Amsterdam with kids

Last April we went for a long weekend to Amsterdam. Mr.A and I had been there a few years ago to meet up with friends. We had had a great time browsing art at the Rijksmuseum, walking the streets, bridges & canals following an audio tour by our favorite – Rick Steves & getting a glimpse of the happening night life. A solemn experience was the visit to the Anne Frank house. We could say we had covered most of the significant features of the beautiful city but had majorly missed out on the legendary tulips at Keukenhof. Plus, we wanted to experience Amsterdam with LittleA this time & hoped to still love it. & still love it, we did 🙂

Keukenhof Gardens

This was spring and the gardens were in full bloom. Flowers everywhere! It was a joy to be there and take in all the beauty. Even though LittleA was just a few months over three, we can see the tulips made an impact on her too as every time Amsterdam comes up within her earshot, she is sure to mention tulips or garden 🙂 So cool that we could make a beautiful early memory together for her to cherish.

The Upside Down

This is a must see, not only if you are into social media like Instagram or Tiktok, but also if you love quirky, unusual things. A lot of fluorescent colors, neon lights, illusions, funky mirrors, an entire swimming pool full of plastic balls, a walk-in closet with a wardrobe full of flashy clothes to play dress-up, half of an airplane, yeah the list goes on! The cafe is a cute place to sit down too, with a bunch of equally snap-worthy colorful sandwiches. We sure smiled a lot & took way too many pictures 😀

Amstelpark

We stayed at the Novotel Hotels which was right across this park so we took a stroll expecting to simply find some greenery & open spaces but pleasantly surprised by the extras we found. A little open train chugged along and for 3euros a ride, took us around the park at a leisurely pace. We then came by a petting zoo and a mini amusement section for the kids, complete with a merry-go-round, a toy-train for children, a set of toy cars & lots of bubbles, ice cream and cotton candy. Could one ask for more?!

Canal Cruise

We took a canal cruise to catch a different perspective of the city. It was a balmy afternoon, lazy sunshine and the quiet laps of water accompanied a gentle audio guide onboard pointing out buildings & landmarks of significance. Very pleasant indeed. On the other hand, the banks were alive with action, people had come out in droves, also to enjoy the sun, but mostly with a beer in hand. We even saw a bunch of people fishing out a bike from the water!

London highlights

Earlier this year Mr.A and I moved to London, believing we were making a long term shift, but as it turns out it wasn’t meant to be, at least not for the time being. Long story short, we’ve happily returned home to Stockholm after living in London for four months. It’s been a helluva ride, but in all the chaos we’ve had some good days in this bustling, spirited city. Let me share some high points from our short-lived adventure 🙂

Sky Garden atop the Walkie-Talkie

One of the best vantage points for great views of the city of London is the Sky Garden. The top three stories viz. 34th-37th floors of the skyscaper at 20 Fenchurch Street, nicknamed Walkie-Talkie for its typical shape, have been transformed into landscaped gardens open to the public for free. You do have to book an entry slot but that’s quite easy with their online booking system. You can even make a special occasion by reserving a table at one of the restaurants, or keep it casual by snacking at the cafes. Obviously, the highlight is the 360° views of the city, combined with the greenery indoors. Mr.A and I enjoyed the perspective. The garden complete with full-grown palms is quite a delight to stroll in, too.

Greenwich and the National Maritime Museum

Once Saturday we rode the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) that winds through the towering skyscrapers of Canary Wharf before coming out the other side of Thames to the Greenwich station. A short, but rather steep, walk uphill through the Greenwich Park brought us to the Royal Observatory. To tick off places from my Geography lessons has always given me a certain thrill, so this was no different. Taking a picture with our feet in two hemispheres, straddling the Prime Meridian was cool, of course. The real treat on the hot day was the cool breeze on the hill accompanied by splendid views of the skyline. We also went into the National Maritime Museum, which has free entry to its permanent exhibitions, to examine ship models and read up on Britain’s naval history. Since a lot of it was associated with the East India Company and it’s influence in our own history, the days ended up with much reflection and thought. Happy Weekend, I say!

St. Paul’s Cathedral

A trip to the city of London would be incomplete without a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral, architect Christopher Wren’s masterpiece. A magnificent structure, both from the outside and inside. The ticket price includes either an audio guide or a guided tour. We opted for the latter and were so happy following our learned guide, a charming octogenarian who made such a pleasant impression that Mr.A & I decided we would do something like he was doing when we grew old ourselves! Totally worth the slightly pricey ticket. Note however, you can save a little if you prebook online. We loved our culture trip around this 300+ year old building which has seen eons pass by and has so many stories to tell.

