31 Oct 2007

Amsterdam Day 2


We both awake a little grumpy and drag ourselves out of bed and into the shower. Downstairs we are fed by the owner a traditional dutch breakfast (tea, crumpets, croissants,ham,cheese and a boiled egg). Its all very nice but don't try and do breakfast here in a hurry. First stop today after we get our bearings is to head over to the museum quarter and visit the Rijks. We decide to walk as it's a glorious day and we arrive by chance exactly at opening time. Highlights are the Vermeer's and Rembrandt's but there's also a lot more to see here including some fascinating dolls houses complete with miniature Delft pottery. We then walk back in the direction of the flower market looking for an area that will have decent restaurants in it for lunch. Once again we find either a lot of places to avoid, or a lot of decent places that don't serve lunch, or lastly plenty of places that think lunch is a Burger or a pastry and a coffee. The guide book keeps telling us we should at least try the Indonesian cuisine so in the flower market we settle on a small place called Sampurna. Something called Sale Siang for me as a starter which blows my head off and clears my airwaves but is quite tasty, followed by a platter consisting of fried rice with vegetables cooked in coconut milk, fried soya, fried nuts, pickled vegetables, prawn crackers and a boiled egg with a thick and spicy soya dressing. Alongside this are skewers of chicken in satay sauces. Its all delicious and fresh tasting and totally unlike the gunk normally served in Chinese and Cantonese restaurants. Jackie has a similar main platter with the addition of prawns and chili fried together and a saffron rice.


We then walk back from here along Singel Canal buying some bulbs from the flower market and head back to the room where we collapse and catch up on the sleep we missed last night. Later after a shower we head to DAM square which is hosting a rather sleazy looking fun fair. Its very easy in Amsterdam to loose all sense of direction. all the canals look the same and all the houses are the same as well. Eventually we end up back on Singel and start looking for somewhere for dinner.



We finally decide on Casa Di David, an Italian establishment of modest proportions but packed with locals. Food is excellent mixed grilled fish for me and perch for Jackie. Nicely washed down with a bottle of Pinot Grigio, suddenly life seems OK again.
Tomorrow it's finally time to head out to Rotterdam for the concert.




2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The part of today's installment that makes me most envious is your discovery of the dollhouses. I don't suppose you snapped any photos of those. Perhaps you have a link to a website with the little houses.
Thanks again for sharing your travel adventures. Susan

NotesfromtheBarn said...

Link added Susan in your honour

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