Europe – Wayfarer & Luggage

Venice of the North

November 17, 2016November 17, 2016 Wayfarer and LuggageLeave a comment

After spending some time in Amsterdam I thought this was actually “The Canal City.” Most commonly, this name is associated with Venice but doesn’t Amsterdam statistically have more canals? I decided to check that out and, not surprisingly, both cities go hand in hand. Here is a fun fact of the day:

# of bridges: Venice ~400, Amsterdam ~1300

# of canals: Venice between 150-177 (depending on a source), Amsterdam ~165

# of islands: Venice ~120, Amsterdam ~90

I know, I know, it’s not about the statistics. Venice was built first, that’s why it solely deserves the title. Amsterdam as a runner-up was honored with the name of “Venice of the North.” Not bad.

My November trip to Amsterdam was the second one within the past three months. I had the opportunity to enjoy this lovely city in the summer and now in the fall, and both times – I loved it. It is a vibrant but cozy place with lots of young people giving it an urban flair. The city is very compact which makes it really quick and easy to commute especially on a bike, which is one of the the main sources of transportation in the city. The bike infrastructure is amazingly developed: there are separate lanes and lights for bikes throughout Amsterdam and bike lock-in stations anywhere in the city. However, sometimes finding a parking for a bike can be challenging as there are a LOT of them, especially in the most popular areas. I chose to walk instead of bike which made me forget about the “pedestrian rules” and a few times I mistakenly walked on bike paths or forgot to look when crossing their lanes. I bet I was called a “dumb tourist” a few times.

Bicycle rack next to the Centraal Station

Amsterdam is divided into a bunch of small neighborhoods, each with their own character and charm. Here is a more detailed overview of what you can do and see in each of them. The center of the city is within “the Canal Ring” and, as you can imagine, is the busiest and the most touristy part of the city. I like to avoid it and wander around small canal streets getting to know the local life of every place I go to. Both times I went to Amsterdam, I walked everywhere and I developed a pretty good sense of orientation of where things are by now. Living in Chicago for so long and traveling around, I always thought of myself as a “Big City Girl.” However, in Amsterdam that feeling faded away and I imagined myself enjoying the short commute to work (unlike ~2h a day Chicago style), the close proximity of shops, restaurants, bars, parks etc. I realized that it’s the little things that matter in life and time is one of them (well maybe that’s a big one). When I went to London a few weeks ago, the metro ride was taking me at least 45 min to each destination and I only stayed in Zone 2. I’ve heard people complaining about the morning metro ride to work and back, the lack of social life, the overcrowded streets, not to mention the high prices of everything. Traveling helps you realize what really matters for you in life and brings you back to the present if your head in the clouds.

So what have I seen & done while in Amsterdam? See below for full disclosure 🙂

MUSEUMS

I’m not a museum buff but usually try to visit one or two main ones in each city. In Amsterdam, I went to Rijksmuseum, the Dutch national museum, hosting masterpieces of legends such as Rembrandt and Vermeer. The museum is huge but the good part is that you get an audio guide which has pre-selected tours that can guide you through, depending on your interest or time limit. Another one was Heineken Experience which was a 2 hour interactive tour around the brewery where you can learn about the process and the history of making this signature beer. The best part is the end, where you enjoy two beers (already included in the ticket price) on the Heineken’s top floor terrace overlooking all Amsterdam. Pretty sweet view. Buy tickets online, they were a bit cheaper and you don’t need to stand in lines (entrance is at certain hours).

PARKS

Amsterdam has about 30 parks which provide for a peaceful oasis during the touristy season. If you’re visiting in the spring/summer, definitely check out Vondelpark, the largest and most famous park located steps away from Rijksmuseum. Here is a full list of parks worth checking out.

CAFES

There are two cafes that I would definitely go back to: All the Luck in the World by the Oosterpark and Vlaamsch Broodhuys in the Center. The first one is actually a studio with handmade jewelry but is combined with a cafe (also serving lunch). Earthy and hip vibe. The other one is a small, rustic bread bakery perfect for breakfasts and lunches. Delish!

All the Luck in the World

BARS

Jordaan neighborhood is a very popular area amongst young people, full of bars, restaurants, specialty shops and galleries. Side note: it’s a home to Saturday’s organic farmers market. Back to bars…the ones I’ve been to are: Finch Cafe, Boca’s (your local bars), and Tales and Spirits (tiny cocktail bar). You can find more bars in Jordaan here.

