Up next on my amazing tour of Europe was a city I was really looking forward to…Amsterdam! We started our time in Amsterdam with a great walking tour of the city. We learned so much about this amazing city that is full of bicycles. Our guide took us through the red light district and our group had lots of questions about this unique part of town. As a small business owner myself, I found it quite interesting that each person working in the district, files with the city and is set up as their own individual business.

For dinner that night, a few of us went to a place called Eat Mode in downtown Amsterdam. I ended up going here twice while in Amsterdam because it was SO GOOD! I loved that there was literally any type of food you could imagine, all downtown. There were Asian restaurants down the street from burger places. I was in heaven. That night most of our group went to a Third Eye Blind concert, right next to our hostel. I am a very big fan of Third Eye Blind so I couldn’t believe the chances that we were in Amsterdam at the same time they were. They really put on a great show!

The next morning, some of us went on a bike tour through the countryside and smaller neighborhoods on the outskirts of Amsterdam. It was more of a bike excursion because we were biking for at least 3 hours if I remember correctly. Amsterdam is beautiful! I loved all of the green scenery, the animals and the weather was perfect! While we were biking, we came upon a small young horse stuck in a muddy ditch. You could tell it was very cold and tired and we weren’t sure how long it had been there. Our guide for the bike tour went looking to tell someone at the nearest house. Next thing we know, several other neighbors are walking over with their boots on to get this helpless horse out. I was on the verge of tears the whole time because I’m a softie. These neighbors worked together and got that sweet horse out. I will always remember them coming together to help each other. We had Thai food for dinner that night from Bird Thai. It was really yummy! The food didn’t disappoint in Amsterdam, that’s for sure. Heidi and I then embarked on quite an interesting evening…a live sex show. There are certain things that you’re “supposed to do” when visiting new cities for the first time and this was definitely on the list for Amsterdam. We went to Casa Rosso, which is a very popular club in Amsterdam for these types of shows. I will just say that it is quite the experience. Do not go if you don’t have an open mind or don’t like nudity. Several members of our group went here and we all enjoyed it, but again, it’s not for everyone.

We also visited the Museum of Prostitution. It featured stories from sex workers of Amsterdam from the past and present. It was an interesting way to learn about this profession. Another must-see attraction is the Anne Frank house. Standing in the house that Anne Frank and her family lived in during World War II, seeing their memories and picturing them there, it’s a pretty surreal moment. I can’t begin to imagine what their lives were like, but the museum has done such a good job of telling their story and preserving their history, despite the sadness that surrounds it.

We went on a night canal cruise through Amsterdam while we were there and it was amazing. I loved the weather and seeing the city at night from that point of view was beautiful.

Now that I’ve been home for several months, Amsterdam still sticks out in my head as one of the coolest places I’ve been. I loved the people, the vibe and pretty much everything about it. So I definitely plan to go back when the tulips are in bloom!

Have you been to Amsterdam? What activities did you do while there!?

Happy travels! 🙂