Pictures of the Netherlands

**Creoda** · 10-01-2019, 04:51 PM

**The Lawspeaker** · 10-01-2019, 11:12 PM

Jordaan is a neighbourhood in the heart of Amsterdam’s famous Canal Ring. It used to be a working class neighbourhood and has since become one of the most upscale locations in The Netherlands. The name ‘Jordaan’ comes either from the French word for garden (jardin) or the Dutch word for the river Jordan. Rembrandt lived in the Jordaan for the last part of his life and he’s buried in the Westerkerk just beyond the neighbourhood’s official borders. The most widely-known place in the Jordaan is the Anne Frank House where Anne Frank and her family lived in hiding for more than two years during the Nazi occupation of Holland. This building, where Anne wrote her famous diary, became a national monument in 1957. I read The Diary of a Young Girl at about the same age Anne was when she wrote it and it has stayed with them, as it has with many people. The House is very busy so make sure to buy tickets online in advance, up to two months ahead, to be sure you get inside. Across from the Anne Frank House is a micro-neighbourhood within the Jordaan called the Little 9 Streets. It’s actually three streets that cross two canals which splits them into nine little streets. There are lots of adorable shops and restaurants. One unique shop is called No Boys Allowed. It’s a sneaker store which sells women’s sneakers in women’s sizes only. They also get exclusive releases from brands like Nike, Adidas, and Puma. One of my favourite places I stumbled across in the Jordaan is a place called The Mouse Mansion Shop and Studio. The window displays are ridiculously charming! It’s a family business run by a mother and her four adult children. They write stories about a world of mouse characters they’ve created, build sets for the stories, and photograph them for books and videos. They sell the books, along with merchandise and toys, around the world. The sets are like dollhouses and extremely detailed - they can take years to build! The mice and their world is incredibly sweet and it’s a place I was glad to come across so randomly. My other favourite memory from the Jordaan was getting a coffee and sitting on the terrace of a cafe called De Vergulde Gaper. It’s located across from the canal in an old drug store. It’s an ideal spot to sit and soak in the bicycles, the bridges, and all the sights that make Amsterdam so unique. This neighbourhood was a true highlight from my trip to Amsterdam and I loved spending time there. Does it look like a place you’d like to visit? If you’ve already been, what were your highlights? I’d love to hear so please leave a comment down below and tell me! Subtitles available in English, Dutch and Spanish! Click the 'CC' button (bottom right).

BEST THINGS TO DO IN AMSTERDAM'S OUD WEST - This video is a neighbourhood profile of Amsterdam’s Oud West (Old West), a vibrant district full of young creative types. Amsterdam is by far the most popular spot to visit in The Netherlands and one of the top tourist destinations in the entire world. Photos of the city’s beautiful canals and bridges are famous around the world but we wanted to get outside of the traditional Canal Ring - lovely as it is - and explore a bit further afield and off the beaten track. I fell in love with a plant store called Wildernis. Even if, like me, you’re just visiting the city and aren’t exactly in the market for a plant (they don’t pack up very well…) I guarantee this store is still worth a visit. The concept here is to make Amsterdam greener. Wildernis works towards this goal by working with green organizations around the city and teaching workshops on nature and urban gardening. They provide plants, tools, and skills to anyone wanting to learn how to care for plants - even deep within the city. You’ll breathe easier inside as you’re absolutely surrounded by greenery from every angle. You can stop here for a cup of coffee and cake and just enjoy the peaceful feeling of being in an indoor garden. Across the street is an Asian restaurant called HappyHappyJoyJoy. It’s the newest venture of Dutch chef Julius Jaspers. The idea here is that everything from the decor to the food is designed to make you smile. It’s seriously Instagram-friendly inside! I didn’t get a chance to eat here but heard a lot of great reviews and would love to go back. Nearby is the jewel of the Oud West neighbourhood: De Hallen. If you only have time for one stop in this area then this should be it. This historical building used to be a tram depot and has been repurposed into a multi-use space that has become a beloved part of the neighbourhood fabric. Inside you’ll find independent shops, a food hall, a cinema, a boutique hotel, and a weekly craft market. Some of my favourite stores inside are Qnoop (eco-friendly and stylish socks!) and The Maker Store where you’ll find amazing unique products by local creators. I can’t think of a better spot to get Amsterdam souvenirs. Don’t miss eating at one of the street vendors in the food hall and walk all the way through to the Kanarie Club. It’s a restaurant where they’ve preserved historical details like the tram tracks and a ‘pool’ that’s inspired by when squatters occupied the building and had a pool filled with rainwater. After shopping and eating you can unwind nearby at Vondelpark. With 120 acres of parkland, this is the largest park in Amsterdam. It’s a great place to people watch and relax. I loved visiting the Oud West neighbourhood. There were a lot fewer tourists in this area than the traditional Canal Ring and it felt hidden. The pace felt different here and I enjoyed the chance to explore a little slower. Have you been here? Does it look interesting to you? Please leave a comment down below! Subtitles available in English, Dutch and Spanish! Click the 'CC' button (bottom right).

