Ummmm? Pass I think.
So, after leaving you with that thought for a couple of days, I'm ready to share some of my photos with you.
:::::WARNING:::::
Do not read when hungry.
There are a lot of photos of food.
In fact, after someone
might have had a few too many "special" muffins, someone
might have deleted a big chunk of touristy photos, leaving only pictures of food and a few street scenes...
Don't worry, none of sex shops or the Red Light District - those I took were wiped too.
And none of my lovely chaperone. Although I do have one in my Hotmail inbox for private contemplation. Lets put it this way, if you recognise him from that photo then you know him at least as well as I do
Kicking off. Food.
I went to La Oliva - the cheapest restaurant at the top of the TripAdvisor recommendations. It's a little tapas place in the Jordaan area of the city. It was quite close to my hotel, but then so were most things - great choice (back-patting here).
It wasn't tapas as we know it in this country, where you get smaller items, but more of them per serving. Properly it is called pinchos - tapas served on a bread or pastry based, usually secured by a stick (pincho literally means thorn or spike). It's big tapas basically, and you only get one of each item.
Walking into the restaurant alone was a little daunting. It was my first evening there, I hadn't yet had a chance to try out the idea that all Dutch people speak perfect English (they do) and had no idea what the set up was there. There was a long and very attractive display of food on the bar, no waiting staff to be seen, tables or stools at the bar.
As soon as I walked in however, the staff appeared, I was offered a seat on a stool (I do wish I'd asked for a table though, stools are not flattering to big behinds) and talked through the display of food. My goodness. There must have been 30 different items. Not only did my waiter remember each and every one, he was describing them to me in English. And let's face it, coming up with a translation for figs or caramelised onions is a step up from, "Where is the station?"
I was greedy (this is a theme, you'll notice) and had four. I really should have had three. I ate approx 3/4 of each one, so I did them justice. I have come home with a much larger capacity for food than I went there with, I can tell you.
Once you made your selection, the waiter disappeared with the food and it was cooked/ reheated/ finished (?) When it came back it was hot and yummy anyway.
The place was charming, the staff attentive and the food absolutely divine. I had fizzy water with my meal - and it was a BIG meal - and it came to less than 20 euros.
I can't quite remember what each dish was now!
Back left is a fig stuffed with something and blue cheese.
Back right has a fried egg on top (the Dutch love their eggs, more of that later) and I think proscuitto.
Front left was a gorgeously rich and creamy spinach tart.
Front right was mackerel on scrambled eggs and bread.
The lighting was dim, hence the poor quality of the photo!