So Amsterdam, right? Heard all the usual crap about it. Decided to actually see what dudes could really do there besides the overhyped stuff. Packed a bag, flew out, got myself a tiny apartment near Jordaan.
Waking Up & Grabbing Fuel
Woke up stupid early with jetlag. Dragged myself out. Needed coffee, like real coffee. Wandered past a million tourist traps until I spotted this tiny place, Black Gold Coffee, looked legit. Ordered a flat white. Guy behind the counter knew his stuff, beans were amazing. Fueled up properly.
Grabbed a stroopwafel fresh off the iron from a stall nearby. Went down a treat. Sugary goodness.
Wandering & Wading
Started walking aimlessly along the canals. Didn’t wanna do the boring canal tour crap everyone does. Just meandered. Stumbled across a place called De Druif – oldest pub in town, felt authentic. Stopped for a quick half-pint of local beer (can’t remember the name, dark and tasty). Just sat outside watching boats bump into bridges. Quality.
Got kinda lost near Nieuwmarkt. Ended up in the Waterlooplein Flea Market. Total bargain heaven for dudes. Rifled through boxes of old vinyl records, nearly bought a sick vintage leather jacket (held back, luggage space issues). Found this stall selling crazy military surplus gear. Bought an old Dutch army cap. Cool souvenir.
Gear & Grub Time
Feeling peckish, avoided the tourist menus. Found a little bruin café called t’Smalle tucked away. Ordered bitterballen and another beer. Perfect. Place was chilled, mostly locals. Watched people navigate bikes loaded with shopping like pros.
Later, wanted some real gear. Headed towards Oud-West. Found this store called Droog. Weird stuff, like designs you wouldn’t think of. Almost bought a lamp shaped like a giant light bulb. Browsed around the Nine Streets area too. Lots of cool, small menswear shops, not crazy expensive. Checked out Tenue de Nîmes for quality jeans.
Sunset & Sips
Sun started dipping. Heard about Pllek, this spot made from shipping containers in Noord. Took the free ferry over the IJ river. Awesome views back towards the city. Grabbed a cold beer, found a spot on the beach out front. Chilled with locals. Music was good, not too loud. Felt like the right vibe.
Winding Down Hard
Ferry back. Wanted one last proper drink, somewhere with character. Avoided the loud places. Found Door 74 (gotta book ahead, learned that quick). Speakeasy vibe, dim lighting. Bartenders were pros. Ordered something smoky they recommended. Bit pricy but totally worth it to end the night smooth.
Stumbled back to the apartment. Feet were killing me. Damn cobblestones.
So yeah, Amsterdam for guys? Forget just the museums and that area. It’s about:
- Roaming the side streets, finding hidden pubs and local haunts.
- Hunting cool vintage stuff or unique design pieces.
- Chilling with a beer near water, watching the world pedal by.
- Exploring different areas like Jordaan or Noord for different feels.
- Finishing with a quality cocktail in a place with atmosphere.
That’s the proper way to do it. Fucking great city.
