Exploring Amsterdam

We didn’t have a lot of time in Amsterdam, and I wanted to take advantage of every moment. Yet this was also about relaxing and regaining some of my equilibrium.  This morning we set an approximate start time of about 9:00.  It wasn’t actually hard to meet after having gone to bed quite early the night before after a long travel day.  

We were staying in a cute little hotel called the Dreams Amsterdam. It was in an older building near the canals, about halfway between the central train station and the Rijksmuseum.  It was nice and central for a trip that was going to involve a lot of exploring on foot. 

The restaurant hours surprised me a little in Amsterdam.  First, the night before a lot of cafes and smaller restaurants that advertise having dinner had all closed in the early evening. Now I was trying to find a spot for coffee that opened before 9:00. No, not one of those coffee shops.  I just needed my caffeine. We did find a spot called Coffee Tales that was open, served excellent tea and coffee in an adorable little shop.  The fresh baked pastries were also incredible. 

We had our drinks and planned the day a little more. We bought the Amsterdam City Pass and walked down to the Nieuwe Kerk in the Dam Square.  Built in the 15th century the New Church is only about 100 years younger than the Old Church.  On Dam Square is also a Royal Palace, and a lot of other beautiful buildings. After a little walk around we went inside, as well as being a beautiful old building it was also host to the World Press Photo Exhibition for 2025.  It was an incredible and moving display of photos from around the world.  Sadly most were of some of the greatest tragedies occurring, but there were a few of great moments too.

Going back outside we found the rain had rolled in, I dashed back up to the hotel while my friend stayed dry in a cafe built into the side of the church.  We also had lunch there before continuing on the day.  After a little walk around the area, we went down to some of the canals and decided to do a canal cruise for the afternoon.  It’s a great way to see some of the city, with lots of neat old buildings and landmarks being right on the canals. 

After the cruise, we stopped for a drink in one of the oldest bars in Amsterdam, serving drinks since 1606. Cafe Karpershoek, is one of the Brown Bars, such named for the old wooden bars and paneling that still line everything.  It was a small intimate interior, that got quite crowded as more rain swept through.  We were happy to have a seat already!

Our final stop for the day was the Heineken Experience. Set in one of the original brewery locations, the tour is something I had done 20 odd years ago. It was still fun to go back, see how it had all changed.  The tour was interesting, informative and a little silly.  Beer was also included.  We paid a little extra too for the rooftop bar.  While it was too cold to sit outside, it was a great view and I enjoyed looking around before we settled in for another sample. 

We had dinner at another small steakhouse near the Rembrandt Square by our hotel. Walking back we went to Cafe Kramer for a nightcap, one of the main draws being a pretty little grey cat in the window. I had a gin and tonic with their own gin, delicious. My friend tried a limoncello Spritzer with a liquor they make.  It was also reported to be delicious.  And Jean-Pierre was an adorable and furry little host over seeing everything from his spot of honour. 

Time to Go! Amsterdam on the Fly

I have been getting very antsy lately.  I had a desperate need to travel and precious little time to do it.  I was looking at my schedule and with about five days free I decided on an impulsive choice to go to Europe.  Trouble with impulses, then I had to decide where to go.  Weighing lots of pros and cons, and conferring with the internet, I settled on Amsterdam.

I have been before, once as an early 20 something exploring in the summer between school, and twice as a little kid who’s parent got transferred somewhere cool, but they were way to young to appreciate it.   So it made a lot of sense for me. It was a direct flight, airport close to the city centre, and lots to see and photograph.

In my planning, while sharing the story of my desperate need to escape, I had a friend realize she also had a desperate need to escape.  It quickly became a trip for two.  A bit unusual for me, the famous solo traveler! So we talked about our travel styles, and made the booking.

The flight was overnight, as usual for North America to Europe. We arrived about 11:00 in Amsterdam on the last day of the Tulip Festival.  There was a shuttle straight from the airport to the Keukenhof Gardens. It wasn’t quite what I had expected, though some of that is likely because it was the last day of the season.  the main tulip fields had already been culled for the year.  The gardens themselves still had many tulips, many were older, some had been culled, but there were more than a few that were still fresh and lovely. 

We had a lovely time exploring the garden before getting a bus to Amsterdam.  We then walked to our hotel to check in.  The plan after that was to get food, but everything in our area that was open was heavy food like steaks or pasta.  I was tired and cranky (I don’t sleep on planes) and just wanted something light.  We eventually decided to give up, just going back to the hotel for an early night.

Plan was to wake up Monday morning, ready to go and explore.  

