Amsterdam: Jordaan and the West

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Jordaan at dusk

Back in November, we spent a week in Amsterdam staying in the Jordaan, a former workers’ quarter which is now given over to shops, cafés and galleries. We spent a lot of time just wandering around it, and the nearby Western Islands, enjoying the quirky sights – we’ve been to Amsterdam six times before so we don’t feel the need to visit all the major museums again. We’re almost locals!

Those sites include quirky house carvings:

Carvings on houses
Carvings on houses
Carvings on houses
Carvings on houses

Quirky cats and other animals (one is actually real!):

Amsterdam cats
Animal quirks

Quirky street art, shop-fronts, museums:

Decorative shop fronts
Western Islands / Jordaan street art
Quirky Amsterdam museums

And of course, the buildings and the canals in general, which are, as ever, gorgeous:

Brouwersgracht
Zandhoek
Western Islands housing
Drieharingenbrug
Western Islands housing
Western Islands housing
Lopsided buildings
Canal in Jordaan
Jordaan
Johnny Jordaanplein
Interesting gable, Jordaan
Jordaan window gazing
Jordaan bar
Restaurant ‘t Stuivertje

The last picture in the gallery above is Het Stuivertje, our favourite restaurant. There are many good places to eat in the Jordaan, but we went back to this one twice. Not only was the food excellent, the staff were absolutely lovely and some of the friendliest we have come across on our travels. Highly recommended if you are ever in the area.

Also wonderful was the landlady, Greet, of Amphora Apartment where we stayed – she and her husband live upstairs. Greet is an artist and the kitchen and bathroom areas were decorated with her mosaics.

Amphora Apartment
Amphora Apartment
Amphora Apartment
Lounge area
Mosaics
Mosaics
Mosaics
Mosaics
Wecoming wine

We had breakfast in the apartment every day, but only ate dinner there once. We got so wet during the day that we didn’t want to go out again, so stopped off at one of the local supermarkets, Albert Heijn, on our way home. A word of warning – we queued at a “No cash” check-out only to discover that, despite having several different cards between us, none of them was any use. I think the only thing they accept is MasterCard Debit which neither of us has. In the end, the lady behind us in the queue paid for us and we paid her back in cash. The welcoming bottle of wine left by Greet was an added bonus that night!

In the next instalment, we go out east for more slightly-off-the-beaten-track sights. In the meantime, a reminder, or a heads-up if you don’t know, that Wednesday 14th February is a special day. No, not that one – it’s International Book Giving Day. Follow the link for ideas to get books into the hands of as many children as possible, either through personal gifts or by supporting a charity. Much better than a Valentine’s card!

All the same, I wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day AND a Happy International Book Giving Day on Wednesday.

Netherlands , , ,

88 Comments »

  2. Jordaan is indeed a very nice neighbourhood and we have been many times. We also have a friend who lives there so we end up meeting her there most time we visit. The main sites of Amsterdam are getting overcrowded but Jordaan seems to be able to keep some level of calmness in the madness…Nice pics. (Suzanne)

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    • Yes, it’s still enjoyable to walk around. The centre can be quite unpleasant because of the crowds, but, as with most places, move a little outside and you lose most of them!

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  3. Hi, Anabel – I agree with the other commenters. This looks like such a fascinating trip — and the photos are gorgeous. I LOVE all things quirky so have now scribbled down a few notes of ‘must sees’ if ever in Amsterdam!

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  4. I only had the good fortune to visit Amsterdam (including the Jordaan) once after a crazy sail across the North Sea from Ramsgate to IJmuiden and down the North Sea Locks. Sadly, I did not carry a camera at the time so have none of my own visuals of the city. Thank you for taking me back there today with this wonderful visual montage. I adore the architecture, narrow streets and canals. Next time I go, I would so welcome a few days at the Amphora Apartment. Nicely appointed with gorgeous mosaics. And ‘totally Amsterdam’ to hear of the lovely lady who offered up her credit card in grocery store line.

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  6. I’ve never heard of Jordaan, Anabel, but given the street art and house carvings, the shops and museums, I need to add it to my bucket list. I wonder if you realize that Anabel-recommended places now has its own entire page on that list! I can’t help it – your posts and your photos are captivating.

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  9. Hi Anabel – well you’ve hooked me on all in Jordaan – place to stay, to eat … and the area – looks positively delightful. Wonderful photos you’ve given us – cheers Hilary

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  10. Oooh, a cheese museum, and a tulip museum?! Don’t remember seeing either of those the last time I was in Amsterdam. I love the house carvings too – think I’d probably have a bat or a little skeleton outside my door, if I had the option!

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  12. Amsterdam is on my to-go list for awhile now. I haven’t been able to convince my husband to go, but I am working on it 🙂
    I enjoy reading your travel stories. International book giving day – I have never heard of it. I will definitely check it out. Thank you.

