Beyond the Grasshopper
I first encountered Amsterdam in November, 1998 – perhaps ‘97. Anyway, I was very young, & wore cheap plimsolls everywhere. My toes froze, & every cozy cafe we found felt like those brief flickers of fire-lit hospitality that Tolkein so rarely permits his protagonists, before sending them out again, into bleak hostility. Fragrant cups of tea & fat juicy slices of madeira cake – once we even splashed out on splendid Argentinian steak – were all I needed to keep me happy. These days, there’s little need to freeze your toes off just for economy’s sake – cheap flights to Amsterdam are now abundant all year round, although it does help to book ahead. The beery crowds of Brits that used to go there during summer have thinned out, & the Bohemian streak in the little Dutch capital has matured into something more cosmopolitan, albeit still relaxing & generally unselfconscious.
Some complain that the city is losing its rebel streak – the infamous Red Light District is being “cleaned up”, or at least made less startlingly visible. But, like many people who’ve grown up with a creative outlook & made the best of it, Amsterdam is now doing pretty well for itself, & amidst the adventurous fine dining & cool little boutiques, there’s still a nice productive seam of authentically Bohemian culture & creativity to keep the inspiration flowing.
For century-spanning art & design, slide the Van Gogh museum down your list (I know, I know; but the queues are long & it’s not that impressive) & head instead to the Hermitage Amsterdam. Sister to the famous Hermitage in Russia’s St Petersburg, the museum holds regular exhibitions of splendid Russian artifacts; the latest is a collection of gleaming artworks from the Russian Orthodox Church. Trendy “Torch”, on Lauriergracht, exhibits new but already successful artists, while Aschenbach & Hofland, on Bilderdijkstraat, & Bart, on Bloemgracht, showcase the latest wave of upcoming Dutch & German unknowns.
Amsterdam is a beautiful city in its own right, too – that wonderful aesthetic of tall, narrow buildings flanking the fresh, tree-lined canals – & just as easily explored by boat as by bike, or even on foot (the cultural centre is only 30 minutes walk across). One of the most pleasant activities in Amsterdam is to simply wander the streets – providing it’s not November, obviously – admiring the 16th to 18th century facades, the houseboats, the greenery, or the brilliant modern architecture in the Docklands. Some people take their cameras, but it’s often more relaxing to leave those behind. You don’t have to share everything on Facebook.
Once you’ve wandered enough, look around for one of the 1,000+ cafes, boutique-esque lunch-rooms, & a healthy sprinkle of excellent restaurants. Many of the best source ingredients from farms just outside town, & make their own bread & cakes. Gartine, on Taksteeg, comes highly recommended by the locals – they serve high tea, tasty lunches & lovely desserts, much of it originating in their own smallholding, for amazingly low prices – half the cost, at least, of their London equivalents.
I still wear plimsolls a lot. Tea & cake are always welcome. But my fascination for the illicit has definitely grown jaded
Image by dranidis
