It was time to raise the stakes. We’ve eased ourselves into travelling with a leisurely drive around England and Wales in a car packed with stuff we really didn’t need. Now, with passports in pockets and tickets in hands, we’re boarding the train.
The Eurostar was to take us to Amsterdam – the Netherlands – via a change in Brussels. The journey goes without hitch and is comfortable and efficient. On arrival we head for the tourist information office for some guidance about finding our accommodation and are instructed to hop on a tram. Trams are great!
We’re based a little out of town but near enough that we can still walk to where the action is. The accommodation is basic and the ensuite bathroom is cramped and far from a pleasure to use.
Rembrandt Square.
Over the next couple of days we walk many miles and visit various districts taking in museums, parks and sights. Our strolling is punctuated with reviving cups of tea or glasses of cool beer. The weather switches between showers and sunshine and during one particularly strong downpour we dive into a small and cozy café for drinks and lunch. I can’t remember what was in my sandwich but we have since spoken regularly about the little cup of pumpkin soup that was served up as a freebie starter. Other culinary highlights include a meal in China town and an incredibly tasty plum cake purchased for €10 (£7.56) – so buttery!
Of course, no tale of Amsterdam would be complete without a mention of the bikes. It’s refreshing to see such a large city dominated by the humble bike. They appear from nowhere, come from every direction, weave in and out of patiently driven cars and trams. Most are the same utilitarian design and many are adapted to carry their owner’s specific load with the addition of a milk crate or similarly recycled receptacle. It is the transport of choice for all; mums taking kids to school, nuns, smart businesswomen in heels, teenagers chatting on mobile phones; even grooms with their newly blessed brides perched on the handlebars.
Multitude of mushrooms.
Our main route into town goes passed the Van Gogh museum behind which is a large park that’s alive with activity. There’s a music festival this weekend and crews are building stages and testing speakers while TV cameras on long booms swoop overhead. We watch for a while as dancers practice routines and artists sound check. There’s no one famous – as far as we know – on the bill but we plan to return for the main event the next day.
We queued for over an hour to get into the Anne Frank House. Neither of us had read her diary nor even seen a film of her story so had no expectation of what we would find. The tragic tale unfolds as you shuffle from dark and empty room to dark and empty room working your way to the top of the house then down to the exhibition space below. The journey is thought-provoking and leaves you wanting to know more about Anne’s fellow inhabitants and the circumstances of their concealment, the people that helped and those that betrayed.
Afterwards, we needed a cup of tea so popped into the museum restaurant. As we sipped we debated the whys and wherefores as tears threatened to spill from the corners of our eyes. These were privileged people who expected their employees to sacrifice everything in order to save their paymasters yet this is ultimately out-weighed by their sad and lonely deaths in a Nazi concentration camp.
There’s so much to see and do in Amsterdam and we’ve barely scratched the surface – we’ll have to return one day. Today though, we’re catching an SAS flight to Oslo, Norway. Luckily, at check-in the lady is in a good mood and permits us to take our backpacks on as hand luggage even though both exceed the 8kg (18lb) weight limit by a considerable margin.
There’s a slick rail service that gets you from the airport into the centre of Oslo. It’s a Sunday afternoon and everywhere is quiet. On arrival at our hostel we give our names to the receptionist who tells us there is no reservation in my name and suggests trying the hotel – of the same name – next door. Result, we’ve got ourselves a very nice room on the eleventh floor – with city views – for the same price as the hostel, just don’t ask me how.
Statue on an Oslo bridge.
Oslo’s not exactly attractive. There’s plenty of development going on so perhaps in a couple of years it might be prettier. It’s an interesting place with plenty of history and museums, chuck in a ferry trip and you’ve got yourself a pleasant short city break. The downside is money – it’s incredibly expensive! We’re on a budget so eating and drinking out is seriously restricted. The owners of one restaurant seemed to think a sign with the offer of a €30 (£22.67) pizza would be sufficient to pull in the punters, I think not!
To navigate around the rocky issue of buying food we make the most of the excellent and large hotel breakfast by stretching our cheeks in a [h]amster like fashion every morning before heading out for the day. Visits to the Viking Ship and Norway’s World War II Resistance museums are the highlights of our excursions. Most evenings are spent relaxing in our rather luxurious hotel room surfing the internet, planning and booking our next destinations.