Flashback Friday - The Mozambican Coast 2021

After getting home from South Africa my sister had to head back to work, so I had a few more days of lounging around her place and enjoying relaxing lunches by the ocean.  Our mother flew in for the start of her visit with a slight overlap so we could have a little trip together.

We had a couple days in Maputo, where my mom took to a local market she had been to before and then lunch at a phenomenal hotel by the sea.  I bought this awesome carved giraffe.  I just adore him, and normally would be too large to get home.  So he had to live with my sister for half a year till her posting ended and her belongings all got shipped home.

We went away for a weekend to Anvil Bay.  It was one of the most amazing places I have ever been too, in the south of Mozambique in the Maputo National Park.  It was this absolutely isolated spot, where we even needed to pay for a driver because my sisters car wouldn’t make it over the rough roads.  With just a half dozen or so cabins, I probably would never be able to afford a place like this. The pandemic still be on the prices were only mildly crazy. 

It was just stunning, with little cabins tucked back into the brush beside the beach.  Massive stretches of sand with no one else around but us and the half dozen other guests. We spent a few nights there, enjoying the beach and delicious dinners.  As well my mom was celebrating a special birthday so we brought a bottle of Moët to drink on the beach.  It was certainly a vacation that will be hard to beat.

After dinner in the evenings the resort would light a bonfire on the beach. It was a little cool along the water, so sitting by the fire and enjoying our champagne did feel like an amazing luxury. It was a fabulous way to celebrate a birthday, and just spending time with family.

Eventually all good things come to an end, and it was time to go back to reality.  First back to Maputo and then back to Canada for me.  It was a long trip home, five hours to Addis Ababa and then a 20 hour flight back to Toronto.  There was a stop in Dublin to refuel, but no one was allowed off the plane.  It was one of the times in my life where paying for business class was 100% worth it and necessary!

Flashback Friday - Shalati Safari Lodge 2021

We had an afternoon safari with the Shalati Lodge, my sister and I were the only ones in the safari vehicle so we both had excellent views.  The southern end of Kruger is much busier, with a little town in Skukuza and close enough for people to come in who are staying outside the park.  Also as it’s part of the publicly owned part of the park, the vehicles are more limited and required to only stay on the main roads.

Elephants in Kruger are fairly safe from poachers.  The park is busy and well staffed so it’s a much bigger risk for poachers and the ivory isn’t worth the risk usually.  Rhino however are still at risk.  The guides won’t talk about them on the radios, nor is anyone supposed to post on social media or on any of the animal spotting apps about them.  The guide was optimistic that there were a couple in the area we could hopefully see.

In the evening the big find was a leopard.  She had made a kill and pulled it into a tree close to the road so was a little easier to spot, even as she hid in the grasses near by.  Unfortunately that meant there was a huge crowd of vehicles all along the shoulder.  We moved along before too long, and saw a few hyenas as well as a warthog being followed by her litter of piglets.

We stopped for our sundowners, I had a G&T again, and our guide told us that the gates to the park close around sunset so all the people staying outside had to be gone.  We drove back past the kill site and were pleased to a lot less vehicles.  Then the leopard also decided she was hungry and leapt up into the tree to feed while we took watched.  It was pretty intense. 

Back at the lodge we had dinner and more wine than we should have with another early morning. Our room on the train was absolutely beautiful. The walkway to the rooms was along the west side of the rail bridge, so the east wall of the room had big beautiful windows.  We were up before sunrise for our safari, but did the lightening of the sky to greet us in the morning. 

This was the first morning where we were actually out before sunrise.  I was excited (but tired) at the idea of getting some pictures of the sun breaking the horizon, maybe with a solitary tree or an elephant near it.  And as the moment got close, they spotted a rhino.  It was off in the distance, and took me forever to pick it out of the scrub.  Then I realized I had missed the sunrise!  Ah well, we did see a rhino!  It was a black rhino, and we also got to see a white rhino that morning.  So it was a special day. We also stopped back by the leopard kill tree, she was lounging in the grass below it this morning. 

We had a great safari, had an amazing breakfast at the lodge and then lounged for a few hours before check out - I really wanted to try the pool.  We didn’t have a long drive that day as the plan was to stay one night in Mbombela (formerly known as Neslpruit) so we didn’t have to rush.  My sister also wanted to do some shopping before we left as meats and booze were a lot cheaper there.  We grabbed a couple bottles of Moët for $50 cdn!

Then it was a drive back to Maputo, and back to work for my sister.  Not for long though, as our mom was coming to visit and with the bit of overlap we had one more little excursion planned!

