Thinking of taking a break in the city of tulips? You won't be disappointed! There is so much to see, do, and erm, smoke, in Amsterdam that you could spend weeks wandering the pretty city. And with no end of visitors flocking there I thought I should pop together a list of the most typical tourist things to do. There are tonnes of cultural things to do in A'dam, but were going to ignore those for now!
So what are my top 5 things every tourist should do in Amsterdam...
The Hard Rock Cafe Amsterdam
1. Eat or drink at the Hard Rock Cafe - This one of the main things me and Sean wanted to do when we planned our trip to Amsterdam. We're slowly but surely ticking off the list of Hard Rock Cafes, previously visiting the Barcelona and the London branches. Although we had been to others before we had never actually had a meal there and that was at the top of the to do list! Although it was slightly pricey our meals were delicious and I wouldn't hesitate to dine there again. We each had a burger which was cooked to perfection and was really well presented. If you do make a trip there you have to try a Southern Rock Cocktail. I cant remember whats in it but I know it's super strong and really tasty!
A Giraffe at Amsterdam Zoo
2. Go to the Zoo - We went to the zoo on the last day after running out of realistic things to do. We said before we left for Amsterdam that we wouldn't go to the zoo as we have been to so many over the last couple of years but I'm so glad we went. It's around 20 Euros to get in but it's a really fun relaxing day out. There's so much to do that we just couldn't possibly do it all, but we took our time and saw the most important things. I was really happy to find out that they have elephants here and as they are my favourite animal I did spend quite a long time looking at these beautiful creatures. While you are here make sure you take a trip to the aquarium. It's not huge but there's some lovely setups in there and it's a quite a relaxing way to finish the day off.
The famous penis chair inside the Amsterdam Sex Museum
3. Visit the famous Sex Museum - I'm sure you've all heard about the Sex Museum. Most people I've spoken to about Amsterdam say you have to visit the Sex Museum. It's only 4 Euros to get in and it really is a must see. There's tons of sex related tat and a fair bit of actual interesting information too. You can do the whole thing in maybe just over an hour so I wouldn't set aside much more time than that to visit it. If you do go make sure you take a photo with the giant penis chair shown above!
A typical cityscape in Amsterdam
4. Take a canal boat trip - There are so many boat trips available in Amsterdam you really are spoiled for choice. Before we went we knew we wanted to take a boat trip but we didn't know just how cheap and how many there were. We decided to go with a company just outside the train station who did the same tour as Thompson's but for around £7 cheaper. Tours usually last around an hour but you can get longer or shorter ones depending on how much time and money you have spare. If you really want a boat trip but are short of cash, the ferry to North Amsterdam is free so that's worth doing if you are running out of Euros.
Cocktails at the fiercely cold Amsterdam Ice Bar
5. Grab some drinks at the Ice Bar - Before we went to Amsterdam my cousin said I had to go for drinks at the Ice Bar. I hadn't heard of it before but after a little research Sean and I really wanted to go. It costs 16 Euros to get in and you get 3 drinks included, one in the normal bar and two in the actual Ice Bar. I didn't think that was too pricey considering a beer would cost you 5 Euros in most bars in Amsterdam. When you book your ticket you choose the time you want to get there and usually spend around half an hour in the Ice Bar itself. We spend around 20 minutes in there as it was just too cold to be in there any longer. This isn't somewhere you would visit more than once but I would definitely recommend it to start a night out!
So those were my top 5 things every tourist should do in Amsterdam. There's so many touristy things to do in this beautiful city so it was really hard to narrow it down to just 5.
Have you been to any of these places? What do you think should have made the list?
Thanks for reading!
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A few nights ago me and Sean decided to go for a meal at the Brindley Place Handmade Burger Co. We've been to the ones in the Bullring and Solihull several times and it has become one of our favorite places to eat. We usually get very good service and our meals are always cooked to perfection, so when Sean suggested we go out for dinner, I decided to bring along my camera and review our first time eating at the Brindley Place restaurant.
Price - Handmade Burger isn't the cheapest place to eat out in Birmingham; many pubs do two meals for £10 or a beer and a burger for a fiver, but it's worth it. The burgers average out at about £9 or £10 each depending on what you order and the chips are set at £3.25 each. The drinks however are a very good deal, for £2.70 you can order a 'bottomless' drink that you can refill as many times as you like. I've never drank alcohol here but they only serve beer and wine which tends to be quite pricey. One thing we discovered, unfortunately after we had paid, was that they do a 15% student discount which is doubled to 30% on Mondays!
