I wanted to buy an Apple Watch and while we have an AMAC in my town, I wanted to go to an Apple Store directly. Which meant that we were taking a day trip to Amsterdam, me and the hubster. ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡
While it is easy to from our place to Amsterdam with the train, I often feel too overwhelmed in the weekend taking that route. It is hella busy line, and with NS using shorter trains each time I would not feel well on that one hour ride. So by car we went, and we parked at P+R Johan Cruijf ArenA. If you have an OV-chipcard, it only costs you €6 for a full day. In 2027 the OV-chipcard is being replaced with the OVPay card but none of these devices are compatible yet. Luckily I still have my NS-chip otherwise it would have costed us €36 in parking fees. (╥ ᴗ ╥)
We took the metro and tram to Leidseplein, where the Apple Store was located. I was swiftly helped by a very nice gentleman called Steven and he explained to me the options and helped me with the fit. It was a bit crowded so I was feeling a bit anxious but Steven made some jokes that helped me relax. I was outside with my purchase within 30 minutes.
So happy with this watch, gives me warnings when my heart rate is irregular. ❤︎
We were feeling a bit peckish and my husband suggested we go check if there was a table free at our favourite sandwich joint Raam. It is a short stroll away from the hustle and bustle of the Leidseplein, right across the Melkweg. All the outdoor seating was empty and because it was a sunny day we enjoy a lovely lunch outside. My husband had a pastrami sandwich, while I ordered a carpaccio truffelmayo baguette. So freaking good, I highly recommend to go eat here if you want a quieter location.
Afterwards I wanted to check if Gone with the Wind toystore had the new Halloween line of Jellycat in stock, which they did. ৻( •̀ ᗜ •́ ৻) They were also selling Korean Pokemon cards so I bought two packs to satiate my pack pull craving. I had some nice pulls including Team Rocket’s Wobbuffet (not the promo). In the Kalverstraat a branch of HMV opened and I was able to snag up the first season bluray of My Dress Up Darling. I love this anime to death.
Then I made the mistake to enter the Bijenkorf. Why the heck is this store so busy on a Saturday and I started to feel sick to my stomach. The restaurant was insanely busy and we fled the scene. While walking towards Fo Guang Shan temple I was still unable to shake the feeling of unrest. Nishi Market couldn’t cheer me up nor was I in the mood for a bubble tea.
I just wanted to sit down and unwind, but everywhere was really noise and dirty. People forget that while you can buy weed here legally, you shouldn’t smoke it in public. Nobody seems to care and I asked my hubster to find us a place to sit. Right across Nieuwmarkt he spotted some tables free at Villa Nieuwmarkt where we spent quite some time there, sipping lemonade and beer while snacking on mini kaassoufflés. The market was still up so we spent time talking and watching people. Mostly how crazy traffic was on that crossroad.
You need a big pair of balls to cycle in Amsterdam, I guess ‘a don’t give a damn attitude’.
There we decided what we should have for dinner, and last time I was in Amsterdam I found a branch of Spaghetteria located in Oud-Zuid near the Albert Cuyp Market. Checked online if you needed reservations, which they stated on their website they didn’t. And when it was close to 5PM we took the tram towards Oud-Zuid. We were both very original and ordered what we had last time, because it was sooooo yummy. Fresh made pasta is tha bomb. Ravioli with Ricotta and Pesta in a butter sage sauce. FANTASTIQUE! (˶˃⤙˂˶)
It was a long day but very satisfying in the end. We ended up walking 17.000 steps and quite a large amount of Vitamine-Z, as in Z voor zonneschijn (sunshine). I slept like a log that night. ꜀( ꜆-ࡇ-)꜆ zzz
