A green door. No sign in neon lights, just a worn-out green door on a busy Amsterdam street. Everyone walks past it. Few know it exists.
We knock. A few moments pass, a slot opens and blue eyes peer out. You utter a password and your name, and the eyes disappear. The door opens and you are ushered in.
Door 74 is an exclusive bar in the city centre where everyone knows your name (because you have to be on the guest list to enter).
The drinks are over-priced but the barmen are the real attraction. Their knowledge of alcohol and the combinations is astounding.
I’m expecting sugar-rimmed crystal glasses and waiters dressed in tuxedos – that would be exclusive by my standards. Not to be. The room is bathed in soft light, a few tables and a bar with eight stools; that is all you can expect. No more than 70 people would be able to fit into the bar, at a squeeze – so what is this door all about?
I order something called the Barman’s Special. It tastes like hot peppers and cinnamon. A slight burn greets the mouth, but the after-taste is what the drink is all about– an unexpected explosion of flavour.
This is what Amsterdam is about, the unexpected at every corner.
According to the locals they don’t like the bad reputation the city holds. Bachelors from Europe descend on the city for a weekend of debauchery, leaving the locals to clean up afterwards.
Trust me, the Dutch love their clean city. Go Green in Amsterdam is not about the marijuana that is legal and easy to buy at coffee shops (on a menu, I might add). No, Go Green is the environmentally friendly way of life for folk who sort their trash into five separate bins.
When I stepped off the plane I imagined the city to be party central. Don’t misunderstand me, the party in Europe is Amsterdam, but that’s not what the city is about.
Canals, caressed by hundreds of bridges, permeate the city. Trees frame cobblestone roads lined by classic Dutch houses. It’s a setting that will leave you in awe of its simple and unpretentious beauty.
Best of all, the people are always smiling and so friendly I almost brought a few of them home in my luggage.
South Africa desperately needs happy people who give you world-class service and don’t expect a tip in return.
Amsterdam is built on 40m poles (poles that don’t rot) and the city derives its name from the Amstel River which meanders through it. A small fishing village called Amsteldam built in the 13th century was developed into a town, then a city, and later renamed Amsterdam.
Amsterdam’s history of rags to mega-riches is fascinating and several museums relive one of the greatest cities ever built, even in holograms at the Het Grachtenhuis (the Canal House).
You sit in on a board meeting to hear how the city grew from nothing to one of the most architecturally fascinating places.
At 11pm when the sun sets (in summer), the red lights glow with more intensity and the tourists outside the infamous district get the treat on the eyes they’ve been expecting. With prostitution being legal, there is no shortage of entertainment in Amsterdam, whether you choose to walk in or just bob past the windows – it’s all part of the city’s charm. The good and the bad are out in the open for everyone to see, no hidden agendas.
However, don’t try to take pictures of these ladies of the night – you might get a hiding from a pimp.
A canal cruise is a must if you want to observe Amsterdam from a different vantage point. Some canals are cleaner than others and every year the trawlers remove 100 bicycles from the water, which brings me to the most important mode of transport in Holland. The Dutch are a cycling nation, and the South African Indian is not.
Cycling didn’t work for me, and the fact that I was almost run over (frequently), hooted at and scolded for going in the wrong direction didn’t help my self-confidence.
I now have a new-found respect for those who can SMS and carry their Louis Vuitton while remaining in control of their bike. I now understand why I didn’t see a single fat person in Amsterdam. Stomach in, chest out would not be the philosophy of the police there, if I had seen any. I missed the sound of police sirens so much I caught myself listening out for one.
Drunk driving is a crime so don’t get too carried away on a visit to the Heineken Experience.
A prime tourist attraction, it is a captivating tour of how beer is made and the humble beginnings of the Heineken family whose wealth has rested in the hands of one woman, Charlene Heineken, since 2002.
The climax of the experience has to be Brew Me, a 4D experience of what it’s like to be a beer.
Standing on a platform, you are swirled around, sprayed with water and bubbles are spewed at you before being tapped with a bottle cap and sent off on a rocky truck to your destination. You are rewarded with two beers after being such a good bottle of beer.
The gastronomic affair between the palate and the plate borders on the sensual. A traditional starter would be herring atop rye bread and a crispy croquet laced with meat.
Haesje Claes is a traditional restaurant where you can give your tastebuds a chance to go wild on the local cuisine. As a main course, cod with parsnip mash and fresh veggies is the order of the day, but the cherry on top of every meal is the side accompaniment of thick-cut chips. Fresh produce is the key element to a great meal.
If you’re out for lunch at the Grand Hotel’s Bridges restaurant you might even bump into Dutch football star Rafael van der Vaart celebrating the renewal of his vows with his stunning wife Sylvie.
Chef Aurelien Poirot from Bridges is a master craftsman. Each dish is carefully constructed to give your eyes as much of a taste as your mouth.
My favourite meal was at De L’Europe, a five-star hotel owned by the Heineken family – the only hotel that is part of their empire.
A prime location at a bend of the Amstel River makes the hotel the busiest in the city. Alterations and renovations are under way to allow it to cater for every taste level, from elite dining to really great but simple food.
The pièce de résistance might be the original pieces of fine art on the walls and every room showing a duplicate of priceless paintings from the Rijk Museum. Depending on your taste it could also be the tap of Heineken in each room.
The lovely Lizette Hassell, director of sales and marketing, accompanied us on a pre-dinner canal cruise and then to supper, where executive chef Richard van Oostenbrugge delighted us with afour-course meal.
The food was undoubtedly one of the best I have ever eaten and I am a tough food critic to please.
Following the lovely evening, Lizette asked the golden question: would you like to experience an untouched piece of Amsterdam? It is a very exclusive bar but I can get your name on the guest list at Door 74… - Saturday Star
l Nidha Narrandes was flown to Amsterdam by KLM Airlines.
If You Go...
l Summer temperatures reach 25°C and in winter you can expect them to fall to freezing point. A little snow is experienced during winter.
With the sun setting at 11pm in summer you are guaranteed plenty of time to explore the city and its surrounds.
The tourist season starts in June and runs until September, although Amsterdam is buzzing with tourists all year round.
Pack warm clothes and always carry a jacket when exploring the city – the weather tends to change at the drop of a hat.
l Travel: From South Africa KLM Airlines has the only direct flights to Amsterdam. You can, however, book a transit flight from South Africa to Paris and from Paris to Amsterdam if you would like detour to another world-class city. This is easily obtainable through KLM Airlines, which is a partner with Air France.
Flight depart from Cape Town and Joburg weekly. See www.klm.com to book.
l Accommodation: First-class accommodation is available at every corner in Amsterdam and the choices range from R2 000-R6 000 at the Mövenpick Hotel (www.moevenpick-amsterdam.com). The more central Hotel de’l Europe (www.leurope.nl) has rooms in the same price range.
Cheaper lodges are also available but bear in mind that Amsterdam is an expensive city in which to travel and stay.
l Sightseeing: There are so many exciting places to visit in the city centre and outside Amsterdam.
www.iamsterdam.com is the perfect link to go to when planning your trip. It will give you a breakdown of the city, where to eat, where to stay and what festivals are on during your stay.
It is a must to get an Amsterdam city card, which opens up the city’s public transport for you at a fraction of the cost of buying separate tickets for each journey. It will also allow you free access to museums and canal cruises, and offers huge discounts on meals and accommodation.
The card is available at most tourist offices. More info on www.iamsterdam.com/en/visiting/iamsterdamcard.