One for the Moeders

Wooden tulips = last longer

I've just gotten back from a few days in Amsterdam for a work trip, and this time Chris came out with me to enjoy the sights and keep me company. 

Bikes and water

Many bikes and much water...

Amsterdam is beautiful, although there's lots to get run over by; trams, cars, bikes, boats...

Amsterdam gets its name from the River Amstel that it was originally developed upon - Amsterdam means 'the dam on the Amstel'. 

Self explanatory

We enjoyed some great food during our time there, Chris and I had pancakes for brunch on the first day before I got stuck into work.  Dutch pancakes are a little different to what I expected, I suppose I had crepes in mind for some reason.  The filling of the pancakes, in my case chopped nuts and banana, are cooked in with the batter rather than folded in so the bananas were nice and mushy and the nuts toasted. Yum.

I also organised dinner at a restaurant called Moeders (aka Mothers) on the first night with my colleagues.

Wall of Mothers

When Moeders first opened in 1990 the owner had everyone bring their own plate, cutlery and glasses from their homes to make up the eclectic table settings.  And they still to this day accept photos of mums to adorn their walls.  

The food was excellent - I recommend the lamb skewers and the chocolate party for dessert: chocolate mousse, white chocolate ganache in a milk chocolate shell, and chocolate truffle ice cream. Chris had a traditional Dutch beef stew called Suddervlees, of which there was not a trace left at the end.  The food was wholesome and filling, just what you'd expect of an establishment that sets itself pretty high stakes from its name alone.  The location is a little off the beaten track and makes you wonder where on earth you're going, but so do all the best places. Sometimes.