how to staycation Amsterdam-style
We had been lusting after a getaway for a year, paging squinty-eyed through our agendas waiting for a weekend to magically open up. When time and space suddenly shifted to uncover three days off midweek, we balked for about 4 minutes. Then on a whim we booked two nights in the captain’s quarters on a houseboat in Amsterdam…
BEST WHIM OF 2013.
The water lulls us into a lazy, almost woozy state. We nap. We read. We drink wine. One of us smokes a pipe.
We manage to get out – a little. At Lot Sixty One, the new roaster in town, we clink our flat whites together and toast to eight years of friendship and four years of good, hard, good marriage. Our bud Florian turns from behind the bar and hands us a shotglass of cold brew coffee that slams the nose like whiskey.
Our stomachs are growling so we walk a few blocks further and duck into the Ten Katestraat, home to one of Amsterdam’s many open-air markets and a certain legendary hummus truck (“not the big flashy one, the small one you’re likely to miss!” urged the friend who tipped us off) at the very end of the street. We start swooning after the first bite, and agree with our mouths full that this is the best falafel we’ve EVER had.
But no visit to Amsterdam is complete without a pit-stop at Chocolatl. Our friend Debby leads us around her chocolaterie with a little spoon, feeding us mini samples of single-estate bars and truffle-laced bars and bars from the far-flung corners of the earth.
We leave in a blissful chocolate haze and head to the station with two bars to nibble on the train ride home to Utrecht.
Short but sweet — Amsterdam, it was a real pleasure.
Itching for a houseboat getaway too? Check out the beautiful place we stayed here. Jake and Ayla are the friendliest, loveliest hosts — we spent one delightful evening lounging on their dock with them and their dog Max, and I suspect we’ll be back!
This is heavenly. I feel as though I lazily bobbed alongside you on your mini staycation. Thanks for this little respite, friend.
:) So glad you came along.
Mmm, I loved Amsterdam. Thanks for taking me back for a brief moment.
My pleasure. :)
HOUSE BOAT!!!! Mitch is going to die when I show him this. What a delightful sounding getaway — makes me miss you and Amsterdam all the more! Gotta get back there for that falafel at least ;-)
Can’t wait to have you back on our turf!
Wow, what a great idea. Website sells itself. Live you both, Poppi
Maybe you’ll be staying on a houseboat the next time you visit!
I hear more folks are opting to stay overnight in docked boats rather than hotel rooms. Sounds like a new trend. Fun!!
Airbnb is definitely revolutionizing the way people approach holidays. I love it!
Captain’s quarters on a boat – how great is that! I love sleeping on boats, something about the swell… Sounds like a perfect getaway. Ken
We were moored pretty tightly to the dock but I swear there’s something about it, even then…we slept SO deep.
such a perfect stay in Amsterdam! and..i have been wanting to swing by to this nice roaster since a couple of months..i like your nails :) cantik.
Thanks, neng! We also went to Headfirst Coffee Roasters, if you’re looking for more stops on a coffee crawl. :)
That’s my regular stop! the one that is next to waxing parlour right? those 2 lads are super nice people :D :D
Ah, congratulations on four years of marriage (+another four years together!). My husband and I are edging two years of marriage in November plus another two before that. You’ve doubled our batting average ;) Looks like a fantastic time away on the boat. I adore your teakettle ink. We still don’t know what to do for our next trip away. Sigh… ah, I need to win lotto so I can travel to your part of the world xx
It was heavenly…it’s so important to celebrate any and all milestones when it comes to marriage. Congratulations on yours!
I’m echoing your wistful lotto wish because I’ve been lusting after an Aus & NZ trip for many many years — shall we do a switcheroo sometime? :)
Thank you so much! Yep, it’s about seven weeks til our second anniversary. It’s gone so fast :)
YES. Definitely can do a switcheroo! Actually, in all seriousness you’d be welcome to stay at ours if you ever head this way! Australia and NZ are wonderful destinations to visit. Aaron and I have friends and relatives all over the place so you two could house-hop around! xx