Last week, Scott and I decided to take a super last-minute trip to Amsterdam for New Year’s Eve!
As in, we booked a hotel on Saturday and left for the city on Monday after work. When Scott first suggested we get out of town for the holiday, I was hesitant. For starters, moving across the ocean requires a lot of cash, especially when you’re moving to one of the most expensive cities in the nation, so my mind is definitely in save versus spend mode right now. And frankly, after already taking 20 trips in 2019 (not including day trips), I was a little burned out from trip planning. I rather liked the idea of not looking up flights or reserving accommodation until 2020. But out of the two of us, it is usually me who is pushing for adventure [and has more free time to act on it], so when Scott is adamant about traveling, I oblige! And let’s be honest, as soon as we committed, I was all in. I already had blogs bookmarked and a wish list if we returned, so I immediately got to finalizing. 😉
The one bonus to last minute travel? Most hotels are already full. So, while I might not get the hotel I want, limited options make for a quick booking. I think we reserved a room after less than an hour of research (that’s crazy for me!). And because we had visited Amsterdam before, there wasn’t much left on our to-do list (yay for minimal itinerary planning!). We went into the trip mostly wanting to walk the canals, admire the Dutch architecture, eat good food and spend time with one another. I was hoping to visit the Albert Cuyp Markt and shop De 9 Straatjes as well, but that was about it. It felt good walking into the trip with few expectations. And while I was initially hesitant, I am SO glad we went!
After an overwhelming December tackling the beginning stages of a PCS, it felt so good to get away from home for a few days. The crisp, cold air we breathed in as we walked hand-in-hand along the canals did wonders for my spirit and having such few plans allowed for plenty of [much-needed] down time. We both had yucky colds all week long, so we recouped in the room for a couple hours each afternoon and let ourselves sleep in almost every morning.
And of course, we got in some good eats! On our first night, we walked to cozy, Christmas decorated Winkel 43 for a slice of their famous apple pie. We then had a proper brunch (a rarity in Europe) at Bakers & Roasters the next morning and snagged the last table without having a reservation at La Perla to finish 2019 with pizza and burrata. And the first day of 2020 brought us unexpectedly delicious and authentic Mexican food at Los Pilones, complete with margaritas. Mexican food is not only the key to our hearts, but also found few and far between in Europe, so we took this is an excellent sign for the new year! Finally, on our last day, we got in another wonderful brunch at Bakers and Roasters. This time we had to wait to be seated, so we walked to the Albert Cuyp Markt to bide our time and enjoyed some scrumptious dim sum that staved off our hunger until our table was ready.
When it was time to go, we headed back to our car and began recounting the trip. As we did, Scott acknowledged, “We basically walked and ate.” Mind you, it was a lot of walking! We were both sore by the time we went home. But that is exactly what I needed! This December was a heavy one for me for a number of reasons. In part, because of the stress and anxiety a cross-Atlantic move brings. This last-minute, low-key getaway helped me to reset. While our to-dos are still there, and the list only continues to grow, the worry and the fussing over them is not. It’s simply time to do the damn thing. 🙂
I came home from Amsterdam feeling lighter than I have in months. And even more importantly, ready.
Here’s to 2020!
Reisen, Abenteuer, und Love. 