Sitting in the waiting room while biting my nails constantly, I was feeling so nervous about my upcoming appointment. This appointment was not about my mental health, it was about my neurological problem that I have been enduring for a very long time. I have been suffering from muscle stiffness and neuron issues for a very long time. Because this problem is a birth problem so I always have to be careful and live on medications. Unfortunately, after fleeing from the Ukraine war, I lost many useful medical documents therefore now I always have to be cautious about my health. So, to get an appointment from a neurologist, I had to wait for 2 months. Meanwhile, I was suffering in pain and had to use a lot of painkillers. Something is not right and I am aware of what it can be. This appointment was my first appointment for further treatment and I was so nervous because I didn't know the current condition of my pain as I was having severe constant headaches for the past 3 months.
The hospital was in Amsterdam, a little bit far away from the old Amsterdam Central. Right now I cannot write much about the problem and diagnosis but the good thing is I was aware of the situation so I was not so surprised. It was a sunny day in the Netherlands and such kind of weather I consider a blessing because the Netherlands weather is rainy and gloomy always. After attending my appointment, I had some free time so I decided why not spend some time in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam is always crowded, tourists from all over the world are expected in Amsterdam throughout the entire year. So, nobody cannot think about Amsterdam without tourists besides there are a lot of things to do in Amsterdam. I have been to Amsterdam many times because it is the nearest city to the place where I live. Fun fact is I haven't been to many locations in Amsterdam, I don't know why. Most of the time I go to Amsterdam for document or appointment purposes so I guess I never thought about a trip to Amsterdam. Before regretting not seeing the world-famous Amsterdam city, I will definitely try to see as many locations as possible. Because I only have 1 more year of permission to stay in the Netherlands until further notice from the EU.
My residence permit in the Netherlands is until 2025 just like other Ukrainian refugees. So, 2024 will be a very crucial year for me because I have to make some hard decisions and also have to reconsider whether I wanna go back to Ukraine or not. Also, I need to pay a lot of attention to my health as well because 2022 and 2023, both years didn't go well.
With a lot in mind, I decided to spend my time in Amsterdam. Walking around the city, especially in the old city center was an option but I thought to take a boat ride tour once again. This was my 4th time boat ride tour in Amsterdam Canal. I personally like Canal Cruise in Amsterdam if the weather is nice. You can see a lot of buildings, and bridges and can learn more about different streets and the history of Amsterdam. If someone asks me what to do in Amsterdam, I always suggest them to take a 1-hour canal cruise package. It's actually a nice and cheap option to learn more about Amsterdam just in 1 hour.
I bought my ticket online instead of buying it from the counter because it's cheaper. There are a lot of companies for the canal cruise, especially near the central station and you can also choose what kind of boat you want for the excursion. I normally take regular and cheap packages, convenient ones. Some luxury canal cruises offer breakfast, lunch, and drinks packages. You can enjoy your lunch or breakfast or can have drinks while enjoying the city from the canal. I paid 12 euros for a 1-hour canal ride this time. I took this package before and I know where I have to go for the boat. It's near the central station so my plan was to after the canal cruise, straight home.
I have seen these boat houses before, they have been here for quite a long time. Some boat houses are luxurious and people rent them. Out of curiosity, I was checking the cost of the boat houses per night, pretty expensive, and cost like the hotel price per night in Amsterdam. Our boat speed was slow and we got the opportunity to see Amsterdam in a different way. The boat was going from wide canals to narrow canals and when the boat was under the bridge, I felt like I could touch the bridge easily. This time my boat was open boat ride, last time it was semi-shaded.
Many street names I can't even remember now but there were a few famous streets where our boat stopped and explained the history of the street. For example, they showed us Annie Frank's House, an old bar, cathedrals, the opera house, and museums from far away.
Amsterdam is a populated city because it's the capital of the Netherlands. Even from my city, people go to Amsterdam for work because there are a lot of work opportunities. Historical landmarks and museums like Rijksmuseum, Royal Palace Amsterdam, Damrak Street, Dam Square, Van Gogh Museum, Oude Kerk Amsterdam, Annie Frank's House, and Nemo Science Museum etc will never make you feel bored in Amsterdam. I personally prefer walking in Amsterdam without any plan, it helps me to see the city more thoroughly.
Nightlife in Amsterdam is different and I have a plan to spend my time at Red Light District (De Wallen) and Techno Club to experience the original night. I heard that Red Light District will be shifted to somewhere else. It's very popular and you can't even imagine how many tourists spend time there at night. Weekend nights are so crowded and you won't be able to walk properly there due to the crowd. I don't even know when I am gonna execute my plan. 🤣
Dutch architecture especially the canal houses and bridges is worthy to see and it's never enough. This Amsterdam canal belt is known as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known as wealthy people's houses, most of these narrow houses were built during the 16th and 17th centuries. You won't find such kind of narrow buildings anywhere else.
This boat ride was unplanned and basically to change my mood. So I was just enjoying the atmosphere and beautiful view of Amsterdam city from the canal. A lot of curious tourists were excited to see the city and were having a memorable time but because I have seen these places so many times, it was a regular scenario for me.
This is the symbol of a fishing boat as the history of Amsterdam came from Trading and fishing villages. Around the 1200s century, Amsterdam was a fishing village and later during the 15th-16th centuries, development happened that's why tourists can find Gothic-style architecture hardly. A part of Amsterdam is modern following contemporary architecture, especially Amsterdam South and Rai. The UNESCO Canal belt is mostly located within Old Amsterdam Central. source
Interesting isn't it...
That's all about my day in Amsterdam, I have to go to Amsterdam again next week for documentation and medical purposes. But hopefully, soon I will be able to see other locations in Amsterdam...
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Priyan...
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.... An architect, a dreamer, and a passionate writer who loves to write about life. I try to present my own perspective and experiences. Please leave your feedback and criticism because it's the only way I can know and reach your mind and thoughts easily...
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