Flashback Friday - Hamilton’s Tented Camp Safari 2021

As I left the cabin to head back to the main lodge I was confronted by the most incredible sight.  Several elephants had walked up past our cabin and were standing right beside the walkway.  I was just stunned by how close these magnificent animals were.  Staying as still as possible, I took a bunch of pictures.  I then wanted to go back to the room to let my sister know what was just outside.  There was on elephant who got a little close to the walkway and did not seem pleased with me trying to slip by.   

When I managed to safely get back to the room I opened the door and was quietly calling for my sister to come see.  Eventually I realized I was hearing her equally firm calls to come in the room.  She was at the balcony door watching another elephant just outside snacking on a tree!  It was just amazing that several elephants just decided to explore the foliage around our cabin while we were there.  To my sister’s consternation I slipped on to the balcony for some more pictures.  If I had been dumb enough to try it, I probably could have touched her!

It was becoming one of those trips where just when you think it can’t get any better, the universe throws a surprise at you!  Well after that amazing morning, a delicious lunch, we still had another safari.  We had another wonderful trip with just the three of us in our vehicle.  We saw more of the same animals, and such beautiful birds.  There was another G&T watching the sunset, and a fabulous dinner.  One of those evenings where I don’t recalling anything that stands out, but that everything was simply wonderful. 

Another early morning was our last at the camp.  Our new friend had an early flight and had decided to skip the morning safari so she wouldn’t risk being late to the airport. So it was just my sister and I for the morning safari.  And it was beyond amazing.  Early on we were alerted to a pack of Wild Dogs (also known as Painted Dogs) in the area.  There were a few adults and a whole mess of young pups just playing and bouncing around.  The Wild Dogs are endangered in Africa, so it was pretty special to see a big pack with so many young.  Then after watching them play for a while we continue on seeing what we could see.

With amazing timing, we rounded a corner to see a group of male cheetahs crossing the road way.  A few minutes earlier or later and we might have never seen them!  Our eagle eyed guide spotted them, and then we followed them through the landscape for awhile.  All four of them had large bellies, they had just eaten and were looking for a quiet place to nap.  One safari vehicle, quickly followed by two more, seemed to be a minor annoyance to the boys.  They eventually settled for a nap under some trees, allowing us to admire them before it was time to head back for breakfast. 

After breakfast it was time for us to pack up.  We weren’t quite done with Kruger, but had decided to spend one night at the luxurious Shalati Lodge in the southern part of the park.  So after another short drive to our new hotel we had time to settle in before another safari.  Shalati is absolutely incredible.  It’s in a fairly busy part of the park called Skukuza, the hotel itself is built from old train cars and parked on a disused rail bridge over a river.   The railroad used to be the main way through the park, and for tourists to arrive.  Since it was shut down the whole thing was repurposed for a luxury hotel.  The car in the middle was also the bar area, with a huge pool over looking the wild river below.  

The lunch at the hotel was lovely.  Thought we had a bit of a laugh. As food was included it was a fairly set menu.  About to order the dish with venison, we realized that the North American definition of the word might not apply!  When we asked, venison can really mean any game meat sometimes.   I don’t think we figured out exactly what it was, but it was tasty. 

Flashback Friday - A Safari in Kruger 2021

For the second part of our sisters vacation, we drove from Maputo into South Africa.  Crossing the border was a different experience for me, involving a lot different steps on both sides.  We got through easily though and were on our way before too long.  We had a fairly long day of driving ahead of us as our first stop was in the more northern part of the park.  We were driving up to the Hamilton Tented Camps which are on private concessions so they are a little more isolated.  I had been lucky enough to go on safari once before when I was a teenager, it was very cool but we didn’t see too many of the Big Five, so I was excited for another try.  

Things started very well as we saw hippos floating in the river as we crossed into the park.  This was quickly followed by giraffes, zebras and plenty of antelope.  The drive got more exciting when we had to stop for a train of elephants crossing the road in front of us, including some adorably tiny babies!  However, time started getting tight.  We wanted to be at the resort in time for the afternoon safari, so we decided we couldn’t keep stopping for every animal near the road.  Our decision was put to the test when we saw several cars pulled over, and they told us there was a lion near by.  Shaking our heads we had to keep going.  And then it seemed that around every corner there was an elephant in the road.  You just can’t rush an elephant that wants to take the easy path!

Our grit paid off, we arrived just as the guests were gathering for the safari.  We had enough time to introduce ourselves and drop our bags in the lobby and join the tour.  It was a great start to the safari, with more elephants and plenty more antelope.  So many colourful birds, and we saw a male lion relaxing under the shade of a bush.   We stopped for a sundowner at sunset.  It was something different to be served a Gin and Tonic in a crystal glass while standing in the middle of a clearing in Africa.   We then cruised back to the hotel for dinner.

