Winter in Holland

Amsterdam: Drink Beer

We had been to Gollem for a drink and a snack (note: the meat platter is hearty) the evening before, but when we found ourselves on Overtoom after visiting Vondelpark, with Gollem just opening for lunch, we went for it again. After all, it was our...

When in Amsterdam... bike!

When in Amsterdam, don’t think of renting a bike as a fun thing to do if you have extra time, but rather as a necessary mode of transportation. Not only did having two wheels make us feel more like locals, it allowed us to explore farther-flung...

Feasting on Fried Fat

I could never understand how the Dutch (and Belgians) stay so slim when they insist on putting frietkots everywhere.

Frietkots are little fast food joints that basically deep fry anything in sight. Fries are the common choice — twice-fried and...

Secret Value Dining with a Secret Killer View

This is not a secret to locals, but off-the-beaten path (but still not too out of the way) is a place with a surprisingly tasty dinner for under ten euros.

It's the library cafeteria.

But seriously: That bowl of Thai noodle soup with cooked-to-order...

Cozy Cafe Orloff in Utrecht

Warm or cold in the Netherlands, Utrecht's Cafe Orloff is cozy and breezy at the same time. In warmer weather, sit outside along canals and cobblestones streets with friends enjoy a beer and bitterballen combo. When temperatures dip, sit inside...

The Kroket Lunch at Vertigo, Amsterdam

The Dutch all appear tall and slim to the visitor, but it has to be the biking that's the secret to their physiques, not the lunches. The kroket is a Dutch staple and is carbs, upon carbs and served with a side of carbs.

I sampled one at the...

Wall of Cheese in Utrecht, Holland

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.

Ice Skating the Canals in Amsterdam and Utrecht

When it gets cold enough in a Dutch winter, residents of Amsterdam and Utrecht don ice skates and take to the frozen canals. The cold weather is met with anticipation and joy, residents raid their closets and canal-side shops to find their gear....

Microbrewery in Amsterdam

Beer drinkers in Amsterdam have other options besides the Heineken brewery tour! There are several microbrews around the city around the city. My favorite: Brouwerij't IJ. Housed right under a windmill and outside the immediate city center, this...