Amsterdam: 10 Things Amsterdam is famous for (part 2)

If you are here I hope you've also read the post Amsterdam: 10  Things Amsterdam is famous for (part 1). 

If no, you should definitely check it out after reading this post not to miss anything about this amazing capital city.

Amsterdam - My blog, coffee and camera!

If you are traveling to Amsterdam keep in mind that the weather there is rainy and humid most of the days. Traveling in winter? You should take into account that winters in Amsterdam are considered moderate varying from 2°C-6°C in the daytime. But for someone like me who is used to the mild Mediterranean climate, December was really freezing. That's why our coffee breaks in warm cafes were one of my most favorite parts of our sightseeings.

What is Amsterdam famous for and what I learned during my first visit there? 

Amsterdam - 10 Things Amsterdam is famous for

1. Ajax Stadium

Did you know that the Dutch football club Ajax was named after the Greek mythological hero Ajax who fought in the Trojan war against Troy?

Amsterdam - Johan Cruyff Arena

 If you are a football fan you should not miss the chance of visiting Johan Cruyff Arena, to experience the glory of Ajax, one of the most successful Dutch football teams in the history of football.  During your stadium tour you will be allowed to sneak peek into their dressing room, press conference room, the stadium, the museum, and the fan shop. 
It is a fun experience as it is planned and done in a very exciting way to keep the visitors entertained. 

Amsterdam - Ajax Stadium

2. Souvenir "Miffy"

Have you seen the Dutch Bunny - Miffy?

The Dutch Bunny - Miffy

When walking around souvenir shops in Amsterdam, you will come across a cute bunny soft toy with a cross mouth/nose. Firstly you may think it is Japanese and a friend with Hello Kitty.

 But Miffy is a traditional female rabbit in a series of picture books drawn and written by Dutch artist Dick Bruna. Her original Dutch name is "Nijntje", which is short for the diminutive konijntje, "little rabbit". However, "nijntje" is difficult to pronounce for non-Dutch speakers and because there are so many different words for "bunny" in other languages, Dick Bruna's little bunny is simply known as Miffy. Miffy soft toys may cost you from 18,50 to 22 Euros and this is what we got for our daughter as a gift from Amsterdam.

3. The Dutch People

Amsterdam is such a multicultural city with lots of tourists and immigrants that it was hard to meet as many Dutch people as we would like to. The only Dutch we spent a few hours communicating with was our walking tour guide, the others were the hotel staff, some salesmen or tram conductors. 

Amsterdam - Holland

If I were to characterize the Dutch people in one word, it would be directness. The Dutch people don't seem to beat around the bush, they are straightforward and speak their minds. At first you may feel surprised and even a bit shocked at this. But the thing is they are neither rude nor insulting, they are just honest. And at the end I really liked this trait of theirs. 

4. Museums

 Did you know that Amsterdam is among the 10 cities in the world with most museums?

Amsterdam - Rembrandt Square

According to Wikipedia, there are more than 90 museums in the city which are one of the major attractions for tourists. The museums we visited were: the world-famous Dutch masters Van Gogh and Rembrandt House Museums, Rijksmuseum, Clocks Museum, Wooden Clogs Museum, Tulips Museum, Red Lights Museum, Ajax Football Club Museum, Nemo Science Center Museum.

 It should be noted that the Dutch are very proud of their history and culture and museum visiting in Amsterdam is never a boring and dull thing to do. On the contrary, they have found a spectacular and entertaining way to present and illustrate the character of their nation in each museum.

Amsterdam - Van Gogh Museum

5. The Dutch Food

Dutch Cuisine is not one of the most famous or richest ones but the Dutch have successfully managed to bring all the tastiest food jewels from all over the world.

Street Food in Amsterdam is so tempting that you will find yourself taking bites every half an hour.

Spanish Churros, Belgian fries, English apple pies, French macaroons, German gluhwein, Italian, Indonesian, Argentinian, Chinese, Thai cuisines are at every corner.

Dutch pancakes - Poffertjes

What about traditional Dutch food I especially loved Dutch pea soup with sausages, their traditional small pancakes "poffertjes", fried dough pastries called Oliobollen, mint candies and waffles. 

You can also try raw herring but I'm not much a fish lover so I skipped that food experience:)

Dutch Mint Candy

Now, after reading all this, how excited are you to visit Amsterdam? 

If you have been there, would you like to add anything to the list above?