So unfortunately, I gambled away all my finances on sex, drugs and alcohol and am stuck in Amsterdam with just the clothes on my back…
That was just to scare Mum.
No, unfortunately, I developed a cold and spent most of my time in Amsterdam holed up in the hotel. Luckily, it was a hotel and not a hostel this time around, so I had my own space to feel crook in.
I did manage to get out and about—I just didn’t want to be in confined spaces with people so I missed out on quite a few attractions. The one exception was the Heineken Brewery Experience, which I’d prebooked.
That said, I still saw a fair bit of the city during my brief escapes from the hotel, armed with tissues and a mask. Lovely canals, multi-storey terraced houses that looked like they were leaning out over the street (some actually were). It was so busy—hordes of tourists everywhere.
The Heineken tour was very different to the Guinness one. It was all flashy lights and cinematic clips of beer splashing dramatically in slow motion. Very impressive. I also got to try the limited edition Mokum 750, a wheat beer brewed for Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary. You could only get it at the rooftop bar, which also had great views—and more importantly, I could keep a comfortable distance from people.
On the way back to the hotel, I had a cheeky wander through the red light district. Pretty much what I expected—lots of people having a look to see what all the fuss was about.
Next stop: Belgium
