On my third visit to the great city of Amsterdam I did something I had never done before... I got up early and set out with my camera on a morning stroll! It was an unbelievable experience to walk around Amsterdam's deserted streets early in the morning with only remnants of the many exploits of the previous evening. To see the red light district and the plazas. It was quiet, the streets were almost empty, and the canals were so calm (no boat traffic) that there were crystal clear reflections of the landscape that defines Amsterdam. It is still easy to get coffee and a pastry and even the brown bars are serving herb and hash early in the morning (yes, you could say that I "waked and baked"). I will never forget this experience and the amazing photographs I captured on my last day in the Dutch city I love so much for so many reasons, so if you can manage it, I would recommend waking up early to stroll the streets of Amsterdam. I'll leave the getting baked part up to you.

When waterways in the Netherlands freeze into glittering paths, overjoyed residents take to the ice. Visitors can buy or rent a pair of noren (traditional long-blade skates) to glide across town or take part in one of the country’s dozens of tochten, organized tours or races held throughout the nation’s 2,200 miles of canals. Check the local newspaper or the website Schaatsen.nl for route announcements. Ice skating along the frozen lanes also provides a chance to marvel at how the canals have shaped the landscape. Because a quarter of the Netherlands lies below sea level, the Dutch have relied on drainage systems to keep their heads above water. Skate the molentocht, or mill tour, in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Kinderdijk (pictured) to see 19 windmills that once pumped water from the lowlands into the surrounding reservoirs. The historic village about 15 miles from Rotterdam is a peaceful setting for one of the country’s favorite winter pastimes. If you travel to Kinderdijk to skate the molentocht, reserve a room at the Pincoffs Suite Hotel in Rotterdam. Stieltjesstraat 34, 31/(0) 10-297-4500. Photo by Glow Images/Rene Van Der Meer. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue.

We woke up on day two, intending to wander around, grab lunch and then spend the rest of the day in the park. However, our host suggested a book market only open on Fridays. Within minutes of the suggestion, we were out the door, armed with raincoats, a patchy mental map and a deep determination to find at least of the books any self respecting Literature student should own. When we arrived at the Spui book market, we were faced with dozens of stalls, each selling different genres and languages of books. We had no trouble finding stalls selling English books, and the deadly combination of old classics and low prices made it almost impossible to settle for just one or two. Realizing that realistically, it would be unlikely for us to fit any more books in our luggage on the return journey, this time we left empty handed, but with a few ideas for dinner that night. A near perfect day spent wandering through heaps of books was rounded out in the apartment's hammock with a cup of tea, stroopwaffle and a little blue book, new to me, but clearly read (and loved) many times before.

Amsterdam-based designer Marcel Wanders transformed the city’s old public library into a hotel with a delft-pottery color scheme. Perks include Wanders-designed bikes. From $410. This appeared in the September, 2012 issue.

Stroopwafels are ridiculously delicious and addictive. This Dutch treat consists of two thin, firm waffles sandwiching a layer of lush caramel. Apparently, the average Dutch person eats 20 stroopwafels each year. Somehow, I must have easily eaten 20 in my week-long visit. Good thing Amsterdam is such a beautiful walking city.

Just outside of Amsterdam near the airport quietly sits the largest flower market in the world. Aalsmeer Flower Auction (otherwise known as FloraHolland) is the Wall Street of Flowers where everyday 20 million flowers and plants follow a carefully choreographed dance through a gigantic distribution center and auction halls. And the best part - they allow visitors to come watch these flowers arrive from Kenya, speed through the facility, and end up in New York City the same day. For a small entry fee of €5 - you can walk the catwalk of this enormous facility and be swept up in the movement below you. Make sure you go early in the morning to get the full effect. As I watched from above I realized everything was moving…even the catwalk vibrated. The place was in a constant state of motion everywhere you looked. And then you can't help but notice the smell wafting up to greet your nose. Bundles of roses, daisies, irises, lilies, and hydrangeas in containers were being wheeled around by trolley train below you. The auction and facility is the largest in the world and if you are looking for something totally unique to see in Amsterdam - then follow your nose to the flowers! How to get there: http://bit.ly/kIWYUn

If you're looking for the best coffee in town as well as the best music then you should visit the Village. It's also the place where most of the hipsters hang around. Enjoy!

I’ve done the big-boat canal tours, and they’re fun. But a canal tour on a small boat is even more fun. You can bring your own food and drinks (and smokes, if you’re so inclined), and navigate the smaller canals that the big boats can’t access. We went with the St. Nicolaas Boat Club, a non-profit that runs two restored boats, one from the 20s and one from the 30s; all proceeds go to the boats’ upkeep. Volunteer captains choose routes that strike their fancy, taking into account the clients’ interests. Pay is by donation, but they suggest 10 euros per person; sign up at the Boom Chicago comedy club on Leidseplein. If you prefer to go it alone, there are also plenty of companies that rent small motorboats, like Canal Motorboats or Boaty.nl. Expect to pay between 80 and 120 euros for three hours—not a bad deal if you’re sharing with a group of friends.

Even the strongest jenever—the Dutch predecessor to gin—won’t help you pronounce Wynand Fockink, but this 350-year-old bar and distillery is the best place to sip the juniper-laced drink. Imbibers spill out into an alleyway, their glasses filled with jenever concoctions infused with such flavors as vanilla, coffee, orange, or cinnamon. Pijlsteeg 31, 31/(0) 20-639-2695. Photo courtesy of Zemistor/Flickr. This appeared in the June/July 2013 issue.

The Dutch take their cheese very seriously. Heck, there's even a town named Gouda (seeminly not made of Gouda, although it was dark when the train rumbled past). In Utrecht's downtown, the Kazeri Stalenhoff showcases a beautiful wall of cheese.

The Arendsnest is a pub specializing in Dutch beer. There are many, as it turns out—the Belgians get all the glory, but the Dutch are also fine brewers. They also serve a really great variety of cheese, a reminder that nothing goes with cheese as well as beer.

Just a 15 minute train ride from Amsterdam is the picturesque town of Haarlem, complete with canals and De Adriaan windmill. You can go in (for a fee) but the best viewpoint is across the canal (and free!). As a bonus, Haarlem is a fairly compact town and it is easy to wander the streets admiring the flowerboxes and old brick buildings for the better part of a day.

It has been a decade since the major museums on the Museumplein—a grassy square connecting Amsterdam’s main art centers—have all been open at the same time. Here’s what to check out at the Van Gogh Museum. Sunflowers, The Bedroom, and The Potato Eaters are just a few of the masterpieces on display as part of the “Van Gogh at Work” exhibit. Paulus Potterstraat 7, 31/(0) 20-570-5200. This appeared in the June/July 2013 issue.