Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Love Letter to Amsterdam






I have this habit of falling in love with cities. First it was Florence, then Paris, then Barcelona, then San Francisco, and now I have fallen in love with Amsterdam. It didn't hurt that the weather was warm and sunny and the sky was bright blue. We walked all over the city for three days from morning until late at night, stopping at various cafes, bars, restaurants, museums, and parks, taking pictures and peeking in shop windows (and when we were lucky, people's lovely homes). On our fourth day we finally rented bikes and rode out into the Dutch countryside among cows and flowers, farms, and views of the water. So this week, it's all about Amsterdam. I'll be sharing some of my pictures and adventures. I hope you all had a lovely week and I look foward to catching up on the blogs to see what great things you've been up to!

P.S. Special thanks to Pia, Bloesem and Sia, whose blogs I combed to find special places in Amsterdam, and to my friend Ingrid, who shared valuable restaurant information.

11 comments:

Esti said...

Good to have you back and with nice pictures!! This is what I like about blogging: I can enjoy your travel sights from so far!

Tanja said...

Tell us more about your trip! It's always so fun to read about them. Amsterdam is one of my favourite cities, absolutely. Every time I'm in Amsterdam I feel like I would like to live here. Have you seen the movie about Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring? You should definitely see it if you haven't!

famapa said...

reading this post I thought: aww man, you should have hired bikes from the off but I take my cap off to you for venturing outside Amsterdam on two wheels. I rekindled my love for cycling in that city and I'm eternally grateful. I love that city so much and peeking into people's gorgeous apartments from the street was such a treat. Have to go back there soon. Hope you had apple-pie at Winkel :)

AngieK said...

I've always wanted to go there. Such lovely photos :-)

Jill said...

Hi Esti, thanks, it's nice to be back. I agree that blogging opens so many doors and windows. I love traveling every day via blogs!

Tanja, I did see Girl with a Peal Earring and read the book too and I loved them both...and it was thrilling to see some of Vermeer's original paintings while in Amsterdam! I couldn't stop myself from buying Vermeer notecards at the museum store :)

Famapa, yeah we should have rented bikes that very first day...we realized that when we took the bikes into the city on our last night and covered so much ground. And we didn't have apple pie at Winkel's...wish I had known. Next time. We did manage to eat countless other treats, so good thing we were walking and biking!

Hi Angie, thanks...knowing what a great photographer you are I am always flattered that you like my amateur photography :)

Rina said...

Hi! your blog is so beautiful!, I love the images and of course that pink bicycle, is my favorite!

Valloittava valkoinen said...

Oh you have had so nice holiday there! It's funny that i live so much closer to Amsterdam than you and i have never been there! I would want so much to travel but i'm young maybe and hopefully i get to travel when i'm older and when i have a good job!
But lucky me i can see many beautiful photos from many places that you have been!Thanks for sharing your photos and i must say that those walks through the city,cafe shops and country must have been just so wonderful!
I wish that we could be able to do a trip to helsinki this summer we have very good friend there and we have been there in last summer but in three days we didn't have time to go all the places!
Well nice to have you back,
and have nice wednesday!

Unknown said...

I fell in love with cities ,too.
I ve not been in Amsterdam but It is great to travel via blog.

Jill said...

Hi Rina, Anu and Karina...thanks for stopping by...you guys take me to places I've never been everyday too and I so appreciate it!

Stardust said...

Thanks for sharing these photos Jill, I'm starting to have Amsterdam-fewer as well now, looking at your photos : )

artycho said...

Welcome back jill! I can sea you had a great time! and obviously the weather helped!!!