A trip to cool Amsterdam

The Good Life

Gemma Good

Island mentality is rooted deep in me. To leave Ireland, we have always had to get a ferry or plane. So even now the idea of getting a bus into another country seems strange. My friend from home came to visit this week and as two born and bred islanders, we both found it weird to be going to a bus station to travel to another country.

We decided to hit the one and only Amsterdam which is a two hour bus journey from Belgium. Those who know gave me ‘the look’ when I mentioned I would be going to the Netherlands. Amsterdam’s coffee shops aren’t just about sitting for a chat over a cup of coffee. Some of them, particularly in the famous Red Light District are places where you can socialise with friends over a joint or in a tourist's case, take part in the cannabis culture. With this, Amsterdam is also a beautiful city with picturesque locations, amazing museums including the Anne Frank house and the Van Gogh museum, stunning parks for biking, good food and quirky bars. So don’t worry, if cannabis isn’t your thing there’s plenty of other attractions to keep you occupied.

We decided to visit the Moco museum which showcases modern art. Admittedly, I am not knowledgeable at all when it comes to art. I enjoy looking at it and I found it interesting how this museum used art to portray modern issues such as racial inequality, consumerism and mental health. There were others, but these exhibitions stood out in particular. As a novice to art I really did enjoy the museum and I'm sure art enthusiasts would get even more from it.

In the category of quirky bars is the Xtra Cold Ice Bar, which we decided to book for a new experience. We entered into a normal bar which had a captain’s ship setting, we then went down to what I assumed was the storage area of the ship (we missed the intro speech) where we were given coats and gloves. I’m not sure of the temperature in the room, but everything was frozen. The chairs, the cup we drank out of and cool ice sculptures dotted around the place. We got beers out of the frozen cup and honestly, it was the nicest beer I have ever had. It was here we met two girls who asked us to take a picture of them and we got chatting. The girls were both touring Europe all the way from Australia. We lasted in the ice bar for about 15 minutes before each of us started chattering with the cold. Still with our new Aussie friends, we decided to hit the Red Light District.

Red alert

For those who don’t know, the Red Light District is an area in Amsterdam with brothels, sex shows, sex shops and coffee shops. This is completely foreign to me, however it was not the presence of sex workers dancing in windows beneath red lights that shocked me, it was the clientele on the other side of the windows. I was glad to be in a group of four as opposed to two, I did not feel safe at all. Maybe I did feel overwhelmed by this completely new environment, but the stares being directed towards any group of females in the area would make you feel a bit on edge. Besides this, it was really cool to see the Red light District. I wouldn’t go running back but as a tourist, I’m glad I went.

Food

The highlight of Amsterdam for me was the food. One café called Uncommon particularly stood out. The menu was amazing, with selections of really different foods I had never tried before. I also highly recommend Café de Jiren with its setting along one of the canals where you could eat and drink while watching the boats, the lights of the city and the stunning bridges. The biggest drawback of the city was how there were times when I didn’t feel too safe. It was unreal to visit, but I don’t think I would like to live there.

I think Belgium is such an underrated country. If I didn't get my internship here, I may never have visited but I highly recommend Brussels for a city break. The people, the food, the beers, chocolates, sightseeing, everything is brilliant. I am always proud to show it off when people come to visit.