Filmed in Spring 2017. Orignal music "A Wonderful Thought" & all additional songs by Half-Asleep Music. Thanks to Danielle for helping with the filming, and Mika for the chapter heading voiceover!

Why Amsterdam Is The Jeans Capital Of The World - When I visited Amsterdam, I didn't expect to find the denim capital of the world. I never associated this city with jeans until I stumbled across a place called Denim City and discovered how they are innovating the denim industry around the world. I was exploring the Amsterdam neighbourhood of Oud West (watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc8pc...) and wandering around De Hallen, a converted tram depot that’s now a multi-use space. I saw a huge store with rows of sewing machines and gigantic rolls of denim filling a tall wall. I went inside and a lovely man named Joos introduced himself and I had so many questions that he offered to give us a tour. Denim City was started by a not-for-profit foundation called House of Denim that is dedicated to transforming the entire denim industry for the future. Their aim is to make the process of producing jeans more sustainable, innovative, and collaborative. It’s all perfectly summed up by their mission statement: ‘Towards A Brighter Blue.’ I love it. They’re trying to reduce the environmental impact of making denim. Jeans are popular all over the world and House of Denim is trying things like making jeans using recycled plastic bottles: good for the planet and good for fashion. Denim City is also home to the only Jeans School in the world. They offer a three year program to develop young talent and it’s the only independent education facility that’s totally dedicated to denim. They even have a loom where you can see how individual pieces of thread are woven together to create the denim fabric. I’ve never seen jeans in that early stage before and it was really cool to see. Our tour also included seeing the Indigo Archive. The idea is that every industry has certain pieces or collections that are of particular importance for education or inspiration so Denim City is collecting them in one place. In tribute to the father of denim, Levi Strauss, they will eventually have an archive of 501 denim garments to symbolize Levi’s iconic 501 jeans. One of the most interesting things Joos showed us is the Blue Lab - a part of Denim City devoted to laundry. It’s the important process that gives jeans a specific wash/colour and feel. Laundry nowadays is super high tech and these Amsterdam laundry facilities are changing the industry. We even got to see how stone washed jeans are made. I didn’t realize the term literally means the jeans are washed with stones! Did you? Denim City is also a storefront where you can buy - what else - denim. You can even order yourself custom jeans. They’ll take your measurements and create jeans exactly the way you want them. Do you wear jeans? How do you like the fit and wash? Leave a comment below and let me know. Subtitles available in English, Dutch and Spanish! Click the 'CC' button (bottom right).

Amsterdam’s De Pijp neighbourhood has been called the city’s coolest neighbourhood. We wanted to explore the district and see what it has to offer. We started out in Sarphati Park near one of the main roads called Ferdinand Bolstraat. Bol was a Dutch painter with a very famous teacher: Rembrandt! Maybe you’ve heard of him. The De Pijp area has an artistic heritage so it makes sense that this main artery represents that. De Pijp is also Amsterdam’s Latin quarter. We stopped for a hot chocolate at a cute place called Cafe Blonde. They made the hot chocolate using a type of fair trade chocolate you see all around Amsterdam called Tony Chocolonely’s. Cafe Blonde is also a great place to buy gifts and souvenirs. With our delicious drinks in hand, we walked on to the well-known Albert Cuypmarkt. This market has multicultural roots as a lot of workers from Spain, Turkey, Morocco, and Suriname moved to this area, bringing their delicious cuisines with them. There are hundreds of stalls selling all sorts of things: food, furniture, flowers, clothing, and more. For lunch, we visited a restaurant called Bazar which is located in a building that used to be a church. We shared a huge breakfast and I especially enjoyed the fresh mint tea. Marc really wanted to visit a building where Mondrian (of the Bauhaus movement) lived and where he founded the De Stijl movement. We ended the day at the former Heineken Brewery which is now open for tours - called the ‘Heineken Experience.’ It was the first Heineken brewery built in 1864 and, while they don’t brew here anymore, it seemed like an appropriate last stop given how world-famous this Dutch beer has become. Did you enjoy this informal neighbourhood profile vlog exploring De Pijp? Did anything in particular stand out? Leave a comment and let me know! Subtitles available in English, Dutch and Spanish! Click the 'CC' button (bottom right).

