The inevitably irreverent Amsterdam-style invitation is delivered right at the airport. Positioned near the exit is a billboard advertising the House of Bols, a museum of Dutch beverage. It reads, “435 years of Amsterdam history. But you’ll probably go for the free cocktail”, offering an hour-long tour for those above 18 years of age.
While this maybe a good stopover tour, there are many others. Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam are geared towards break-journey holidays. You can book one at the airport or wander off after storing your luggage at the metro station or at the airport itself.
For those with a taste for Europe on foot, a tourism department kiosk outside the airport will equip you with a map and a route highlighted by a friendly attendant. Windmills, tulips, clogs, canals and hour-and-a-half long canal tours are everywhere, especially if you are directed to Amsterdam Central Station, a 20-minute metro ride away.
The station building itself was constructed between 1881 and 1889, the same period when Rijksmuseum, Stadsschouwburg or city theatre and the Central Post Office were created.
In this district you can find various slices of life. A lane leads directly into souvenir-central where Delftware, i-am-sterdam T-shirts, caps, jackets and translations of Anne Frank’s diary jostle for space, along with international fast-food chains.
However, a quick walk past a giant Ferris wheel and a merry-go-round, ubiquitous to this part of Europe, takes you right into Magna Plaza, located in the Central Post Office building. If you are not careful, or informed, the carnival and the shopping mall may distract you from noticing the Royal Palace peeking over the rides.
Dutch cafés offering their Stroopwafels (gooey biscuits), sweet or savoury pancakes and poffertjes, their tinier, sugar-dusted versions, are everywhere. Look for meal deals for typical fare.
A ten-minute walk across shopping lanes is the way to the famous flower market, Bloemenmarkt, located on the canal or the signel. Not that it’s visible at first glance, but the market stalls are actually boats floating on the canal. Tulips for a bargain make an appearance, alongside bulbs and seeds and whatnot. Quirky shops pepper the flower alley, one selling colourful hammocks, another offering antique prints.
The city may well be known for more art per kilometre than anywhere else. Both the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum are now open to visitors. Such is the Dutch fascination with its masters that it’s possible to find yourself at a Rembrandt exhibition, complete with a digitally re-mastered The Night Watch, at a shopping mall — the Magna Plaza again.
When it’s time to go back to the metro, the walk is interesting too — just follow the tram line to the station. En route, you may encounter curiosities such as an eco-bicycle tour, hopscotch on the cobbles and the Dutch artist, Mark Raven whose line drawings and cityscapes have made their way onto T-shirts, mugs, postcards and even coasters.
Back at the Central Station posters displayed across all counters direct tourists back to 14B for trains to Schiphol. Everyone takes the train, even the Queen, we guess, since the eastern part of the station houses a special pavilion near Platform 2B with Koninklijke Wachtkamer or the Queen’s Waiting Room, complete with a space marked for a car. A royal encounter may be difficult but you know you are on the right train when you come across a member of KLM’s flight staff on the next seat.
