Monday, September 13, 2010

Amsterdam: My canal . . .

Now that I have purchased my tickets, I've decided to start posting about my proposed itinerary. This is something I learned to do from blogging friend and fellow Slow Traveler, Sandra. I think it keeps me focused and helps to prepare me for my trip. Plus it's fun. I'm going to still continue to post on my logistics blog because with WiFi's available in both my home base apartments, I think it will come in handy to have the links to refer back to while on the road. The joys of technology. :)

Over the weekend, I decided to check out where the apartment I rented is located using Street View on Google Maps. I remember reading about this feature by reading a thread posted on ST by blogging friend and another fellow slow traveler, Marta. She's also a moderator for Slow Talk. The apartment's description said that it is located in a nice neighborhood with a beautiful canal in front. Well, I had no idea how really cool it looks, until I found it on Street View. Very cool!




It seems pretty close to a few places that I will be visiting like the Rijksmuseum, which was highly recommended by blogging friend and fellow Slow Traveler, AnnieNC. I rented Sister Wendy's Grand European Tour for the 4th time in preparation for my museum visits in Amsterdam. I heard of Sister Wendy from AnnieNC's blog and have learned a lot about art by watching her DVD's. Thanks so much again Annie. The Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museums are both high on my must see list.



I can't wait! I think the next two months will fly by so I plan to start preparing now and not wait until the week before I leave like I did last year. :) More to come . . .

15 comments:

  1. Kathy, your plans are sounding wonderful! Amsterdam looks so interesting and the canals so beautiful. And what a great idea to look at the street view from your apartment. Is it the first photo? Actually, all the shots look wonderful. I love trip planning!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Sandra, thanks so much for your comments And for the pre trip blogging idea. It has helped me in the last three trips. You're right the first photo shows where my apartment is. It is supposed to be one of the buildings on the left (if I did street view correctly). The next two photos are of the same canal but from different angles. The last two pkojtos are of the Rijksmuseum. It looks like a very beautiful building more so than van gogh's exterior. Kind of interesting comparison. Sister Wendy Actually commented about Van Gogh's plain building. It'll be so interesting . I'm excited . :). Thanks again Sandra have a great evening.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What an incredible "street" to stay on. I bet those photos make you even more excited. And I'm so glad that Sister Wendy is helping you plan your art outings. I never get tired of watching her. Happy planning! (and you are right, two months will fly by).

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Annie, thanks so much for your comments and thanks again for Sharing Sister Wendy with us. She's a real gem. I really like that street view feature a lot and it's going to help planning what to see that's close together. There's a some places to eat nearby that I could see:) I'm so surprised that it is already middle of September already. Time sure does fly. Thanks Annie. Have a nice evening.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Kathy, you will have a very wonderful time there and what a great location. We have been to both of the museums you mention and they are both exceptional. Another hint: if you want to go to the Anne Frank Haus, be sure to book your ticket on line. The lines are super long to get tickets there but if you have booked your time already, you just walk in. There is a special entrance a couple steps away from the ticket office where you ring the bell and voila! We took Casey there in July and he really took it all in. Have fun planning. Oh--also be sure to go to one of the Indochinese restaurants.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Jane, thanks so much for your comments. I've been glued to street view looking at the surroundings and at some of the places I'll be seeing and I do think that I'll enjoy myself very much in Amsterdam. I was there many years ago as a stop over on a group tour and I don't remember much other than I took the windmill, cheese making tour over the Anne Franks house tour. I've regretted that decision but maybe it was just meant to be so I can return. Thank you so much for your tip about ordering tickets on-line and about the special entrance. I will definitely do that for sure before I leave. I think it is so wonderful that you brought Casey there. He is such a great kid or maybe I need to now start referring to him as a young pre-teen. Time is so fleeting sometimes. Can't wait to see Casey's future with so much traveling and experiences that he has had.