Service - When we arrived we were seated straight away, near the window as I requested so that we could look out over the canal and watch the boats. After ordering, our food took a little longer that usual to arrive, this could have been due to the burgers we ordered as they weren't made using the regular beef. Once we had finished we pilled all the plates into the middle but it took a very long time for them to be cleared away. This is very usual for Handmade Burger especially as we went on a Sunday night and there were only a handful of customers. Me and Sean both agreed that the staff in the Bullring and the Solihull restaurants are a lot more friendly.
Food/ Drink Quality - Overall the food and drink quality was amazing as usual. The ingredients are always fresh and cooked perfectly. Me and Sean decided to try a 'Jimmy's Farm' burger; the beef is from rare breed, free range beef that has been matured for 3 weeks. This type of burger is priced at £9.95 and tastes amazing; the caramelized onion is a yummy added bonus. Our burgers were topped with smoked bacon and a gorgeous cheese, both of which only enhanced the overall taste. As usual we had a bowl of onion rings which are the best onion rings ever, the are so sweet and fluffy. I didn't think the chips were as nice as usual but Sean loved his.
Cleanliness - I couldn't fault the cleanliness of the restaurant. The tables, floor and drink area were spotless. I hate being seated in a restaurant to find that my table is still sticky but that wasn't the case here. Unfortunately a little trip to the ladies room ruined all of that. The bins hadn't been emptied and were overloading, as for the stalls, they were just a bit messy. Sean said the men's were perfectly fine.
Location - Handmade Burger Brindley Place is very central, located just off Broad Street and virtually opposite the ICC. It's very easy to get to as there are many bus stops and taxi ranks near by, it's also about a 15 minute walk from the Bullring. It overlooks one of Birmingham's busy canals, which I imagine would be lovely in the summer with the doors open. It is also surrounded by many other bars and restaurants as well as being virtually right next to Birmingham's famous Broad Street.
Overall I really enjoyed my meal and wouldn't hesitate to order one of their 'Jimmy's Farm' burgers again. I always love eating at Handmade Burger and although there were a few things that weren't perfect about that night, it didn't put me off dining there again. I would rate the overall experience ☆☆☆1/2.
I hope you enjoyed reading this restaurant review, I want to start doing this sort of thing more regularly on the blog. I've love to know if you guys have ever eaten at a Handmade Burger Co. What did you think?
Thanks for reading!
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Just before Christmas I treated myself to some beauty bits from Topshop. I'd never bought anything from their beauty range before but after hearing nothing but good things about it, I wanted to try it out. I picked up a gorgeous lipstick and this pretty little eyeshadow in shade 'Wax & Wane'.
I'd never seen anything like this before let alone owning any similar colours; I knew it had to be mine. It retails at £9 which I thought was quite expensive for a single eyeshadow when you can easily purchase a whole pallet for the same price. Even though I thought it was pricey I couldn't leave it and it came home with me that night to be vigorously tested over the next few months.
I love this colour, it's such an unusual shade but it's so pretty and I literally I feel like a fairy whenever I'm wearing it. Depending on how it catches in the light it can look pink/ purple/ blue or orange. I know something like that wouldn't be to everyone's taste but I can't get enough of it. I feel like it really suits my skin tone too, although I can see this being a very universal product that would look nice on most complexions.
One thing I love about this product is how long it lasts. I can do my make up in the afternoon for a night out and it would be still very much intact the next morning if I forgot to take it off. Saying that it is very easy to remove and doesn't stain the skin at all like some eyeshadows.
It is also a very pigmented product. A little goes a very long way and you don't have to smother your eyelid in product to get a decent result. This also means it's less likely to crease on your eyelid and you won't have to repurchase it every five minutes.
I really love wearing this product, it's a very versatile colour that is wearable all year round. Although it's a little bit pricey it more than makes up for this in how long it's lasts and it's quality. I have gotten so much wear out of it and I would not hesitate to buy it again. Overall I'd give it a 10/10 as I really can't fault it!
Have your tried any of the Topshop beauty range? Let me know what your favorite bits are!
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I've enjoyed many holidays in Turkey and lately it has become one of my favorite places to stay. There's so much to do and see in Turkey that I keep going back. It's a beautiful country with a unique culture that could come as a bit of a surprise if you've never been before. I'm no expert but after a few holidays over the years I have a couple of tips that help me have the best possible time. I thought I would share them with you all as its a popular destination especially for us Brits.
