Last Day in Brussels and Amsterdam

4/24/2023

Well, my Comic Murals tour (Viator- brusselcomictours) was cancelled on me so I decided to do some souvenir shopping and visit the murals myself - I found a good website by another blogger who has an interactive and manageable map (at first glance, it's too much, but once you open it, it's much easier). They are cool murals, but I really couldn't enjoy them too much due to the increasing number in the crowds and that I was carrying a suitcase around as well. I had my liege waffle and a beer tasting to finish off. I really hate beer - but you can't visit Belgium without trying it at least.

Got on the train back to Amsterdam and used the tram this time to get to the hotel. Ran out for dinner and my last speakeasy of this journey.

HPS (Hidden in Plain Sight)

Not impressed! I had 2 drinks, as always. First, the menu they had didn't seem appealing - if you like negronis and martinis (meaning, you probably really aren't in the crafted cocktail scene yet, just borderline), this is the place. That's what they know. I asked for a creation and both bartenders were at a complete blank. So I went with the menu and still, I'd give a 3/5. It is literally hidden in plain sight only for the sake that there is a sign with nothing on it -- they should black out the windows and make it look closed or worked on, but you can see people inside when walking by.

This morning, I went on my Giethoorn tour - what I came out here for as a day trip excursion.

Giethoorn and Zaanse

Well, it rained THE WHOLE TIME. Although I had on short sleeves and the 80 euro light as hell jacket I bought here (which is amazing, thanks Uniqlo - looks whimpy like it couldn't stand up to a breeze), I also had my grandma's shawl on and used it around my neck and head and I became impenetrable to the wind!

Zaanse was ok - If it's raining, I would NOT recommend going. Hot days only!

It's a village in the marshes with a few windmills you get to see up close - again, you can pay each a few euro to go inside and explore if you have the interest- I did not. There is a shop that sells really nice and inexpensive diamonds (Netherlands is known for diamonds too). Then of course, the cheese. There isn't much more to this place, but there is a bike path so maybe a bike tour would have been better.

Tip: always shop at the end of a tour - usually the prices are cheaper the further back you go somewhere - and this was true here. Also, you have to come BACK so why walk around with bags in your hands because you just couldn't leave those not-so one-of-a-kind clogs at the store right next to your bus lol.

Giethoorn was pretty - but not what you expect! I would go on an overcast day, maybe more in late May - not when hot and super busy because you will not get through those canals! It's a nice couple miles of a walk. The homeowners of these million dollar houses keep everything perfect and different from one another to help with tourism. These houses are passed down through generations so they have a lot of pride for their village - and they should. This is more 'fairy tale' to me than Bruges. Well, more like hobbit heaven, for big people. Super green. Super flowery. Elaborately decorated. Take a boat ride around (they have opened and closed ones) and then take the walk around in a circle (most people don't know it continues past the pebble road where the horses are running around in their pens). I did it and was alone- I was about to see if my need to be different in going off the beaten path was going to catch up to me and I'd miss the bus while I was lost in some swamp! I wasn't actually trusting that the guide would wait, mainly because I didn't think he actually knew who came on the bus in the first place.

When I got off the bus from the tour, I walked down to Dam Square picking up my cheese from Henri Willig (was less in cost than at the actual cheese factory in Zaanse, that's surprising) and the other souvenir I needed, ate at an Italian place off the beaten path and back to the hotel to try to fit all this shyt in this damn carry on! I am gonna suck it up and check it since I still have a whole day in Iceland and running around for 3 excursions with a suitcase is just dumb at this point.