Amsterdam - Day 3

The Amstel River

On our last day in Amsterdam we wanted to go see the Van Gogh Museum.  Again we booked the tickets in advance which turned out to be a huge advantage.  We decided to walk there through the southern area of the city which we hadn't seen as much of.  This meant we avoided the crowds and saw some other areas which we might otherwise have missed.  I have to say, I definitely prefer the south.  It's less touristy and quieter but still interesting and lively.  If I were to go back to Amsterdam I'd try to stay there but I imagine the prices are higher there too.

Rijksmuseum

The Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum are both on this beautiful park and we had a gorgeous day to visit it.  Apart from booking online, I'm also glad that we booked the audio guide.  It was really nice to hear some of the stories behind the paintings and even Van Gogh's own words on his works.  The museum provides an insight into his life in chronological order.  There were also some special exhibitions.  

On the way to and from the museum, we visited a lovely street market where we bought some fresh Dutch cheese as a present for my Dad in England and found the Bazar restaurant.  The Bazar is a Turkish eatery based in an old church.  The decor is amazing and the food was very good.  We were there in the late afternoon and I was worried that the lunch menu wouldn't keep us full but the portions were large and the flavours were delicious.  The drinks - I had fresh grapefruit juice were exactly what was needed on such a hot day.  Delicious.