The Pijp or “The Pipe” neighborhood, a part of “Amsterdam South”, is similarly to Jordaan, home to many bars, cafes and restaurants. Very much a vibrant district, great to hang out in the evenings and over the weekends. Too many places to name, so just head over there and choose what you like!

Located in the center, Door 74 is your speakeasy cocktail bar with no visible entrance and a must in making a reservation. Amsterdam Roest, in the east by the waterside, is an industrial building complex hosting a bar, a market and a (!) city beach. Super fun and a very eclectic place. Lastly, my favorite Thuis aan de Amstel, south of the Pijp by Amstel River, a two story house turned into bar/restaurant with multiple rooms to choose to sit in. Super cozy and quite romantic in the evenings. During the warm day you can hang out in the garden area overlooking the river.

*One of the rooms in Thuis aan de Amstel*

BRUNCH

Most of the brunch places, from what I have experienced, are tiny, so you can either wait outside for a table for quite some time or make a reservation ahead of time, which is definitely a better option if you can plan ahead. In Jordaan where I hung out the most, I recommend PIQNIQ, GS, Letting, and Braserie Baton. Also, for a sweet tooth try a signature apple pie at Winkel 43.

Enjoy Amsterdam!

Croatia: The Yacht Week 2016

October 10, 2016October 18, 2016 Wayfarer and LuggageLeave a comment

img_8434-1 — Floaties are an essential part of TYW experience

Oh, what a week it was…a week of sailing on the Adriatic Sea waters, a week of relaxing, exploring, meeting super cool people, partying every night, and sleeping under the stars being woken up by the raising sun. That’s of course not the full list, but I need to stop myself from revealing too much 😉 Let me tell you, if you have never heard of The Yacht Week (TYW), here is your chance to learn about it; and if you’ve ever hesitated whether to go (as I did at the beginning), here is my chance to convince you that you are missing out (well unless you have a sea sickness…then it sucks). Don’t get me wrong, I am in no capacity marketing TYW, there were lots of flaws in the process, about which I may or may not tell you, I simply want to focus on the amazing experience I had in Croatia.

Let me start off by saying that I actually didn’t spend a whole week on the boat. Not because I couldn’t handle a tiny bathroom with no running water (yes, that happened to our boat – flaw no 1) shared with 7 other people (nota bene my friends), or for any other reason I can’t imagine at the moment, but because I would have missed my own graduation. Bad planning, right? Honestly, when we scheduled that with a group of MBA friends (or rather when I was literally bullied into the idea), I thought that 4 days stranded on a boat are more that enough. NO WAY! Knowing what I know now, a week is the optimal timeframe you need to be looking at. Leaving in the middle of TYW was not only a logistical nightmare (flaw no 2), but a FOMO (fear of missing out). Imagine you need to leave a long awaited party at midnight because you are 18 and your parents gave you a curfew. You feel the pain. Anyways, don’t make that mistake.

Back to the beginning. My trip to Split, from where the boat was leaving, was a long one – more or less 18 hours (from Poland!). Croatia is a very popular summer destination, therefore buying tickets way in advance helps not only with the price but with proper connections. As I decided to join the party at the last minute, I had to bare the consequences. Unfortunately, I missed seeing Dubrovnik (well, I saw a glimpse of it from the bus while traveling to Split) which is a gorgeous city, and the one which serves as Kings Landing if you’re obsessed with Game of Thrones series as I am. But I’m definitely coming back to see the Croatian land(ing).

I want to tell you a few key things about supplying your boat because that’s the first thing you want to do before you get on it. Well ok, you can either have a host on your boat who will take care of everything for you including shopping, preparing your every meal (unless she’s too hangover to make you breakfast) and cleaning. In that case, you only need to worry about supplying your boat with booze and ice. As it comes with price, here are some tips on the self-service scenario. Your shopping cart should be filled with lots and lots of bottles of…water (I know what you were thinking!) Give and take 3 liters per person times the number of days times the number of people on your boat. Don’t worry, it will fit. Somewhere. In terms of food – you don’t really want to cook, but if you want to prove your skills as the MasterChef of your boat, make pasta and only when the boat is already moored. Otherwise, making a michelada is challenging. So that leaves us with lots of cold cuts, bread, snacks, fruits and veggies if you wish. As you get off of the boat every night, there are restaurants in which you can eat dinner before heading out, or you can get food deliveries in some ports too, so you won’t go hungry if you’re worried about it. Other necessities include (solo) cups, napkins, toilet paper (!), and trash bags. Every few days you’ll be able to access a store should you run out of something, so don’t really buy 112 bottles of water right away (don’t question my math). Oh! And don’t forget to buy floaties in advance! One of the best parts of your day in the water.

