Amsterdam - D'Vijff Vlieghen

On our last evening in Amsterdam, we dined at D'Vijff Vlieghen, with Dan's best friend from England, Paul.

D'Vijf Vlieghen means "Five Flies" in Dutch and although the name might not sound very appealing, the restaurant is lovely, and I enjoyed the whimsical fly theme peppered throughout.

We dined on a pre-fixe seven course dinner, which naturally included a cheese course. I think I must have eaten more cheese during my week in Amsterdam, than in the rest of the weeks of my life combined. Did I grow tired of cheese? Nope.

The presentation of the after-dinner tea was unique, with the loose tea leaves in test tubes. I tried the D'Vijff Vlieghen blend made specifically for the restaurant. Slightly sweet and very good.

We practically closed down the restaurant and after dinner, our server took us on a tour. D'Vijff Vlieghen is comprised of five seventeenth century homes and was turned into a restaurant during the 1930's. The restaurant has counted many celebrities among its patrons, such as Walt Disney, Orson Wells, and Mick Jagger. All of the chairs in the dining room have an engraved brass plate with the name of a celebrity who has dinned at D'Vijff Vlieghen.

Here are some shots of the interior of the restaurant. I like the coat of armor.

Our D'Vijff Vlieghen dinner last nearly four hours. We walked out of the restaurant feeling extremely stuffed, slightly tipsy from the wine, and very happy from the experience.

Volendam

The last stop on my Netherlands bus tour was the fishing town of Volendam. Volendam is popular with locals and tourists alike. We arrived at lunch time on a Saturday, and found the seaside town absolutely packed. This stop was brief, just an hour, which gave me enough time to snap some pictures and grab an ice cream cone for lunch.

Of course Volendam has a cheese museum. I wonder how many cheese museums are in the Netherlands? Any guesses?

Also for the tourists: this place, where you can have your picture taken in traditional Dutch clothing.

A store to buy clogs.

or Tulips

Being a fishing village, seafood was everywhere. I like this guy.

I hope to return to Volendam on a future trip, one where I have enough time for a proper restaurant meal. Seriously, Volendam is a place for foodies. Everything smelled amazing. My homemade ice cream on a freshly made waffle-cone with sprinkles was heaven.

Edam

After touring Zaanse Schans, we took a quick walk through the picturesque town of Edam.

Yes, you thought right; Edam is the home of delicious Edam cheese.

The town is famous for their cheese market, which was held until the 1920's. The tradition has since been revived in the summer as a tourist attraction. The cheese market wasn't going on during my September visit, but I did see a wagon filled with wheels of fake cheese sitting outside of the historic building where the market was held.

Visiting Edam on a Sunday morning, meant a quiet stroll through the village, which was a virtual ghost town. The homes are beautiful, with a wide variation in architectural styles. My favorite part of Edam, was the pretty canals that snake through the town.

As we approached the town center, we discovered the people of Edam having Sunday brunch.

We took a quick look inside of the Edam Town Hall, built in 1737. There is also a small museum in Edam, but we didn't have time to visit it. If you're in the area, make sure to add it to your itinerary.

Our last stop in Edam was the Grote Kerk of Sint Nicolaaskrek (St. Nicolas Church), built in the 15th century. It is currently undergoing extensive renovations, but we were able to enjoy the brilliant stained-glass windows.

I'll end with this last shot of Edam, a walkway by a canal. Isn't it gorgeous? My bags are packed and I'm ready to move to Edam!