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attempt to take the UK number one spot. Charlie lived in Thailand for 18 months so an Englishman in the Dutch capital speaking the lingo in a Thai restaurant goes down a storm with the smiling, inquisitive staff.
Capital gains
Amsterdam has seen an explosion in visitor numbers in recent years with the tourist board marketing folk pausing promotion of the city centre and, instead, trying to entice people further afield. (For a taste of ‘Old Holland’, head 20km north and spend some time on the shores of picturesque Volendam.) “There are now all sorts of places, some 30km or more from here that are suddenly known as Amsterdam,” one local tells me. If you’ve ever flown Ryanair you’ll get her drift.
I’m a bit of a gym nut so, knowing my UK membership is valid, I decide to head for a quick workout and, in truth, to try and counter a few days that seem to be increasingly centred on wonderful food, marshmallow-like waffles dripping in Nutella, the best French fries I’ve ever tasted (
vleminckxdesausmeester.nl) and one too many pints of Amstel. Something that always
impresses me about The Netherlands is the wonderful manners. It’s a Saturday morning and the gym is packed and, yet, every piece of equipment is returned to its rightful place and every sweaty bench is wiped down. I know, a sad thing to notice on a city break, but it kind of typifies the Dutch way. Before leaving, Charlie suggests breakfast at
Monks Coffee Roasters. It’s Sunday morning and the atmosphere is, at turns, exceedingly cool and wonderfully homely. A sign declares “Weekends are screen free – no laptops, mobiles, iPads. Read a book, talk to someone, get your life back”. The advice clearly works. At one table two
bearded 20-somethings contemplate manoeuvres in a game of chess, at another a mother and son (maybe seven or eight) play cards and, all around what is now a packed cafe, no one has an intravenous digital fix. It’s bliss. “It’s just like Costa!” says Charlie, the soon-to- be-crowned UK Muay Thai number one.
WHY AIRBNB?
Airbnb (
airbnb.co.uk) has revolutionised travel. It provides flexibility, space and a home- from-home experience. And in cities, such as Amsterdam, where the supply of
accommodation can outstrip demand and hotel prices soar, it offers an affordable alternative. • It’s ideal for families with varying sleeping requirements as well as groups of friends keen to create a house party vibe. • Properties also, by their nature, tend to be in residential areas, often providing a more authentic taste of a city.
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