And Rotterdam:

Bright cube houses, the world’s largest painting, and 19 UNESCO listed windmills, these are just a few of the best things to do in Rotterdam. Here’s everything you need to know to plan the perfect city escape to Rotterdam in The Netherlands. Planning a trip to Rotterdam? Here is your complete Rotterdam city guide http:///21-rotterdam Here are just some of best things to do in Rotterdam. This beautiful city has a fascinating history, funky modern architecture and an excellent culinary scene. My personal favourite thing to do was heading up Euromast for 360 views over Rotterdam. Top 17 Things to do in Rotterdam, Netherlands 1. Eat a freshly made stroopwafel at Markthal 2. Go inside a cube house 3. Head to the top of Witte Huis 4. Maritime museum 5. See Luchtsingel Bridge, the world's first crowdfunded bridge 6. Wander around the pretty courtyard at City Hall 7. Centraal Station 8. Find out why the Santa Claus Sculpture is so controversial 9. Hang out in Witte de withstraat, Rotterdam's coolest street 10. See the pretty neighborhood of Delfshaven 11. Head to the Euromast for the best views of Rotterdam 12. Explore the largest cluster of windmills in the Netherlands in Kinderdijk 13. Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen‎ 14. See an unusual shaped church that is Pauluskerk 15. Relax at Hotel New York 16. Eat until your heart's content at Fenix Food Factory 17. See the wonderful Bobbing Forest Planning a trip to Rotterdam? Here is your complete Rotterdam city guide http:///21-rotterdam Got a question about Rotterdam? Leave a comment below. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a lovely big thumbs up. SUBSCRIBE - https://www.youtube.com/theintrepidguide

**The Lawspeaker** · 10-03-2019, 02:17 PM

Sterreclame TV-spotje van 3 minuten uit 1989 van onze luchtvaartmaatschappij de KLM ! Intercontinental flight Amsterdam to Bangkok.

**♥ Lily ♥** · 10-04-2019, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by The Lawspeaker

That Canadian guy in the video sure is a glutton, lol!

He ate a load of pancakes covered in icing sugar with butter for his breakfast... then just a few mins later he ate a large amount of cod fish which was fried in batter, and without washing his hands... then shortly after that he's eating crêpes/cakes covered in a sugary caramel and chocolate sauce, and didn't use any mouthwash afterwards to protect his teeth from all the sugars in the sauce.... then soon after that he's eating fries covered in a thick peanut sauce.... then he's eating more food again....and again!

I felt a bit annoyed when he was talking with food in his mouth.

The street foods in Amsterdam reminds me of some of the continental street foods in London.

Are there places in Amsterdam where people can find organic and healthy foods which aren't covered in sugars, salts, or fried? (Such as cafes that serve fresh homemade soups, freshly baked fish with salads, or sushi bars, etc?)

**The Lawspeaker** · 10-04-2019, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by ♥ Lily ♥

Are there places in Amsterdam where people can find organic and healthy foods which aren't covered in sugars, salts, or fried? (Such as cafes that serve fresh homemade soups or sushi bars, etc?)

Probably. I really wouldn't know as I am not from Amsterdam.

**♥ Lily ♥** · 10-04-2019, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by The Lawspeaker

Probably. I really wouldn't know as I am not from Amsterdam.

I think that type of street food is nice in moderation sometimes, but I don't know how that guy could eat pancakes with butter and sugar for breakfast - immediately followed by fried fish, followed by more cake with syrup, followed by thick fries in peanut sauce, followed by fish, etc, (heavy foods,) and not feel bloated and nauseous.

Fish and chips are nice on occasions, but I don't know how that guy managed to eat all that heavy street food as a breakfast.

On another note, the architecture and canals in Amsterdam looks very nice! I think Amsterdam is like London in the sense that's it's very different to the rest of the country.