I've been to quite a few places in Europe, but I've never been to Amsterdam...until now.
My boyfriend Stephen used to live in Amsterdam, so when he suggested it for our Easter getaway I knew I could get a real insight to the heart of Amsterdam.
Because we're not yet fully immersed into Spring we knew the weather would be hit and miss. So I didn't expect much, weather-wise. Nonetheless, I enjoyed what Amsterdam had to offer in regards to food, architecture and history.
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On our first day we found a place called 'Vegan Junk Food Bar' that was a delicious restaurant that specialised in well, junk food...but without the meat and dairy. Just look at how incredible it looks because it tasted equally as good.
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'Vegan Junk Food Bar' |
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Flowers |
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On yer bike... |
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Herengracht |
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Cafe Brecht (As in Bertolt Brecht) |
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What I really wanted to visit was the Rijksmuseum that housed the fruit of the world's most renowned artists, Van Gogh and Rembrant.
However, more than anything I wanted to see Petronella Oortman's Doll House because the week prior I had just finished 'The Miniaturist', a piece of fiction that borrows the real life of Petronella and her Doll's house. It was during her very own experience of witnessing this beautiful piece of art that inspired Jessie Burton to write the story. Such houses back in the 17th Century would have cost just as much as a normal house and was a way for the wealthy women in society to show off their collection, style and interior 'tastes'.
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Inside the Rijksmuseum |
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'Self-Portrait' by Vincent Van Gogh |
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An example of a 17th Century cabinet/ Doll's house |
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Inside one of the Dolls' Houses |
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A close up of one of the rooms in Petronella Oortman's Doll's House |
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Petronella Oortman |
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Standard Doll's House |
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Rijksmuseum's photo of Petronella's actual Doll's house |
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Where do I go now? |