A week in Amsterdam.

We’ve been back for over a month, and now here I sit to finally recap this beautiful city while also forgetting the exact names of the places where we were. What kind of a blogger am I anyway? Time to pack it in, I guess. No, this city deserves a bit of time, from me and you, because it really is so lovely. What stands out most? In a word… CHARM. I think of Amsterdam now and I see the most beautiful, tall, skinny canal houses, bikes zooming past, and rows of restaurants with tables placed outside their doors just so. Amsterdam is really charming. Italy was, of course, a vacation but Steve was also there on the job, so once we left for Amsterdam, we felt like that was where our vacation would really start. No schedules, open to do as we pleased every day. We also rented a really beautiful Airbnb (link below!). I’ve been told it can rain (and rain, and rain) there but luck–and the season, I suppose–was on our side and we only witnessed one rain storm. And this, only after we’d successfully made our way back to our Airbnb. Even in the rain, it was really lovely, though I’m sure it would feel quite different after days and days of it. After the heat of Italy, Amsterdam was where I finally pulled out the jeans and sweaters that I knew I’d packed for the boys and I for a reason. Putting them on as the evening arrived was welcome. You know what was strange? That it stayed light out till 10:30 at night. That was a first for me. And for the boys, who had a very hard time settling down when it was so bright out. I suppose this is when sleep masks come in handy!If you’re looking at a map of Amsterdam, and you hone in on the Jordaan area, we were sort of northwest of it just a bit. As a matter of fact, I’ve just looked at a map, and we were staying just off the Frederik Hendrik Platsoen which, I must add, has the most amazing playground ever. What a delight to discover it a few houses down from our place. It was this suspended sort of netting apparatus–huge–and the boys completely loved it. So did Steve. Maybe even more than they did. (Ah! I’ve found an image of it!) We could’ve visited it, and skipped the rest of Amsterdam, and I think they’d have been okay with that. Alright let’s talk about this food I’m showing. The first day, we had little agenda after a very early morning from Orvieto to Rome to Amsterdam. We got clean and dressed and took a walk to get the “lay of the land” so to speak. Cities feel very strange to me until I’ve really done justice to them while walking. Do you feel this too? I just need to look at a map, get a sense of things, how far it all is, and how to navigate it on foot until I can really pass judgement on it. When I say pass judgement I mean in a sort of how does this city make me feel? What’s its energy? Do I feel comfortable in it? Here I go not talking about the food, again. Anyway, night one. We walked, through the Jordaan (A-plus; it’s so beautiful there.) and I saw “Pancakes Amsterdam” right next to the Anne Frank House as hunger was striking so it was an easy choice. Steve got the one with the chocolate all over it like he’s a five year old while I made the right choice of a bacon and cheese one. And guess who had the crowd favorite? Me. The boys loved how theirs came with toppings.  This boy. As I write this he’s just gone to sleep and it’s late and I’m tired and–I don’t think it’s just me–but after my kids are asleep for the night all the day’s frustrations completely melt away and I’m left with these intense longings of missing them and wanting to just cuddle them all night and smell their skin and wish I’d been the perfect mother to them throughout the day. Motherhood when you’re already a serious feeler. Woah. But really, him cuddling into me like that? That I’m his safe place? I am truly head over heels for this adorable, sweet little person. The flowers were a major stand out. Everywhere. So lush, so green. Loved it. I think that’s just something that Europe as a whole does better than us. They’re such a part of the landscape. The next day–Father’s Day!–we made our way to Vondelpark. When I saw a map of Amsterdam with so! much! green! space! I was so excited. In the states, there’s always a park close by, and we take it for granted. In Italy, there’s so few of them–economic level? disinterest? historical red tape? all of the above?