The Pulitzer is a prize in itself
SOPHIE TUNNICLIFFE SAMPLES THE BEST OF AMSTERDAM OLD AND NEW
THINK of Amsterdam and it conjures images of canals, coffee houses and, of course, the red light district. But Amsterdam is so much more! The city is a magnificent architectural haven, best viewed from the canals. Take a boat cruise and your guide will share tales to bring the city’s history to life.
While many people never venture beyond the centre and the art history of Amsterdam such as the Van Gogh or Frans Hal Museum, the more adventurous should explore De Pijp, Haarlem, the Plantage and Keukenhof, all a short car, train or bus trip away.
I flew from Durham Tees Valley airport with KLM, landing at Schipol about an hour later. From there it was a 25-minute drive to our hotel, The Pulitzer, in central Amsterdam. This beautiful ‘boutique’ hotel, offering 225 rooms or suites, is quintessentially Dutch in design and occupies 25 Golden Age canal houses.
The Pulitzer is eclectic yet elegant, the understated look blends original and historic features with luxurious modern-day elements. The rooms provide free wifi, a vintage telephone, Le Labo amenities, a custom-made mini bar with cocktail mixing facilities and even a bike repair set (there are apparently more bikes than people in the city).
After ditching our bagsl we enjoyed a guided tour of De Pijp, one of 10 neighbourhood areas around Amsterdam. Its multicultural make-up is reflected in its restaurants. And at its heart is the totally Dutch Heineken museum which offers guided tours.
But, after a morning walking, we were in need of lunch and opted for the Restaurant Bazaar where the service and food is excellent.
This former church has colourful tables, striking lamps and cheerful music transporting you to some exotic far-away market.
Relaxed and refuelled we headed to the Anne Frank museum (tours must be booked in advance) where you are snatched from the bustle of sunny streets to understand the privations of Jews in war-torn Europe as described by teenager, Anne. It’s a humbling and thought-provoking tour, although a story without a happy ending.
To lift our spirits we headed to a little cheese shop (Reypenaer) in the centre of old Amsterdam, for a cheese tasting. The staff gave a fascinating history of their processes and then we tested and evaluated the flavour, the aroma and the qualities of Reypenaer cheeses.
Not being a cheese buff, I was a little out my depth, but the on-hand expert was very informative and catered to all ‘tastes’, literally.
Different wines are also offered to complement the cheeses.
Feeling quite full and not ready for our evening meal, the Pulitzer Hotel offered their cruise boat for a trip around the canals and it was nice to give the feet a break, on a balmy evening.
Day two dawned bright and sunny and we breakfasted in the hotel’s Jansz restaurant. English and Continental for most, but Champagne if you’re so inclined.
Then we took in Haarlem, which has a large square set around the striking gothic cathedral of St Bavo. Many buildings in Amsterdam have problems with the foundations and the city’s boggy underpinnings are highlighted here as the cathedral spire leans slightly.
Haarlem has an ‘Anne Frank’ story of its own. Corrie ten Boom was a christian who hid Jews from Nazis and her story is told in the movie The Hiding Place – one to watch when I get home.
My first ever art gallery came next, the Frans Hal museum, which was an ‘old men’s house’ then an orphanage before being renovated as the museum and set around a stunning garden. With the help of a guide you can discover the collection which brings old, modern and contemporary artworks together.
A quick lunch in a local cafe and we moved on again to the wonder of Keukenhof (Kitchen Garden). The drive is normally through vast rainbow swathes of tulips, but it was near the end of the season.
Keukenhof is only open about eight weeks of the year, so you will have to wait until March 2019 to enjoy this unique experience in all its glory.
We visited when the gardens were still in bloom and quite beautiful, set in 80 acres with more than seven million bulbs of 800 varieties of tulips.
A last-night treat was a candlelight dinner cruise hosted by the Blue Pepper restaurant which serves contemporary Indonesian cuisine.
While sampling delicacies such as oyster, caviar and grasshopper – yes, grasshopper – we travelled down the Amstel River viewing the ‘Over The Edge’ swing on the top of A’DAM Lookout, houseboats and the house which wouldn’t move to make way for the Victoria Hotel, so they simply built around it.
So great to see, but night falls and another packed day ends.
On the final day, we ventured to The Plantage, where many Jews lived before World War II.
In one of its streets every Jew died in the Holocaust and along the canal bank, plaques are laid in their memory, known as the ‘Shadow Wall’.
Last stop was the Artis (Amsterdam Zoo).
Two features stood out. First, the Forest and Bird House, a set of three listed buildings restored to their former glory housing monkeys, sloths, lizards and birds but not behind glass or bars – you are actually in their living space (makes for great photos).
Second, the Micropia experience, based on the idea of distributing information about microbes, which are often associated with illness and disease.
Opened in 2014, this is microscience brought to life. Topics change regularly to keep things fresh, though I’m not sure the ‘poo’ topic was ideal pre-lunch viewing.
Still it is a fascinating lab experience for families. I haven’t experienced a museum quite like it.
Sadly and all too quickly my trip was over – to be in Amsterdam at 2.45pm and in my own home by 5.15pm is remarkable in itself – quicker than a trip to London.
Amsterdam, ‘vaarwel’.