    Thanks also for the tip on Indonesian food. Annie and Marta recommended it too. I actually found a restaurant called Purimas which is located near Leidseplein which I think is not too far from my apartment. Their dishes looks very delicious and they have a vegetarian option too. Can't wait! :)

    Thanks again Jane. I really have enjoyed reading your entries on Africa and all of your photos. I haven't had a chance to catch up with your new entries but I will as Africa is on my list as a someday dream trip.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your canal looks beautiful. Is it in the Jordaan area? The canal area is great. I love walking through it and along the small side streets. You can find such interesting small stores. My favorite is one that specializes in buttons. I have some more recent photos of Amsterdam that I will post.

    Also don't forget Krista's blog. She visited in 2007 and has some great details.
    http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/khb/travel/europe_2007/

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Marta, thanks so much for your comments. I think the neighborhood is very close to the Jordaan. It's on Prinsengracht, described to be in a place called Grachtengordel. I've been studying the maps pin pointing my interests so I can get my bearings. The city looks pretty compact.

    Thanks so much for the tip on Krista's blog, I shall visit and read about her experiences and take note. I've been reading your blog too and finding it very useful. You really got around a lot while you worked there. I'm going to visit the Haag after reading your entries. May even try to visit Leiden.It'll be fun. A store of buttons sounds so cool. I'd really love to see your photos. I might get a bike and take one of those biking tours but will wait until I get there to gage the weather. With two weeks there I'm hoping I'll get maybe one or two clear days to take photos around town. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Prinsengracht is a beautiful canal. You also mention that you are near Leidseplein. It is a great location. You will be near the tram if you don't want to walk. There is also a small supermarket Albert Heijn near the intersection of Prinsengracht and Leidsegracht. There is a shopping area right there on Leidsegracht.

    We ate once at the restaurants in the Leidseplein area. They are rather touristy but a good place to start.

    I also recommend Haarlem. It is close by. The center is very history and it is smaller than Den Haag. The Frans Hal museum is another good art museum.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Marta, thanks so much for the tips on the supermarket, Albert Heijn. It will come in handy to do my grocery shopping. I looked up Haarlem and the town looks perfect for me. It seems really close to Amsterdam too. Sweet! I'll check out the Frans Hall Museum too.

    Thanks so much Marta. I really appreciate your tips a lot. I'm getting really excited about my time in Amsterdam. Whoo hoo!

    ReplyDelete
  11. This does sound wonderful!! I don't know anything about Amsterdam, so will look forward to learning about it, and seeing your photos. I haven't seen any of Sister Wendy's shows, although I too learned of her through Annie! Are her shows on video, did you rent them? Oh, maybe the library would have them, I'll have to check that out.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Anne, thanks so much for your comments. I went to Amsterdam before but it was with a tour group and many years ago and I honestly can't remember anything about the country so I'm very excited to return as a Slow Traveler now. I hope to share my experiences and photos in hopes to inspire maybe others to return to travel there for the first time. You would totally love Sister Wendy. I rented her DVD from Netflix and once I streamed it on my PC from Netflix. Sandra mentioned there is a Canada version to Netlix. You might want to check your local library, it's an art appreciation DVD and could be available. I hope you find it because it is so helpful.

    Have a wonderful weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh, just saw this! Cool - Haven't been to Amsterdam so I cam't wait to 'be there' in spirit with your blogging and videos, etc. So great to have this technology and be able to use it. Go ahead, convince me to travel to Amsterdam...:-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi M, thanks so much for your comments. I hope to blog and do Amsterdam justice. I've been there once before but on a stop with my tour group so I don't remember anything but taking the Cheese making windmill tour and I hardly remember that too. That was back in my fast paced group touring days. :) I have two weeks there so I can absorb what I'm seeing and experiencing more. I hope it works this time. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I think you will LOVE Amsterdam! I had a great time when I was there. I went with a friend who was living in Maastricht at the time. I absolutely loved both the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh museums. The Anne Frank museum was also quite moving. We also went into the Sex Museum and had quite a laugh. The food is very international. There is also a beautiful park. Bikes are a big thing there, although I was there in the summertime. Not sure if as many people ride their bikes in the fall & winter. Have fun!!

    ReplyDelete

It's me Trekcapri (aka Kathy). Thanks so much for visiting and leaving a comment.