The first home I ever saw filled with trinkets from traveling was my grandma and grandpa’s Kloots house. A giant pair of bright yellow, wooden clogs (called klompen) on the front steps, a series of Dutch scenes framed on the walls in the back room, and blue and white bowls with a Dutch couple in the middle, which my grandmother used to serve me crushed up graham crackers with milk, and my grandpa ate big bowls of ice cream out of. These were the souvenirs of their trip to The Netherlands, taken before I was born, but something I often inquired about, especially as I got older and the allure of traveling to far-off places started to set in. I can’t think of my grandparents without thinking of those clogs, which now rest beside my sister, Amanada’s, fireplace in L.A.
Kloots is a Dutch name. On my dad’s side, you can trace our family back to Ultrect, which I’ve yet to visit, but will one day. I’ve heard it’s even more charming than Amsterdam, where I’ve been lucky to visit several times over the years. My first trip was in 2009, during my semester abroad. My Dutch roommate brought me home with her to The Hague for Thanksgiving. I got to see a bit of the city, and finally got to try pannenkoeken, oliebollen, poffertjes, bitterballen, a freshly-made stroopwafel, and fries with pindasaus. I couldn’t see the tulip fields in November, but I left with a pair of clog-shaped slippers covered in a print of them, and vowed to come back to experience everything I missed. I made good on that promise two years later, when my parents came to visit me in London, where I moved after college. We went to Amsterdam for Easter, and that was when I finally saw the Keukenhof, the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum. It was my dad’s first time there, and we both enjoyed getting in touch with our roots.
I’ve been back several times since: many 12-hour layovers that I took the train into the city, cruise ship stops, a trip with my brother in 2023, and last weekend for a work trip I extended into a holiday with my husband. Each time I visit, I enjoy the city more, always find something new to discover, and can’t help but think: Amsterdam is underrated. While many Americans planning a trip to Paris know the Eurostar will take you to London in just a few hours, they don’t realize it will also connect you to Amsterdam (and you don’t have to go through passport control.) With the city’s smaller size, undeniable charm, and walkability, it’s actually much easier to tackle if you’re trying to cram two countries into one week (which I never suggest, but I know is often done).
I won’t claim to be an expert on Amsterdam. A few trips over the last decade does not make me that. But like in Paris Guide, I can share with you how I like to experience the city, what I enjoy doing most, and how I spend my time there.
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