Amsterdam 2013 - Museumplein (The Museum District)

Amsterdam has some of the most popular and important museums in Europe, and conveniently they are all concentrated in an area called the  Museumplein (Museum District), in the South-Western fringe of the city. Here you will find the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum, the Diamond Museum, the Concertgebouw (Concert Hall), and the famous and formidable Rijksmuseum.

The Van Gogh Museum old wing.

The new wing of the Van Gogh Museum was designed by Japanese Architect Kisho Kurokawa.

The Rijksmuseum has been closed for over 10 years for a renovation that was supposed to have lasted 5. We missed the grand reopening by just a few days - while we were there the city was busy preparing for the opening ceremony by the Queen.

The Stedelijk Museum has a new wing which is nicknamed "The Big Bathtub". I think you can see why.

The Concertgebouw faces the large grass plaza that anchors the whole Museum District. It was here that we saw the preparations for the opening of the Rijksmuseum. A few big trucks were literally dropping tulips onto the pavement.

Even though it was quite a cold day, quite a lot of people were out enjoying the park. I don't know why, but it reminded me of the song by Noel Coward - Mad Dogs and Englishmen.

Amsterdam 2013 - Dinner at Die Port Van Cleve Restaurant

Die Port Van Cleve is a hotel that is right in the heart of Old Amsterdam. It is a handsome looking heritage building with a lot of character, though we didn't stay there. We had dinner at the namesake restaurant on the ground floor.

The decor of the hotel had a vintage old world charm. It looked straight out of a movie set. With such a nice setting, our expectations for the dinner were very high. Unfortunately this being part of the tour dinners, the standard was a bit lower then we had hoped. Still it was not too bad.

The appetizer was a simple cheese with tomato and pesto sauce. This being Amsterdam, the cheese was delicious. Wish there was more.

The main course was a Turkey Roll with Potato Gratin. I am not a big fan of turkey as it tends to be dry, but this was actually quite tender and flavourful. A good surprise.

Dessert was a disappointment - a very simple and unexciting chocolate cake roll with cream.

Looking at the ambiance of the restaurant and reading other reviews online, Die Port Van Cleve is capable of coming up with much better food. Would definitely go back and give their normal menu a try given the opportunity.

Amsterdam 2013 - Amsterdam Tulip Museum

Besides cheese Holland is also famous for tulips, so it is only fitting that there is also a Tulip Museum in Amsterdam, and it is right beside the Cheese Museum. I am sure you have heard of Tulip Mania - an episode during the 16th century when prices for tulips went sky high due to speculation. When the tulip bubble eventually popped - it almost ruined the Dutch economy. The Tulip Mania is still considered as one of the first economic bubbles ever recorded. 

Like the Cheese Museum - the Tulip Museum is also quite small. Unlike the Cheese Museum which is essentially a shop - the Tulip Museum actually has a museum exhibit which you have to pay to visit. As I didn't have time, I only did a bit of browsing in the shop. You can see some really beautiful and exotic tulips in the shop.

Amsterdam 2013 - Amsterdam Cheese Museum

The Dutch produce some of the most popular cheeses in the World - including Edam and Gouda. According to the official Holland Site, the Netherlands produce about 650 million kilos of cheese every year, about two thirds of which is exported - making it one of the biggest cheese exporters in the World. It is no wonder that you see cheese everywhere in Holland.

One of the must visits in Amsterdam would be the Cheese Museum. Though it is quite small - about the size of a standard shophouse, it packs an incredible number of cheeses inside. The best thing is you can sample many of the cheeses before deciding which one to buy. Furthermore, the prices are some of the best we’ve seen in Amsterdam, and many are vacuum-packed so you can take bring them back home after a long trip. Otherwise you may find the beautiful cheese covered with mould and fungus by the time you get back.

Whatever your likings, you will be sure to find something to suit your palate here.