Travel

While spending time in Amsterdam for business and pleasure, I had the opportunity to really discover the city. During the new year I’ve been back for about three times. When I had the opportunity to stay for a longer period of time, I got the chance to get a proper feel of the city. It’s difficult to do that when you’re just visiting. Spending a couple of week at least gives you a little bit the feeling of living abroad for a short time.

Knowing locals in foreign cities is the best way to get to know the good spots. While I was working in Amsterdam I had the chance to meet up with my erasmus friends and joined them to my favorite New Zealander’s top brunch spot, Bakers & Roasters. This part New Zealand, part Brazilian restaurant is a little hidden gem in De Pijp and serves some great kiwi grub. Even though I’m not a coffee drinker, I’ve heard this place has one of the best cups in town. They want to bring the New Zealand specialty coffee culture to Amsterdam and are using Brazilian beans. The chai latte (and the green juice) however was also very delicious.

A couple of weeks have past since my New York adventure. As it was my first trip to the city, I was so very excited. The city perfectly filled my expectations, and something I didn’t expect, it made me feel right at home. However 7 days is definitely not enough to explore the city thoroughly, I almost literally ran from one borough to the next, attempting to visit 2 each day. I spent a lot of time wondering around on my own, which actually might be my favorite way to explore a city, but you’ll never feel alone here.