Amsterdam Day 1 // Sorel's Marriott // The Seafood Bar // Keizersgracht // The Pantry // De Wallen

Our journey to Amsterdam began with a night train from Switzerland. The train leader warned about pickpockets, so we kept a close eye on our stuff by using our legs to hold our luggage and hugs our backpacks whole night. After a tiring night, we tried to check in early, but had to wait until 2pm. So, we explored the city and had a simple brunch at a local supermarket, Albert Heijn. We tried all items on the salad bar so that we could get to know their traditional food taste include pasta salad, quinoa salad, nicoise salad, hummus, falatel, white beans with tomatoes, smoked chicken and couscous followed by a canned rose lemonade. We randomly walked around the street by tailing dogs, and visited few interesting shops. Later, we went to had our lunch at Sorel's bar and lounge in Marriott Hotel. We ordered one plate of nachos with salsa, sour cream, guacamole and shredded cheese, and another plate of mushroom & truffle ravioli with green asparagus, madeira cream sauce. The portions were huge! From the Marriott hotel lobby, I came across a book about the history of Van Gogh lying on a table. It was there that I discovered he was from Amsterdam, adding to my knowledge of history. Later, we decided to explore Vondelpark after noticing many people spending time there with their dogs. Following the dogs, we enjoyed observing them playing with their owners. As we left the park, we spotted The Seafood Bar offering afternoon tea promotion for fresh oysters. We decided to give it a try, ordering half a dozen, only to realize that they were the smallest oysters I had ever seen. Despite the affordable promotion, we found them not worth the money. We returned to our hotel to check in, rest, and freshen up. Tribe Amsterdam City is the only hotel I chose to showcase in my Europe travel video because of its artistic, stylish, and modern design. Every aspect of the room and the entire hotel captured my admiration. Our evening unfolded with a captivating stroll along Keizersgracht, immersing ourselves in the timeless beauty of Amsterdam's iconic canals and 17th-century boat houses. From there, we strolled through the streets to reach our dining spot at The Pantry. It happened to be the busiest restaurant on the entire street, and no more walk-ins were available for the day. Fortunately, I had made an earlier reservation, even though only outdoor seating was the only option. Looking through the window, I could see numerous recommendation stickers collected over the years, explaining why they had such a large customer base. We opted for the most traditional Dutch dishes, including pea soup with rye bread and smoked bacon, a combination of hutspot, boerenkoolstamppot, and zuurkoolstamppot with a smoked sausage, a Dutch steak, and a Vlaflip dessert with vanilla custard, yogurt, and fruit syrup. We were delighted to have chosen this restaurant for our dinner. The food was truly authentic Dutch, and the flavors were so distinctive, unlike anything we had tasted before. As we approached the conclusion of our day, we made our way to De Wallen, renowned as the largest and most well-known red-light district. It was intriguing to witness the window prostitution, a legal practice in this country. The district was filled with an array of sex theaters and related shops, creating a distinctive atmosphere within the network of narrow alleys. With a desire to explore every nook and cranny, we walked through all the alleys, ensuring we didn't miss any noteworthy spots. Surprisingly, the alleys were bustling with a mix of visitors and tourists, each exploring the unique offerings of this vibrant district. The only downside was the smell of cannabis everywhere. Despite that, our day in Amsterdam was full of adventure, from exploring the city to trying authentic Dutch food.