En route back from Uganda, we took a couple days to unwind in Amsterdam. This also had the advantage of helping to acclimatize us to the chilly weather awaiting us in the US from the equatorial temps we had grown accustomed to.
Amsterdam has been a comfortable destination for us over the years – since it was right after Christmas, the city was still festively decorated for the holidays. The city is walkable, easy to get around, superb museums, and I have never had a bad meal – Indonesian-infused cooking is a particular favorite. We also learned that it is incredibly easy to fit in as a local. I purchased a silly “I am Amsterdam” hat with ear flaps and tassels, something I felt assured would identify me as a tourist. To the contrary, it seemed to increase the likelihood that people would approach me speaking Dutch.
We just had a few days so we visited the Rijksmuseum (to see the Night Watch with several thousand of our closest friends), the Our Lord in the Attic church / museum, and an OK Canal museum (not awful, but I would not make it a priority). There was also this little film in 2014 called The Fault in Our Stars that had a few scenes filmed in Amsterdam. We took pictures of the park bench featured in a memorable scene that won us some credibility with our niece. The film seems to have increased interest in visiting the Anne Frank House as witnessed by the incredibly long lines to get in. (Pro tip: reserve tickets in advance)
