We kicked off our trip in Amsterdam. I had been there when I was 22, and wanted Paul to experience it. Additionally, I wanted to visit the sights I was too poor to visit when I was there before. In hindsight, this may not have been the best decision, as our budget was so tight, we really didn’t get to do what we wanted. Plus, if you’re traveling to Amsterdam for the “fun” aspect of it, you shouldn’t do it at the start of your trip when you’re jet lagged.
Don’t get me wrong, we had a great time: we caught up with old friends in The Hague; we visited a cheese museum where we ate free cheese samples for lunch; we discovered the glorious food called bitterballen (think mashed potatoes, shredded turkey and gravy, crumbed and deep fried, like thanksgiving dinner in a bite).
Bitterballen!
In fact, sitting by a canal, drinking beer and eating bitterballen, may just be the most peaceful way to waste an afternoon.
It’s just that Amsterdam is a lot more fun when you’re younger, or have more money to blow.
So, we came up with the following list.
Top 10 Reasons you shouldn’t travel to Amsterdam on a budget, with your spouse, in your 30s.
10. It’s so expensive; sharing an appetizer as dinner isn’t ideal.
It’s also not ideal eating free cheese samples as lunch; the hunger makes you delirious.
9. You won’t get into the Anne Frank House, no matter how hard you try, unless you bought tickets online months ago.
8. One of you will get hit by a bike
So many bikes.
7. The Van Gogh museum would probably be a lot more fun on mushrooms, but when you’re a responsible, married 30 something, you don’t want to take mushrooms.
6. You’ll be jealous of the college kids who did take mushrooms.
5. The red light district is more awkward.
Blurry photo to protect the innocent.
4. Your body can’t handle smoking. One of you will spend the day in bed.
3. See #10
2. When you’re going to bed at 10pm because you’re jet lagged, and the sun is still up, and everyone is partying, you’ll feel like a loser.
Day drinking and sipping Jenever the Dutch way will leave you sleepy.
1. The greenhouse special. You won’t be right for a week.