Our boat, named Corvo, had 7 people plus a captain. One important thing about the captain – you feed him and pay for his meals and drinks when you’re out and about! The crew apparently is paid peanuts and they count on our tips, so tip your captain accordingly. The thing about our boat was that it was already beaten up and we ended up, as I already said, with no running water (weirdly enough, there was water to flush the toilet). So the evening ritual was to jump from boat to boat using other friendly boats’ showers. Might have been a bit annoying asking for it but thankfully TYW people were chill and generous plus it was a great networking opportunity. Ok, I’m getting sidetracked…You might wonder if we were bored for 4 days on the boat. Nothing like that! The whole idea of TYW is to sail from island to island every day or every other day with all the boats, make rafts and jump the boats to meet people, party in a different place every night, and sightsee the islands (Hvar!). One of the best parts of the day though, for me, was to get up in the morning, put on a bathing suit (if I haven’t slept in it already) and jump to the refreshing water, or lay out on the deck of the boat and sunbathe while sailing to our next destination. I feel relaxed already just thinking about it. Getting our hair down under the moonlight was not bad either. Every party was organized in a super hip, open air place where we danced till the morning hours to the summer beats being spined by great local djs. This was complimented by a melting pot of super fun, open minded, and culturally diverse crowd.

img_8441-1 — Don’t forget your country’s flag!

To get off the boat and come back to reality was one of the hardest parts of the trip. Not to mention that the hardest was actually getting to the airport from an island, which nearly resulted in missing our plane. Despite some bumps on the way, I would do TYW again in a heartbeat. If anyone wants to join me, holler! We’ll have a blast 🙂

The luxury of Luxembourg

September 30, 2016September 30, 2016 Wayfarer and LuggageLeave a comment

I never knew much about Luxembourg, except for the fact it was the “Lux” part in the union of neighboring countries of BENELUX. And why would I? It’s a tiny, tiny landlocked country with population of over 100k in the main city of Luxembourg (just like in my hometown in Poland!). When I told friends I was traveling for 2 days to Lux City for interviews, they were horrified by the fact that I might consider it for living! I’ve hear comments like: “it’s boring”, “there’s nothing to do”, “if you like big cities, don’t even”, and “it’s good for families.” But, of course you can’t make any judgements until you see it yourself. So I was hopeful.

Not many know that Luxembourg’s GDP per capita is >$100,000, making it the 2nd highest in the world right after Qatar (in PPP terms). I’m not kidding, check it here. Approximately 80% of the population are expats or live outside the boarders of the country (in France, Germany, Belgium) and commute to work every day. In restaurants and hotels you can hear mostly French, and often German, but everyone seems to speak English, so it’s not a problem if you don’t know any other language especially that Luxembourg is home to all sorts of international companies, including Amazon’s European HQ.

True, Lux City is small but it’s full of young, ambitious professionals, who make the most out of their time in that tiny country. Next to hiking, biking and rock climbing on the weekends, you can easily travel to neighboring countries as the distances are, obviously, relatively small (4 hour drive to Paris and 2h drive to Brussels). The city also offers plenty of restaurants and bars where people hang out after work. The streets are clean and safe, distances are walkable, and public transportation is reliable for those who live further from the center. On the other hand, the downside of living and working in Luxembourg is the feeling that nothing is permanent. Co-workers often come and go, changing geographies, or companies, and friendships that you made over the past few months disappear as fast as they appeared. After all, majority of the people move to Luxembourg not from their own will, but for employment. Through my past experiences of moving and adjusting to new situations, it’s not a problem anymore. I can get the best out of every place I go, so I am ready for what comes next. Anywhere.

Neumunster Abbey and the view on upper Luxembourg