Amsterdam Architecture

In what will become a semi-regular feature here, a small section of a neighbourhood will be be featured from time-to-time. These posts will showcase mostly architecture, but other local quirks and qool things will be highlighted as well.

This past weekend took me to a section along the Amstel River, just on the edge of De Pijp, a neighbourhood packed with character. It was a brisk sunny morning (here's a tip for Amsterdam-bound travelers: the lousy weather doesn't normally wake up until about 11am, so many early mornings can be enjoyed and photographed in calm, sunny times).

This particular section of the river is lined with houseboats, trees and some excellent restored old homes. And when you head out at 9:00am on a Sunday, it's just you, a few other runners, and some ducks.

Throughout Holland, they take their bike-locking seriously

Cool blinds

The Other Side

Carcavelos, Portugal - October 2010

Our life consists partly in madness, partly in wisdom; whoever writes about it merely respectfully and by rule leaves more than half of it behind - Montaigne

In other words, in recounting the places and events of the past 12 months on this blog - while they have been fantastic by many measures - I should not over-romanticize things by obscuring the rough patches.

Some stormy skies have rolled in very occasionally, but lately they have become more frequent. Maybe there has been some research done on this phenomenon, but I will call it the Traveler's Wall. Or maybe something catchier, like Expat Excrement.

Culture shock plays a part for sure, as does the loss of all things familiar - your friends, your car, your surroundings, your subscription to Sports Illustrated.

We know this when we travel - after all, we do so specifically to lose those very familiar things for a while and to re-energize. Having this knowledge does make the tough times much easier, especially when considering how lucky most of us are in the big picture. But to not mention the less-than-ideal times seems somewhat dishonest to the people reading this blog.

Some moments have been written about - the short but jarring terror scare in May, the simple acknowledgment of there being days like this.

Others have not been mentioned:

• the quiet misery of a Paris hotel room in the midst of a snowstorm over the holidays.
• getting soaked to the bone at 3am when biking home alone, with a fever, from a pub while your entire home country celebrates an Olympic gold medal thousands of kilometers away.
• needing to use a highly dubious restaurant toilet - complete with folding door that closes with a magnet and a timer that leaves you in total darkness after 40 seconds - for several days in Lisbon due to a broken home commode.
• countless hours of lonely time spent on public transit in a strange place.
• several days where I didn't need to be anywhere nor did I have any idea where to go anyway.
• waking up several mornings to see one of Amsterdam's million mice emerge from a toaster or swimming in a pot in the sink.
• the unending amount of dog crap on European streets. Seriously people.

It's all what you focus on of course. I've traded the above for many, many more hours of great experiences and learnings. Plus, each of the above can ultimately be used positively at the same time (who wouldn't enjoy some quiet time to themselves rolling through the Dutch countryside?) or at least laughed at. Humour is a great balm, even if it's hard to find in the exact moment.

But lately, the resilience has worn off a little, the energy has waned, the funny stuff has been more difficult to unearth. Done traveling? No, never. But a post coming soon highlights a few signs that a break from the unfamiliar is due.

Best Of

Cue the sound of a needle scratching the record, as a number of changes have brought the Lisbon adventure to a halt.

More details will be provided as the weeks progress, but for now I find myself in The Netherlands once again.

I looked forward to this moment for several weeks, to be both in the countryside and smaller towns, as well as in some of my favourite haunts in Amsterdam.

So an unofficial "Best Of Amsterdam" list is here. Each place will be visited again and again in the next few weeks to provide a much-needed sense of familiarity.

Cafe Festina Lente - a tiny corner pub that is always full of locals, either sitting facing the canal on a sunny day or sitting inside, in what feels like your favorite corner of an old library. Cheap drinks and good tapas-sized food.

Brood - a bread store right below Albert Cuyp street market; the brownies are amazing, the bread is amazing, and the apple crumble-type things are amazing. Amazing.

Albert Cuyp Market - a bustling street market, where underwear stalls sit next to fresh produce vendors and bike-supply hawkers. Well worth the 10-minute tram trip from Centraal Station to see and sample the foods, clothes and feel the neighboorhood vibe.

Utrechtstraat - a street a little off the tourist-beaten path but very close to the city center; great shops, coffee places, and restaurants.

Amstel River - perfect for an early-morning walk, with nice bridges to take pictures, see houseboats, and with a more open feeling than the many canals. Also good later in the day for...

...The Ysbreeker - a cafe/restaurant along the Amstel. It's nice indoors with huge ceiling; outside,on a good day,chairs and tables are set up in the grass overlooking the river.

Brouwerij t'IJ - the most awkward name you will have to pronounce (perhaps ever) - try Brow-er-eh tuh-eh - if you ask for directions, but a great, cheap, swarthy, drinking hole with lots of atmosphere and situated right under a windmill. Only open from 3pm-8pm though.

Vino di Pino - already mentioned in a previous post, this place bears mentioning again. People like Pino and places like this - great pizzas, cheap and tasty pasta, excellent specialty wines - don't exist in many place of the world anymore.

Carcavelos

In another move to delay premature winterfication, last weekend was spent in Carcavelos, a spot just 30 minutes by train from Lisbon along the ocean.

