Firstly, let me talk about the boat.
The Tasmania was our home for five days, and it was so much more than just a place to rest our weary heads at the end of a long day. I found it by chance while trawling Airbnb and what a find it was.
Much to our delight, on arrival, we found that our lovely host Sonja had left out not only an array of drinks and snacks for us (hello champers and dutch caramel waffles!) but also a map of the area, a guide to where to catch the nearest buses and trams, and a selection of well-thumbed guide books, ensuring we got the most out of our visit.
It was a magical experience waking up each day to the reflection of the sun on the water rippling across the ceiling, along with the sound of the odd duck or two quacking good morning to us!
If you've ever fancied yourself as a bit of a sailor, I highly recommend it. Find it here.
So, onto the local area. Even though the boat wasn't quite in the Haarlemmerbuurt / Jordaan area officially, it was no more than a ten minute walk away, and so this was where we spent a lot of time.
If you're like me, and your better half appreciates the finer things in life, head straight down Haarlemmerdijk, home to the best selection of independent 'man shops' I have ever seen. Notable stops along the way include Six & Sons and Concrete Matter, both purveyors of beautiful things such as copper bicycles, Opinel knives, Kaweko pens and a smattering of artfully chosen vintage thrown in for good measure.
Further down the road is Dille & Kamille, which has branches across Belgium and the Netherlands, and offers an incredible selection of cookware, all loosely displayed according to colour, a detail I will never fail to appreciate! I couldn't leave without buying a beautiful glazed terracotta fondue set, something I never knew I needed until we had the best fondue I've ever eaten at Cafe de Prins the night before.
The thing about the food in Amsterdam is that it is just so deliciously simple, and apparently, cheese is one of the main food groups. Which is always a winner in my book. More about the culinary delights of the city in my next post.
Jordaan and Haarlemmerbuurt address book
Shopping
Six & Sons - Haarlemmerdijk 31
Concrete Matter - Haarlemmerdijk 127
HutSpot - Rozengracht 204 - 210
Dille & Kamille - Nieuwendijk 16-18
Typique - Haarlemmerdijk 123
Eating
Cafe de Prins - Prinsengracht 124
Cafe P96 - Prinsengracht 96
Drinking
Cafe 't Smalle - Egelantiersgracht 12
De Twee Zwaantjes - Prinsengracht 114
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