–and I miss them when I’m traveling there. And the boys really missed them (without even knowing they’re missing them at all). When I saw so much green on the map in Amsterdam, I decided that some serious park-hopping would be in order. So, Father’s Day. We first head to Coffee and Coconuts. Mainly because a friend of mine sent me an IG and I was like, “This place is stunning. I have to see it in person.” And it was gorgeous. An old theatre made restaurant. Check it out. I wish I could say our breakfast was totally dreamy and that Parker and Anders were the picture of perfection for this Father’s Day but actually neither really ate their breakfast and Anders could not sit still (this was, in many ways, the toughest part of the trip. At home, we can go out to eat and I can expect he’ll sit upwards of an hour at a restaurant really, really well. He does it all the time. Like remarkably well! I’ll bring a toy, we’ll color, he’ll sit and eat and all is well. Being abroad was totally different and I attribute this to the fact that he was out of his comfort zone and had way more boundaries than he’s used to. More often than not, sitting down and eating out was really difficult for him. And, as a result, for all of us.). So Steve and I basically tag-teamed and I said, “Happy Father’s Day!!!” very sarcastically ten times.After breakfast we walked and walked (one of those times where you think something is going to be closer than it is and you just keep going hoping it’s just around the corner but by the end you feel like you just completed a marathon) to get to Vondelpark.But then, there it was! A hot Sunday in Amsterdam and we’re splashing at the kiddie pool in Vondelpark. Pretty perfect. Before this, we had the grand idea to do like the Amsterdammers (Netherlanders?) do and rent bikes. There are rental places all over the place as you’ll learn if you visit and it’s also super inexpensive. So we biked Vondelpark first, scoped out the many playgrounds, and then ended up here much to the boys’ delight.Renting bikes was such a good idea, and we were loving it so much (in part because the boys were so happy to have a different mode of transportation for a change; slogging around hot cities for the first two weeks was getting old to them, I guess? Oh, boys.) that Steve and I looked at each other and said we should rent them for the whole week. This is a bit intimidating, to those who haven’t visited Amsterdam yet, because there’s just so many of them, and the people know where they’re going. They’re not just out on joy rides, so it’s a little bit like you need to have your shit together if you’re going to just hop on a bike. There are bike paths everywhere between the pedestrian sidewalk and the road itself, but you wouldn’t want to just stop in the middle of it if you discover you’re lost. Even so, after a ride in Vondelpark, we felt like we might be brave enough to take this on. Anders was in a seat in front of me (which was actually so sweet; I loved having him that close to me while we rode so we could still chat and I could see his smiles.). Parker was in a seat behind Steve. No one wears helmets in Amsterdam–I mean, no one (of the thousands of bikers I saw, I perhaps saw two helmets the entire trip). Am I leading up to something? Yes I am.After a ride around Vondelpark, we ended up at George Bistro for lunch (really yummy; burgers, salads with roasted chicken on them, and a sweet interior as was the case with so many Amsterdam restaurants. Minimal, perfect.). We found it quickly, locked our bikes, and went on in. Before our food even arrived, Anders fell asleep on my lap. This isn’t often the case, but we had just had a long travel day the day before, so he was still off his schedule.I stayed for well over an hour with the little sleeping boy on me, while Steve and Parker rode some more. Then they came back for me and off we went. Now this is where our story takes a bit of a turn for the worse, that’s much easier to talk about a month later. We’re beginning to ride up a slight hill out of Vondelpark when Steve, just ahead of me with Parker on the back, goes over the smallest bump (truly; the front tire lifted off the ground the tiniest bit) and his entire bike–with Parker on the back, remember–flipped over backwards. (We are still trying to figure out why this happened, and when Steve went to return the bikes the next day he took a long, hard look at his bike. First, it was a very lightweight bike to begin with, and then the weight