wanderlust wednesday: amsterdam

Last time I was in Europe, I stayed in Amsterdam for a few days. I thought it was just going to be another long layover on our trip and nothing special, but I was totally wrong! Amsterdam ended up being one of my favorite stops on mine and my mom's three week jaunt across Europe.We both fell in love with the canals, the thousands of bikes scattered everywhere, the skinny houses, and the pannekoeken. 

 

It is such a dynamic city, and the "coffee shops" and red light district are just small parts. We wandered around with my friend, Margriet, who was an exchange student that lived with me in Seattle while she was attending a year of law school in the states. She took us off the beaten path and explained a lot about the Netherlands as a people and a country. 

We were visually thrilled by the Van Gogh Museum and absolutely moved by the Anne Frank House. There is so much to see and do in the Amsterdam, that I highly recommend a visit next time you are in Europe.

There is so much to see and do in the Amsterdam, that I highly recommend a visit next time you are in Europe. If you need a place to rest your head, make sure to check out Accor Hotels. If you need something "traditional" to eat, make sure to grab some pannekoeken and if you want somewhere to shop, make sure to check out the beautiful Amsterdam brand,  Scotch & Soda.

global flavor: pannekoeken

Have you all tried Pannekoeken? It is typically called a Dutch pancake because of its origins in the Netherlands/ Belgium. Pannekoeken are about a foot in diameter, thin, and kinda of crepe like. In the Netherlands, they are eaten with bacon or apples or cheese, but my favorite is with a little lemon and powder sugar. Anyways, in the states, Pannekoeken have morphed into Dutch Babies, which are large puffy pancakes that taste amazing and are super easy to make which is a bonus!

Basically you only need milk, flour, sugar, and butter.

The wonderful blog, A Beautiful Mess, shares a great recipe for classic Dutch Babies with some gorgeous photos to go along (aka the ones I shared in this post :)


So what are you waiting for! Time to bust out that skillet!

Wanderlust Wednesday: Amsterdam

Last time we went to Europe we stayed in Amsterdam for a few days. I thought, stereotypically, that I wouldn't like the place because of the "coffee shoppes" and "sex tourism," but as I wandered around Amsterdam for the few short days we were there, I came to love the city and realized that it is so much more than its stereotypes. So now I am dying to go back to explore more of Amsterdam and to get outside of the city and see the rest of Holland. Seriously though, who couldn't fall in love with the bikes, the canals, and pannekoeken.

 Our hotel was through those red doors... the Tulip Inn, check it out if you are heading to Amsterdam.

My friend Grieta was able to meet us on our last day, taking us from the Van Gogh museum to the Anne Frank house, and all around the best parts of the city. ( I recommend both museums, but the Anne Frank house was extremely moving)