Europe Trip : Amsterdam

slept for around 40 minutes, woke up still above the clouds.
it's the same earth, but with kinda different sky.
landed in Amsterdam Schiphol, Europe’s 5th busiest and the world's
15th busiest by total passenger traffic. It also ranks as the world’s 6th busiest by international passenger traffic. located 20 minutes from Amsterdam, a big airport for sure! :D
our plane landed in the outer runway, so after safe landed, the plane had to move quite far to the arrival terminal. it was crossed the highway and the planes parking spaces.
since this was the final arrival, so i didn't have to pass any other immigration gates, just walk through the corridor, and went to the airport main hall. :D
the main hall consist of large shopping space with many restaurants, the subway station entrances, the tickets lockets, luggage area, etc.

the plan was: i still had time until group arrival from Tokyo in this airport,
they will arrive at 15:30. so i had time for lunch and a short orientation visit to Amsterdam. cause yes of course, i need to buy a coat! hahaha!

what's for lunch? hahaha. jet lag was not just a matter of time, but for me, it was also about how to adapt the visual conditions, and of course it was a little bit frustrating. :(
people and the speakers speaks Dutch. i know Amsterdam Schiphol is an international airport of course, but when tried to find a restaurant for my lunch, i need to check for sure if the menus will be suitable or not, especially if the waiters are speaks English or not.

actually, since using iPhone, i installed an application named Schiphol days before the departure date. this application was helpful, especially if you want to know the departure and arrival time for flights and the terminal maps. want to go to Amsterdam Schiphol? using iPhone? install this! :D

just 5 minutes until i found Cafe Deli France! haha!
a safe option since i know this place in Jakarta, i thought the menus will be not too much different, but i was wrong. hahaha. no problem after all, i ordered a bacon sandwich and mineral water, and also an internet access to this airport wifi. yes, this airport doesn't have a free internet access, we have to purchase the log in code. :)
i don't have problem for eating pork, and i wondered, if my moslem friends come to this place, they will have to spend more times to find a suitable restaurant which sell no pork menus of course.
thinking about my suitcase, of course i couldn't bring it with me to the Amsterdam at that time. so asked the Information Center for the luggage lockers availability, went to the downstairs,
purchased a half day middle size luggage locker!

(difoto biar nanti pas balik ga lupa nomor berapa. hahaha)

lunch, done! luggage, done! let's go!
went to the ticket lockets, bought one way train ticket for Schiphol to Amsterdam. the ticket has no time, you can use it for every time departure. miss the first train, just wait for the next one! :D

just 15 minutes, and then, Amsterdam city!
the plan : 1 hour visit with main purpose to the Klaverstraat for buy some clothes, and then light orientation to the Dam Square, walking near the Amsterdam Canal, and then back to the station!
already brought the map from Jakarta, from my colleague who visited Amsterdam also approx one month earlier, and planned all the route just at the plane. remember guys, plan your plan! :D
yup, it's Amsterdam baby! wohooo!
nice city, love the pedestrian, bridges, bicycles, tram, and the buildings!

Klaverstraat located just walking distance from the station, around 10 minutes. in Klaverstraat, you can find many stores and big shops, yup, a shopping street! i went straight to the H&M and Zara, finally, a coat, gloves, scarfs, even new socks. hahaha. :D
then, light city orientation!
to the Dam Square that located just blocks away.
i remember how i curious for the European horses. LOL!
Indonesia horses as far as i saw before, okay it's quite big for us the Indonesian people's body. then wondered, how big is the European horses?! hahaha! and when i came to the Dam Square, i saw and met it! the BIG horses! :D
the buildings, the people's clothes, the horse carriages, it was just like in every European old movie. love it love it love it! i wonder, it must be more classy if in Prague or Vienna maybe? :D

at the Dam Square, you can find the Madam Tussaud Museum, big stores, restaurants and also the famous De Bijenkorf (the upscale departement store in Netherland).

------------------------------- Amsterdam Street Artist
just after arrived at the Dam Square, it was not hard at all to be aware that there are some people with unique appearance standing in some spots. a ghost, an angel, scary mask, they wore unique costumes! but hey, don't do it for free. even we don't have to pay them, it is a mutual condition that if you want them to pose or take a photo with, just give them money, you decide how much it is. :)
but since all the tourist (including me) already bring our digital camera that has a digital zoom function, we can just take their photo from far away. fair for you?
not for me at that time. at first i didn't realize if they asked for money, and then tried to take a photo of the ghost one. yap, he knew it and covered his mask with his hand. i walked to him and say hi, then he said "take a photo? just one or two euro" while pointing his finger to near his feet, a box for euro coins. and i throw one euro, said to him, "i just want you to pose for me, i'll take the photo from far away" and he smiled. the transaction was success. :)
had a nice moment with the street artists, now walking back to the station. oh how i wonder if i can live in this town! it was autumn and the weather already cold enough to make your lips freeze. but i love it! people are wore their winter clothes! :D
walking to the Amsterdam Centraal Station.

Amsterdam, city of bicycles!
it is said, 750.000 people who live in Amsterdam own approximately
800.000 bicycles.
Amsterdam Centraal Station!
this station building is awesome, was designed by Pierre Cuypers and A. L. van Gendt, and opened in 1889, like it very much! the main railway hubs of the Netherlands and is used by 250,000 passengers a day and this building also a tourist attraction, many tourist will visit and take pictures of this magnificent building.
and you're right, i'm one of them! hahaha!
(people said, no pic = hoax. so here the evidence! haha)
purchased ticket for Amsterdam Centraal to Amsterdam Schiphol, and just wait until the train come. while waiting, i saw this cool red sharp train. TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse), the France's highs peed rail service. it was for departure from Amsterdam, leaving for Paris Nord. yes, Paris, hope i can go to Paris also on the next chance! :D
back to Schiphol airport!
still had time, i decided to walk around this airport. walked out through the exit door and find this big name sign. hey, i want a photo of mine too in front of this one! haha!
but since i was alone, how? suddenly i heard someone speaks in Bahasa Indonesia! haha! yup, three man stands near me and they are alternately taking a photo. i said hi to them and offered myself to help them take the photos, one two three four, done. and as i expected, they also helped me with the photo! :D
and finally, it was the time for meet the group, i walked to the arrival terminal, and wait for them. still day one, but i already had too much in Amsterdam. :)