Carcavelos is a popular surf beach for locals and tourists. I had been warned that much of it was overrun (similar to a few other places in the south of Portugal and Spain) by Brits and also German tourists and settlers. As such, I was prepared for the wurst.

But this particular weekend, thanks to some lingering stormy weather (soon vanquished by an awesome morning sun on Saturday), there seemed to be pretty well just Portuguese locals in the area.

A 3-hour beach and boardwalk stroll, filled with that salty spray that comes off the swells after the tail end of an ocean storm, was just what was needed as further storm clouds had arisen offshore (to be continued later in the week...).

But for now, a photo essay on Carcavelos. Here you can stay in an excellent 4-star hotel like the Riviera for some 70-90 Euros a night, depending on the season. I would add both the town and the hotel to your "must-visit" list when heading to Lisbon.

This was a group of mostly 50-plus (and over 60 in some cases) of local recreational footballers. They played at a pretty high skill level for at least 90 minutes in the morning sun. They took it very seriously, full of theatrical bellowing and admonitions. And I even saw a real-life soccer dive - as pathetic on the beach as it is on the pitch.

El 'keeper. One might have been tempted to suggest to the British tourists nearby that they should sign him for their next World Cup. One did not, however.

The storm from the previous day brought with it all kinds of stuff from the ocean depths.

More post-storm debris.

Just an awesome dog.

Not a lousy photo-taking job, only early-morning mist.

The walk takes you along the neighbouring town of Oeiras, with a large yacht club and oceanfront cafes and restaurants

I think this is a "Danger: No Diving" sign but they kinda make it look like fun.

Forte de Sao Juliao da Barra - an old military fortification and home to various political prisoners in past centuries. Now apparently it's just a bad-ass summer home of the Minister of Defense.

Tram 28

Tram 28 is about the most touristy thing you can do in Lisbon, but here as well as in a few other cases and places around the world, doing such a thing is perfectly enjoyable when done in moderation.

Other such totally acceptable tourist activities include: A Hop-On, Hop-Off bus in Paris; canal boat tours in Amsterdam; celebrity home bus tours in L.A.; and speaking elaborately with your hands for no reason in Rome.

Lisbon's most famous tram takes you through all kinds of neighbourhoods, to experience various lookout points, parks, and professional pickpockets.

You will be amazed that such an old train manages to navigate some impossibly narrow streets, much less not break down completely in a heap of metal and wood. And they come by so often and so cheaply that it is a great way to hop off and back on anytime. It also helps you skip the arduous climb on some of the endless Lisbonian hills.

Estrella offers great park to walk around in for a break, there's a huge flea market on the route, and the Miradorou de Santa Luzia has to be one of the nicest lookout points in Europe.

Miguel from www.id-wear.com - super-nice guy designing really cool T's

The view from Miradorou de Santa Luzia

Jardim da Estrela

Things of Beauty

Today's entry covers two of the best things about Portugal: its people and Sintra.

A strange thing occurred to me after 2+ weeks here back in July, and I've since had it re-affirmed time and again this past month. I noticed that I did not have one single negative, even slightly negative*, interaction with a Portuguese person - from waiter to surf school owner to stranger on the street.

The people of Portugal are, as a whole, more warm, kind, helpful and easygoing than any nationality I've ever met.

Yes, it's true that no matter which country you're visiting there is a wide range of people from the best to the most boneheaded and everything in-between. But Portugal just feels different.

It's apparent not only when you're a hapless tourist asking for directions or what bacalhau is (it's cod) - and they are very intent on making sure you are comfortable with their answer - but it's even more evident when you quietly observe two Portuguese natives speak with each other. They do so with a genuineness and kindness that makes it seem like instant respect and friendship is accorded to each person, whether they are old friends or just conducting a business transaction. It's in their eyes, their tones of voice, and their faces. It's really something to see. And learn from.

The photos here are from a recent trip to Sintra, a 50-minute train ride north of Lisbon and another world away from the rest of civilization. I had heard it was a magical place, and indeed it was. (Except for the jarring sight of a Pizza Hut when stepping off the train - d'ough!).

Post-Pizza Hut, however, the rest of the slow walk up the mountain was filled with stunning views and fresh air, mostly through a small village and then a winding forest trail.

You can take any number of busses to get you to the various landmarks around Sintra, but as always a walk allows you to see a little more and work off the the pasteis you've been packing away at an alarming rate.

The uphill climb culminates in Palacio da Pena, easily the most unique place I've ever been, inside and out. This is where the magic happens alright.

They began building it in 1839, according to King Consort Dom Ferdinand's wishes. The rest of the history lesson can be read here. You can choose other monumental monuments to see on this vast hill, but the Palacio is a must - it's like stepping into one of your childhood storybooks.

The first half of the pictures below are from the village of Sintra and the walk inside the forest on the way up, and the remaining from the Palacio itself.

*Update: okay, there was one. But only one.

This postcard is still on sale... time does stand still in Portugal

This is someone's porch and garden

The remaining photos below were all taken in and around the Palacio da Pena

A view of the Palacio's kitchen. Many other rooms were also fantastic, but no pictures are allowed inside. This one was taken surreptitiously, rebelliously. That's how I roll.

Uber-tourist

Absolutely stunning views over the coast and land