A walk around Hyde Park

This giant park despite being in the heart of the city, surely takes one away from its madness into an oasis of calm. Even though there were hundreds of other people, it did feel like a different world within. People seemed so much at ease walking their dogs, enjoying their ice creams, feeding ducks and even parrots (it’s true!), strolling by the Serpentine, playing a casual game of football, and what not. Mr.A and I went to the Park just before sundown and had a lovely time watching all this pass by us in a beautiful golden glow.

Brick Lane & Shoreditch

Brick Lane surely teleported us into another world. Once a settlement for immigrants from Bangladesh trying to make a new home in a new country, today it is a hep center buzzing with student activity, fashion and art. There is a considerable number of restaurants all boasting the best food from the Indian sub-continent, but make sure to research where you want to eat since our experience with the food was not one of our high points here. Graffiti-watching along Shoreditch and Brick Lanes was totally rewarding though. Some amazing street art can be found in small nooks as well as huge walls. Once can surely spend a lot of time being fascinated, especially one like me that has a thing for street art 😉 The pictures warrant their own blog post, so I’ll write more about them soon.

Barbican Conservatory

The Barbican Conservatory was a surprise find that I chanced upon in some toplist about London, and decided to drag Mr.A to check it out. It did not disappoint at all. The Barbican Complex with its brutalist architecture captured our imagination, how stark and severe it looked, somewhat reminding us of the buildings in central Delhi, perhaps one influencing the other, who knows. In the middle of the austere lines, sits the cosy world of green in the form of the conservatory, housing London’s second largest conservatory. Amongst 2000+ varieties of plants, also live some turtles and fish in sparkling ponds. There is an impressive array of chillis and a gorgeous desert garden housing cactii of all shapes and sharpness. Entry is free on Sunday afternoons, a refreshing activity before the start of a new week.

What are your favorite spots in London?

Malaga murals

Seeking out magical murals with Mr.A on the sunny streets of Malaga this summer… perfect vacation treasure hunt 🙂

 

You may also like other posts about street art from:

• Street art from Melbourne
• The Icelandic capital, Reykjavik
• Zagreb, from my road-trip through Croatia two summers ago
• The East Side Gallery, some remains of the Berlin Wall
• Stockholm, a city with a strict view on graffiti
• Copenhagen’s Freetown Christiania
• Lively neighborhoods of Plaka & Monastikari in Athens
• Graffiti on the by-lanes of Barcelona

Inside Out

Stockholm is just the place for museum and art lovers. There are hordes of fantastic collections to be enjoyed all over the city. A city favorite is the iconic Fotografiska in the Södermalm district of Stockholm, a potent centre for contemporary photography. The building itself is worth a visit. An Art Nouveau style building from the early 1900s, it was once used for the customs control of goods. The original brick facade has been retained while the interior has been renovated to showcase intriguing collections all year round. Some celebrate well known artists while others promote new talent. The restaurant at the top floor offers delicious food, coffee as well as panoramic views of the water and neighboring islands of Djurgården and Skeppsholmen. No wonder that the seats by the windows go the fastest!

Last weekend Mr.A and I went for a visit and spent almost all day there. “Inside Out” is a series of x-ray prints by photographer Nick Veasey wherein he explores what things actually look like deep within. It is an eye-opener for sure. The artist works with both unusual subjects as well as everyday objects. What surprised me most was the scale as seashells and flowers featured in the shots, but there was also a full size bus and an airplane! The artist works in a giant workshop which is isolated & insulated to prevent radiations. For the same reason, skeletons instead of humans are used in Nick’s work. The subjects are x-rayed (is that a verb?) in one or several frames depending on their size. The output reveals their ‘gut’ in splendid ways, enough to make us visitors ponder over them for hours… 📸

 I will soon write about the other major exhibition that I saw that day, quite different from this one, but just as enthralling 🙂 Have you been to Fotografiska? What exhibitions did you enjoy? You haven’t? Well, then you simply must!

Have a happy week ahead!!

Weathered

The Temple of Sounion stands as a tribute to the Greek god of the sea, Poseidon. Situated on Cape Sounion, roughly an hour’s drive away from Athens, this ancient weathered structure has seen the aeons come and go. Although the roof of the portico has long since gone missing, many of the columns stand tall and proud. The drive along the coastal road is a great way to unwind with the Aegean Sea shimmering alongside. The cape is an excellent spot to catch a breathtaking sunset away from the crowds that hoard Athens in particular and Greece in general.

Psst! There’s more on Sunny District from the Weekly Photo Challenge!