Culinary tour through Amsterdam and Brugge

When Maersk told me that I had "garden leave" (I gave them a month notice that I was leaving, but since I am going to a competitor they are giving me a month of pay and housing, but I am not to come to work) I had to decide what to do to pass the time. Any guesses? That is right - TRAVEL!!!

Cecilia decided on a spur of the moment trip...qualifications were a direct flight, less than 3hr, and somewhat cheap...we settled on Amsterdam and were off less than 36 hours later! From Amsterdam we got straight on a train and headed to Brugge as Kara and Gustavo had told us that it was a must do...and they were right! Brugge is incredible, a quaint town with canals everywhere - it is even on the UNESCO World Heritage List due to its well preserved medieval architecture - not to mention the yummy chocolate!

We lost ourselves in the narrow cobblestoned streets, purused our fair share of chocolateers, and took a canal tour. Right in front of the bell tower in the main square there are dueling fry shops...we each ordered one and compared...maybe we have poor fry pallates, but we could not really tell the difference. They sure do have some intresting toppings though!

We went to the oldest pub in Brugge (1515) for some great soup and washed it down with a local Belgium beer of course.

For dinner, we went to a fantastic restaurant. Sure, we are used to a lot less than stellar culinary experiences in CPH, but this delicious and a max hygge (cozy) atmosphere. We even "helped" to grill our prawns, lamb, and fillet. And don't forget the beer!

The real treat for me was that we closed down the place and the owner's son brought out his 3yr old Sharpay, Chloe. Adorable! This of course made Cecilia laugh as she had witnessed me befriending many "puppies" (which she correctly pointed out were dogs not puppies) all day long!

The following afternoon we headed back to Amsterdam. Ah Amsterdam, the Venice of the North. It was spectacular in the fall - all the gorgeous leaves..the smell of fall...the crisp air...YAY!

After arriving just after the sunset, we headed over to the Red Light District while it was still "tame". So bizarre and sad to see all those women sitting in the windows. We went back early and rested up for the big day ahead.

First up, the Anne Frank House. They really did a fantastic job with the exhibit. Then we took a water taxi down to the museum district. After a delicious lunch we headed to the Van Gogh Museum...also very impressive.

After a brief nap, we were off to a pub down the street from our hotel. There, I heard Americans and struck up a conversation. This turned into a fabulous dinner for 9 next door with 2 couples from Pennsylvania who are expats in York, England, a couple from San Fran who are expats in Amsterdam, and a Britt who is an expat in Amsterdam. We had the taster menu which was about 6 appitizers, 6 mains, and 6 deserts...so gourmet and so good!

A delicious ending to a great night and a fantastic trip!