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  14. Interesting city. Always fancied a visit but it would have to be solo job as everyone I know is completely mountain fixated. That really bugs me at times :o)

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  16. Wonderful photos! This makes me want to go back to Amsterdam! I saw the Cow Museum in Jordaan while I was there and really wanted to go in, but unfortunately it was closed – guess I’ll just need to go back and visit it.

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  17. Pingback: Shrove Tuesday in Portugal – It caught my eye in Portugal

  18. What lovely photos! We are thinking of taking a German river cruise that starts in Amsterdam, and would like to arrive early so we can explore that city a bit more. And now I want to more than ever!

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  19. It is nice when you are so familiar with a city that you begin to look at it differently from a tourist’s POV. I think that’s when you see it properly, warts and all. I am curious as to what draws you back there again and again though.

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    • Well, partly romance – our first visit in 1981 was our honeymoon. We went on a British Rail Stardust Minibreak – the choice was Amsterdam or Paris and I’m guessing Amsterdam was probably cheaper! Otherwise our “special city” could have turned out to be Paris. Or maybe not. Apart from being beautiful, I find Amsterdam relaxed and friendly so I feel comfortable there, and familiarity is great for relaxation too. No pressure to see absolutely everything. Finally – it’s so easy to get to directly from Glasgow with direct KLM flights taking not much longer than going to London. That’s certainly a factor when looking at a short break. I think the other city that could contend its crown is Berlin, though we’ve only managed twice there so far. (Ha, ha, you probably didn’t expect an essay in reply!)

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  20. You took great photos and I love all the art representing what the buildings were originally…that’s my guess. I really like the musketeer, looks like one, from a building of the early 1600s. I was only there once but would love to go back and it truly is a walking city with so much to see by just walking. The place you stayed in sounds like a good deal…money wise too.

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  21. Thanks for the wonderful tour of Amsterdam. I would love to return there and revisit one day.
    Holland was the site of my first European visit as a 17-year-old from Northern Canada. To this day, I still have a fascination with every picture of see of her legendary canals 💕

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  23. what a wonderful post, not been to Amsterdam for years. You have tempted me back with this one and looks like I know where I will be staying too!

    PS Much prefer book giving to Valentines 🙂

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  24. In love with the twinkly lights in the first photo, Anabel. My laptop is loading very slowly so not got much beyond that- a good reason for not blogging much here. 🙂 🙂 You’ve had my share- I’ve never been to Amsterdam! Bizarre, isn’t it? I’d still like to but my son spent 2 very cold, wet days there at the beginning of this month. A birthday ‘treat’! Some of us have birthdays at the wrong time of year 🙂 Lisa did much better with Barcelona for her 5th wedding anniversary this week. Pancakes tonight, after a lovely walk in the hills.

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    • Yes, we have never been in November before and it was cold and wet then too. All our other visits were March or April which is hit and miss – sometimes very cold, sometimes quite warm, but never as wet as this trip. Still, we’re going again in May so that will be a new experience. Enjoy the walk, and make sure to use enough calories to offset the pancakes 😟

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  28. I must go back some time. it’s over 40 years! Well, apart from work trips, and they don’t count, since we didn’t get to visit anywhere but a uni and a restaurant 🙂

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  29. Her mosaics are beautiful and perfect! What a great place to recommend too! I love all the recommendations, in particular, this one. Such a colorful place. Good tip on the credit card, I would have never known that!

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    • They are beautiful, such a lovely touch. I don’t know how any visitor could be expected to know the bizarre rules for payment! The woman on the checkout wasn’t much help, just kept refusing every card we produced, so thank goodness for the lovely lady behind.

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  31. Anabel, we loved our visit to Amsterdam and stayed in the Jordanna area. Back there for a night in September this year before we head off to go canal boating with friends. Your post reminded me of some fun experiences!

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  33. What a great place to visit. Isn’t that funny about the credit cards. We had a similar experience at a supermarket in Cologne, where our Visa card was not acceptable nor our travel card and, like you, we didn’t have a MasterCard. Luckily we could pay cash instead.

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    • It’s bizarre! I have a MasterCard, but it’s a credit card, and a debit card but it’s Visa and it has to be MasterCard Debit. If the lady behind us hadn’t been so kind we’d just have had to walk out. Next time we knew to avoid that queue!

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  34. Good selection of photos – really gives a good overview of the interesting parts of the city. Back over there ourselves next week for a short break to see our daughter

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  36. Jordaan looks like a delightful place for a meander, Anabel. Lots of cute and quirky sights! Your apartment is fantastic. I still haven’t been to Amsterdam, but I do hope to get there in 2021, according to my Excel spreadsheet that outlines all my (hoped for) travels till I’m 90!! Can’t wait to see more. 🙂

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