distribution was a little different with Parker being so far back–over the back tire–more than the typical American child seats.) Parker’s head hit the ground so hard. I watched the whole thing from behind where I was riding with Anders. It was completely terrifying to witness. Parker began crying immediately (a good sign) and Steve immediately got him out of the bike-seat and sat down with him to hold him and look him over. He was bleeding from the back of his head but we weren’t sure how much, and a passerby called Amsterdam’s emergency line right away (without us even mentioning to do so). The ambulance came a few minutes later while we managed, with help from the kind people who’d called the ambulance, to lock up the bikes (assuming we were headed for the hospital), and care for Parker. When the ambulance came they cleaned up the back of his head and discovered two very small cuts which were very minimal and wouldn’t require any stitches (I was so grateful for this. Parker is definitely a nervous type, and going to the hospital for stitches would have upset him so much. If you’ve read long enough, you know he’s already had stitches!). They looked him over and told us what to watch out for in case of concussion (we were both familiar with it already). Parker had stopped crying at this point, but was just upset and nervous about all of it. Rightly so. Steve was beside himself. Holding it together, of course, but visibly shaken. We got a taxi back to our Airbnb where Parker took a nap while we hovered pretty closely the entire time. This is when Steve really got emotional and was overcome with guilt. The thing is, though, that there isn’t a more cautious, safety-conscience father than Steve. After losing Shannon, he became even more concerned about safety, predicting the worse, two steps ahead. So the idea that this happened to him was especially upsetting. And guys, honestly, I felt so badly for him. Even now weeks later sometimes he’ll get this distant faraway look and I know he’s thinking about that day and the what-if’s and I have to snap him out of it with a, “He is okay. He is okay!” Honestly, this was hardest on Steve, and I was so sad for him. Anyway, it seems as though the Hunt family’s European travels are never without a bit of a scare (you recall Anders in the hospital near Positano a few years ago?). For a couple of days afterwards, Parker was definitely not himself. I had the nearest hospitals on my map, and was communicating with our doctor back home. He had some mild nausea in the mornings, and his head hurt. It was definitely a minor concussion. We stayed at our Airbnb for the better part of the next two days taking it easy and letting him rest. Monday I took a long walk through Amsterdam with Anders in the stroller while Steve and Parker stayed behind, and then Monday night Steve went for a nighttime walk while I stayed behind. On Tuesday he seemed much more himself, energetic, and getting a little stir-crazy. We decided the Artis zoo might be the perfect way to turn things around and give him a fun day. He’s crazy about animals (Martin and Chris Kratt are basically his heroes) and we’ve never really been to a zoo with him.  This could not have been a better way to lift everyone’s spirits. This zoo grounds themselves are so beautiful. Lush, green, it’s like strolling through the most beautiful park. And then, you’ve got the added bonus of these amazing animals. I know that zoos are highly disputed, but as far as zoos go, this one had a really organic feel to it. Let me explain. There’s this huge indoor facility where the animals weren’t even in their enclosures–like the sloth above. And a huge iguana who was slowly meandering across the floor in front of us. Of course, there were enclosures still, and I never really like to see things like gorillas or elephants behind glass, but for the animal lover that Parker is, being there only brought it all to life for him in a way that TV and books can’t do. He even got to feed the giraffes! A walkway in the zoo. It was beautiful. We needed this day!You could easily spend an entire day at the zoo. It’s still well within Amsterdam’s city limits, so it’s convenient to get to, and easy to get to other places once you’re done. It has an amazing playground (Steve stayed with Parker, slowing him down, watching him like a hawk here–Parker loved it), and a great cafeteria area too.Check out that playground.