During the safari my sister had been chatting with a single traveller.  She was a doctor that had come on safari after a conference in South Africa.  A lovely woman and interesting to talk to, when we saw the tables were set to have her sitting alone, we invited her to join us.  The dining area was a gorgeous open air spot overlooking the riverbank the camp was built along.  As it was the dry season the water levels were quite low.

After an amazing dinner, we were escorted to our cabin.  There was a slightly elevated walk way, and we were told not to go out alone at night as the camp is open to the animals.  It was an absolutely stunning room, with a gorgeous deck, a deep old bathtub and an outdoor shower.  The cabins were all nicely spaced for privacy and we had a small carafe of sherry waiting for us.  Everything was decorated with a colonial era feel.  Which was beautiful, with old trunks and binoculars, but slightly unsettling with the knowledge of the history of colonialism.   We still had a small toast with sherry for our vacation of course. 

Safari vacations are not for people who don’t like mornings.  We woke up much too early to get a good start to see the animals before the heat of mid day.  There was a very light breakfast for us to have before loading the safari vehicles.  As we were a touch crowded yesterday, there were two vehicles for everyone today.  My sister, our new friend and I were assigned to one.  This was a treat as they are three tier vehicles so we each got a row to ourselves to scoot back and forth depending on where the animals appeared. 

For the morning safari, we went down to where there was a large watering hole.  By the time we got there we had been driving for a bit we had our morning coffee break there.  It was just incredible because we had followed a herd of wildebeests to get there, and shortly after a large herd of elephants arrived too.  They were followed by a massive group of zebras.  The smaller animals all stood back and waited for the elephants to finish.  So I got to sip a nice mug of tea and just watch all of these amazing animals milling about.  It was just a fantastic morning.

When we got back to the hotel, we had a late lunch.  Then it was a few hours to relax before lunch and the afternoon safari.  My sister and I spent the time cooling off in the small pool and reading our books before going to get dressed for the afternoon.  Sis wanted to spend a little more time in the room but I decided to go back to the main lodge to see what could be seen from the deck.  When I started the walk back I got the absolute surprise of my life!

Flashback Friday - A Lakeside Resort in Africa 2021

I still find it a bit funny that while visiting the beautiful coastal country like Mozambique, and we went to a lakeside resort.  While planning the trip to take with my sister there were quite a few options, but she was very drawn to this one resort as she has been missing the lakeside summer options from home.  It was an excellent choice, it was an absolutely beautiful spot.  Although we had to take a rough and sandy road to get there.  It might not have been so bad, but it was only one lane wide and if you had to stop for an on coming car it would be easy to get stuck!

It was not a busy time, so the resort wasn’t busy.  We each had a gorgeous little cabin, and every morning a tray of tea or coffee and a pastry would be waiting on the little patio.  It had a gorgeous view in the morning.  I am NOT a morning person, but I enjoyed sipping my tea on the little deck.  

The afternoon we arrived was a pretty day, so had a swim in the lake and then read our books. Which is another theme for this trip.  We had a great dinner and then played cards in the evening at the little restaurant on site.  There was some disappointment from my sister that I didn’t want to share the seafood platter with her, but the other options did not disappoint. The wine selection was excellent as well. 

The first full day there dawned beautifully sunny.  We spent much of the day rotating between poolside and lakeside.  We took one walk along the road.  We did see one small village with a number of little huts.  As we walked along the road we saw a number of horses wandering around too. 

The next day we had planned to go to the beach.  Some on from the resort we were at drove us to the seaside, which wasn’t too far away.  It was pretty special.  They packed us a little cooler of drinks and snacks.  When we got to the spot, the man set up some hammocks for us.  It was a perfect little spot.  Though the weather was not great.  It was overcast and cool.  At least for an Africa seaside.  For a couple Canadians, well I would have preferred to have some sun.  It was still lovely.  We read our books and enjoyed a couple drinks.  We did swim in the ocean, though it was rough enough one had to be careful.

 My sister enjoys long walks so this was a great spot for it.  We had the whole beach to ourselves, so she took a long stroll while I tested out the hammocks.  Though eventually it did get a little cold for us in the wind, it was earlier than we had scheduled the pick up, but we had noticed a truck parked up the beach.  As we hoped it was some on from the resort who was just hanging out and waiting for us. 

That evening it rained as well, but once we were back in dry clothes and enjoying some wine at the bar it was an absolutely beautiful atmosphere for our last night at the resort.  I thought the water on trees just sparkled.  It was a fabulous phase one of the really special trip we had planned.  In the morning we would head back to Maputo, but just a stopping point on our way through to South Africa and Kruger for a safari.