Safety:
I thought I would start with the boring stuff; safety. Turkey has a bit of a bad rep but luckily I've never had any problems. I feel perfectly safe walking around the more touristy towns on my own but I'm always careful and aware of my surroundings. I think it goes without saying you shouldn't go anywhere alone with strangers and if you feel unsafe at any point you should make your way back to your hotel.
Another obvious tip is not to carry valuables unless you need to. Although it's never happened to me pick pocketing and bag snatching does happen and I'd rather lose a little than all my holiday spends and my passport. Thinking along the same route, don't flash your cash, it can tempt thieves and no one likes a show off.
Money:
If you are British and travelling to Turkey don't convert your money here. You get a much better rate if you change your pounds in Turkey and you can convert smaller amounts too. If you don't want to change your money over, pounds are accepted too, in fact I don't think there's any currency they will turn down. Turkey is the only country I've carried, Pounds, Euros and Lira and have been able to spend any of them.
Although you can spend whatever you like I always feel like I'm getting the best deal when I pay in Lira, just make sure you know exactly what it's worth!
Don't be afraid to barter! Whether you're in the market or a regular shop, most places don't have set prices and are happy to haggle with you, I actually think some Turkish business owners enjoy it. Just have a price in your head that you are willing to pay and stick to it. Sean and I managed to get an amazing deal on two day trips for just £28, and they both included dinner! Bear in mind this doesn't apply to all shops and don't be afraid to walk away if it's more than you want to pay.
When it comes to shopping in Turkey you will be hassled. It's just another part of Turkish culture and a bit of fun. If you genuinely aren't interested in what they have to offer, don't be scared to say no. No one will be offended if you are firm but polite.
*** Update *** Since writing this post in 2015 I do not recommend riding animals abroad as they are often mistreated.
Try new things:
Going on holiday is all about trying new things and going places you've never been before, there's so much to do in Turkey you really are spoilt for choice!
The first thing I'm going to start with is day trips. You can book excursions with your holiday rep or from a local tour company but they are usually cheaper from the locals and can include dinner. Depending on where in Turkey you stay will depend on where you can go. As I've only stayed on the west and in the main tourist areas I can only suggest a couple of things. One of the best places I've ever been in Turkey is Dalyan. It's full of history, has mud baths and a world famous Turtle beach. Another must see if you are in the area is Bodrum Castle. If you don't mind a bit of walking it's a great day out and only costs around £7 for a ticket. Make sure you research the area you are staying in before you go and I'm sure you'll find plenty to do!
While you're in Turkey you have to try some traditional food. It's not always to my taste and honestly I mostly stick to pizza but you have to try everything once. Try and find a Turkish kebab house, they are very different to ours in the UK.
Another thing you should try is Turkish wine. My favorite wine in the whole world is Rose from the Bodrum area. I've never found anything that compares to it.
Learn the language:
I'm not saying you have to be fluent, but learning a few basic words and phrases is always helpful. Most people who work in tourism will speak English but they appreciate the effort. I just think its nice when ordering drinks or buying something in a shop to say please or thank you in their language. The Turks are naturally quite cheeky and love to hear foreigners, speaking their own language. There are loads of videos on Youtube which show you the basics.
Enjoy the culture:
I want to finish this post on a positive note. Don't forget you're on holiday in a country that may be very different to yours. Enjoy their culture and way of life. Don't get annoyed when the call to prayer wakes you up early, think of it as the most beautiful wake up call you've ever heard, you'll soon miss it when you're home.
Don't be sad when you can't have a bacon sandwich in the morning, although I'm sure pork is available somewhere, most people don't eat it here and it's hard to come by. Look forward to a more healthy week as you will be eating less red meat.
Talk to the locals, Turkish people are friendly and always want to talk. I met a man in Sarigerme who kept me and dad talking for hours as he just wanted to practice his English.
Lastly don't forget to try Turkish Cay. Tea drinking in Turkey is just as important as in the UK, it's just done slightly differently. A cup of Cay will cost you about a Lira (roughly 30p) and it's delicious!
I hope this little guide will come in useful for anyone about to visit this beautiful country. Although it sometimes gets a bad name for itself, Turkey is an amazing country with so much history and some gorgeous beaches. I'm sure I will be back soon!
P.s. They keep their salt and pepper in the opposite pots to us! I found this out the hard way!
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