering the bar, I notice its packed wall to wall with locals and tourists alike. Behind the bar is an intimidating array of jenever flavors. As crowded as this place is, the bartender looks to me and motions me up to the crowded counter. She is patient with me and after a few questions, she recommended the Oude jenever served as a headbutt. This consists of a small tulip class of jenever and a beer as a chaser. It is referred to as a kopstoot (headbutt).
As a lover of all things gin, I’m eager to try this precursor to my favorite spirit. Stepping outside to get some space and let others order, I take a sip and chase it down. The flavor was….like juniper flavored whiskey! Not that there was anything wrong with the drink, but I didn’t realize how closely related jenever is to whiskey. I hate whiskey.
It’s made from what?
Apparently gin can be distilled from any raw material, while genever is always made from grains like rye, malted barley and corn. as such, some describe it as a cross between gin and whiskey. Did I mention I hate whiskey? C’est la vie, the experience well well worth it. I’m always down to try new food and drink.
Jenever is also the spirit you’ll find in the porcelain KLM houses traditionally given as gifts to 1st class passengers. As you may recall, I am a thrifty Jetsetter and don’t fly first class, so I collect these trinkets from estate sales.
Christmas trees and gay bars, oh my.
Jenever tasting complete, I continue my walk. I pass by the Royal Palace and a big semi drives up, its load an enormous christmas tree. Not something you see everyday.
From here I keep walking down Roadhuisstraat and the Anne Frank House. It is closed, as was the Van Gogh museum, but I pause for a moment to reflect on the power of love and humanity this house represents.
Back up to Spurstraat Nord. This is one of the gay districts in Amsterdam. Always a fan of gay bars around the world, I dip in and out of several bars to get a feel for the area. I make note of a few for future trips with Deb and keep walking. If you’re interested, there is a ton of information here.
dinner & dessert
Realizing how late it’s getting, I need to eat and get back to the hotel. I stop at Brasserie Blazer for steak frites and a beer. not exactly dutch fair, but hits the spot on this chilly night.
Last stop on the way home is to find some licorice. I loved the licorice I tried in Finland, and I’m curious if theres much of a difference here. This turns out to be the same salty, tasty licorice I was craving.
Zoute Drop, also known as Dutch Drop, is widespread throughout Scandinavia and the Netherlands. Finland has a version called salmiakki, while in Sweden it’s called saltlakrits. The salty flavor comes from ammonium chloride, a chemical used in cough medicine, not sodium chloride, the main ingredient in table salt.
We’ll be back
Back at the hotel I found Deb fast asleep, a half empty cup of broth on the table. I crawl into bed and pass out.
24 hours later, we check out of our hotel and head back to the airport. Our flight is more than half empty, and every passenger has their own row! A shout out to KLM for rebooking us on the next days flight for free.
I found that you can still have a great time with 24 hours in Amsterdam even with no planning. My unexpected layover was just long enough to give me a taste of what this marvelous city has to offer. We will defiantly be planning a return trip.
So long Amsterdam, see you again soon.
