On Saturday, B and I decided to go on a little adventure. We bundled up tight, ready to brave Amsterdam’s baltic winter weather, and uncharacteristically left the house without a destination in mind. We wandered towards Museumplein, a pretty sight on a snowy Saturday.
We stopped to watch the children sled, and chuckled over the manmade ‘hill’ the kids had found. In a city that is known for being flat, the roof of a grocery store is sometimes the next best thing to a hill!
The really daring kids passed on sleds, opting instead for giant bags of stale bread. These hungry birds were ruthless, pecking at one another and swooping down at the children, vying over every last crumb.
After watching The Birds, we continued along Van Baerlestraat, past all of the swanky shops.
I dragged B on a little detour into United Colors of Benetton, where I fell in love with a little black dress. I bought it in black and red. Oops! After my mini shopping spree, we continued our wander. We came to the entrance of Vondelpark, looked at each other, and knowingly smiled. This was our destination!
In the summer, Vondlepark is swarming with locals and tourists alike, all trying to soak up some sun. There are leisurely bikers, kids playing games, and large groups of friends enjoying a picnic or a chilled bottle of wine.
However, in the frosty winter, we found Vondelpark to be quite abandoned! Aside from the lone runner or virtuous dog-walker, we had the park all to ourselves. It was a weekend gem, a bit of unexpected tranquility in the center of a bustling city
After more than an hour of aimless strolling, it was time for some coffee and warmth. We debated over cozying up in a brown pub, but our fat-kid conscious won. We noticed Grootmoder’s Pannekoek on the Overtoom and decided to give it a go.
We were persuaded by the all-you-can-eat pancake deal, a well spotted one-off offer! The only thing better than a pancake, is an unlimited amount of pancakes!!
B and I slid into a little red booth, ready to enjoy an unlimited pancake smorgasbord!
The atmosphere at Grootmoder’s Pannekoek is vibrant and clean. To be perfectly honest, I usually prefer a place that is a bit less plastic and a bit more cozy. I love big fluffy coffee shop pillows, mismatched chairs, jazzy music, and big eclectic coffee mugs. Grootmoder’s Pannekoek didn’t exactly fit the bill – it’s not the kind of place that invites you to linger. That said, it was the perfect spot to warm up and grab a quick bite mid-walk, and again, who could ask for more than unlimited pancakes?!
We each started with a plain pancake, happy to dabble with the syrup selection provided on the table. I was elated to find that the pancakes at Grootmoder’s are what I perceive to be crepes. Thin, delicate sweet-treats, ready to sop up your gooey topping of choice.
Next up was an amazingly decedent ham and cheese pancake, that tasted somewhere between a pancake, pizza and grilled cheese.Each bite was a little fluff of heaven.
For our last round we went back to sweet. B got a banana and Nutella pancake, I got plain, and we agreed to go halfsies on each.
The Nutella pancake was also exceptional. We’d had a similar treat while in Germany at the Christmas market, so we savored the final bites, reminiscing about our German holiday and dreaming of where we might go next.
The answer soon became clear, as we were both stuffed to the brim and it was time to brave the cold and trudge home!
All-in-all I highly recommend and adventure day around Amsterdam. There are so many great things to do, see, and eat in the city, and you never know where the day will take you! x
This was so fun to read! Oh the pancakes – so huge and delectable. Great photography too. Thank you for the great tour around your lovely town!
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Great pictures and thank you for stopping by
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Thank you for liking my post. I clicked on yours and found this wealth of Amsterdam pictures and actually felt a bit emotional! I was born there, grew up close to it but haven’t been back for several years now. Wonderful pictures!
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Glad you liked the photos :) Your sketches are great, doodle on!
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I love how you add all the wonderful photos into your story. The area looks absolutely beautiful! And the pancakes… yummy! Thanks for stopping by my blog! Hope to see you return, I’ll be following yours! :D
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Reblogged this on johndwmacdonald and commented:
A photojourney not to miss within the winter of Amsterdam..!
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Loved all the snowy pictures and now have gone to bed with a tummy rumbling for pancakes and nutella!
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These pictures look so fun!!!
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I loved Amsterdam! Spent a day at Vondelpark, even managed to squeeze in a movie at an indie cinema at the park I think. Great city, your pics and blog do it great justice!
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Thank you! If you made a stop at Vondelpark you got the true Dutch experience!! I’ve heard they do have an open air summer movie series – I haven’t been yet but will definitely be making a visit this year! x
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