Spring in Amsterdam

I am way, way, way, WAY behind on blogging (as in a month behind) BUT I'm catching up! I wanted to recap some of our adventures in Amsterdam when Zac and Lydia came to visit!

We only had one day in Amsterdam before we left for Paris, and most of it was spent wandering around and visiting the Van Gogh Museum, since it is open late every Friday until 10! There is usually a DJ or performance, a bar, and sometimes guest speakers! 

When we returned from Paris, we went full speed ahead into knocking off things on our Amsterdam list. L had already visited, but this was Z's first time in Europe! 

We stopped at the Begijnhof, a small enclosed courtyard full of beautiful private houses. The Begijnhof was originally used by women who lived similar to nuns, but had no vows or founders. Instead, unmarried women could come to live in a religious community. This is also where you can find the story of the Miracle of Amsterdam, which you can read all about here. 

The Begijnhof courtyard.

We moved down the canal to the Museum Van Loon, owned by one of Amsterdam's wealthy merchant families- Willem Van Loon co-founded the Dutch East India Company. The house has an impressive art collection, thought not quite as nice as that of the Six Collection, along with a stunning back garden. 

The backyard.

The back of the Museum Van Loon. The family still lives on the top floors. 

I was trying to adjust my hat...

Hat, H&M. Scarf H&M. Sweater, Zara. Vest, flea market find. You may have seen this snap on Instagram. 

I'd love this little houseboat- it even comes with a porch!

Friday the weather was nice enough that we decided to picnic in Vondelpark. We didn't even bring our jackets, and ended up sitting on the blanket for hours!

Exploring...street art?

My birthday apple tart.

Z made a friend at breakfast. This little pup belongs to the cutest little cafe on Utrechtstraat.

Someday, we will be able to take a photo without one of us taking forever to get ready...

For our last day, we went exploring at the Rijksmuseum gardens. 

Where we found a fountain!

Unfortunately these beautiful tulips aren't out anymore, but the pool is still filled with water- in the winter this is an ice rink!

The Seven Countries Houses- each house is done in a different style!

I am so glad that I got to spend a week (including my birthday!) with two of my favorite people! Having them visit made me fall in love with Amsterdam just a little bit more.

I've got Berlin, Scandinavia, and Spain lined up so stay tuned!