This is perhaps the first real laugh I got out of Steve since the accident. I was making fun of his gluttony. This was simply supposed to be a snack and he grabs two huge pastries that are, in essence, the same thing in slightly different form. Apple krueller and an apple pie. Who does that? Answer: Steve.This beautiful restaurant is just outside the zoo grounds, along with a sort of splash area for kids, which looked really fun. Unfortunately, we had to veto Parker and Anders who desperately wanted to go in it. Pancakes on the canal for dinner! The next day I sent Steve on a WW2 tour of Amsterdam for Father’s Day. The trip had definitely begun to turn around with Parker feeling much better, but I think Steve still could’ve continued punishing himself if I let him. I booked through this site and Steve absolutely loved the tour. Peter was his tour guide, and Steve said it was so interesting. The tour was roughly 3 hours and Peter had so much knowledge of Amsterdam’s situation during the war, and even quite a fascinating personal family history related to it.Tour fact: this H&M used to be the German’s SS Headquarters. Is that mind-blowing or what? Also, right at Dam Square, after the Germans lost the war, the locals gathered and were cheering. Their were still several Germans staying in a hotel overlooking Dam Square who hadn’t evacuated the country yet. They opened fire on the crowd and killed 60 people. After they’d already lost the war. Can you even imagine that?  This was the most beautiful cafe we went to for lunch. Great food and killer ambience. Ree7 is the name! In the Nine Streets area. The whole street was really awesome. Worth a visit. Already embarrassing my five-year old with cheesy poses for photos. Never too early to start. “If I yank hard enough on her arm, will she stop doing this?” I mean, the city just exudes charm, does it not? How many times can I say charm in one post? We’ll soon see. I must make a brief interruption from la-di-da Amsterdam recap for a word about the Anne Frank House. I finally made it (by myself; Steve went a different day as well), our second to last day. If you were watching my stories, you know that I reread the book last month and actually finished it the morning I was set to go (if you do plan on this, get reservations. Well ahead of time. Like before you actually leave home to get on a plane for Amsterdam.). I can’t recommend enough reading the book just prior to going. If you’re like me, chances are you read it sometime in middle school. I did, but so much went straight over my head. Having read it again as an adult, a mother, a serious feeler, the tour was so much better. Everything about it. It was incredibly moving, incredibly upsetting. Anne’s pictures are still on the wall in her bedroom. The markings where her parents took hers and her sister’s height while they lived in the Annex are still there. When I read the book, I totally felt her humanity. She was just a teen! Fighting with her Mom, falling for a boy, confused about her feelings. And then, having to be, quite literally, trapped in a few rooms for two years? Eating only what rations people could bring you? It’s remarkable. You walk through the very door that the Germans walked through when they were discovered after living their for two years. The size of it, with the amount of people, and the amount of time that they spent there is astounding. It was so sad. And that it was just not that long ago was one of the most incredible parts. That Amsterdam looked then much like it does today. Can’t get over that.  Last day in Amsterdam, we took the train to Haarlem. Steve had heard from some of the students in Orvieto that it was lovely and we thought it’d be fun to see some of the outskirts. It was the chilliest day yet–one more opportunity for our sweaters and jeans! We took the train, about 15 minutes in total. It was easy to get there, and there are many departure times from Amsterdam’s Centraal Station to Haarlem. Also a good day to have our first Amsterdam hot chocolate with serious whipped cream. Like thick, delicious whipped cream.  Anders wasn’t interested in pictures at this moment. Or this one.
The boys chased pigeons for awhile in Haarlem’s big central plaza. It was a really beautiful city. Similar to Amsterdam in architecture but on a smaller scale, so a nice break from the city if you need one. Steve with another variation of an apple-danish. There’s a theme here. True story: while in Haarlem we were carrying the (childless) stroller up some stairs and the stroller was at too much of a tilt and everything went spilling out of the stroller bag down the stairs–including my camera (!!) (it came away unscathed but it was a few seconds of freak out) and Steve’s boxed danish. I think he was more worried about the danish. Amsterdam, you’re lovely. I feel like this is a fly-by review and you deserve a lot more. You’ve seen no recap of Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh because we never made it there. Steve and I love museums, but we’re not die-hard museum goers so, with kids in tow and a limited time in one place, it was not high on our priority list. Maybe next time. There’s a saying, “Happy wife, happy life.” And there’s truth to that no doubt (DON’T YOU FORGET IT STEVE HUNT) but I think there’s also some truth in, “You’re only as happy as your least happy kid” and museums weren’t the answer. We took full advantage of their parks, their greenery, their canals (we did take a boat tour, and Steve and Parker also did a paddle boat!), and cafes. And they’re all totally lovely. Thank you Amsterdam!

Our Airbnb.