Falling in Love with Amsterdam

There have been ups and downs, shocks and surprises, frustrations and confusion, but I am now beginning to love our new life Amsterdam.

There are lots of amazing things about living here. 

Here are the top 5.

1. The Landscape

Five minutes from our house, we have a windmill, beautiful countryside and the river Amstel (above). Two minutes from our house we have a canal, with grasses growing either side and herons and ducks hanging out. There are two parks in less than 200 yards from our house. One has a skateboard track, a playground and a massive field (below). The other has a little play area and sandpit. Our street feels safe and is not busy. We are still only a 20 minute tram or cycle ride from the centre of town. 

2. The Cycle Paths

My journey to take the kids to school is a 5 minute cycle ride. What I didn't realise was that there are cycle paths where cars are not allowed. There is a whole network of cycle paths which get you there more quickly than you can driving. 

It's so wonderful to be able to fit exercise into my daily life with the children as I'm cycling everywhere now. Being outside and having fresh air, even in the winter is making me feel healthier than ever. My skin is clearer and I generally feel great. 

3. Independent Shops

Unlike our local high street in the UK, there are few empty shops, no betting shops and no charity shops.  There are no big retail out of town outlets. High streets are bustling and thriving. You can buy top quality fruit and vegetables from a grocers, fish from a fishmongers and you buy nails and glue from an iron mongers. A bit more cycling around to get what you need, but once you've figured out where to find what you need it is pretty good. You can buy fresh flowers cheaply and they last two weeks.

There are many more independent shops, particularly food specialists which sell amazing bread, cheese and fruit and vegetables. 

4. Regular calendar events

There's always something around the corner to look forward to. Winter starts with the lovely lantern festival, St Martins. Then there is the arrival of Sinterklaas and his helpers in November, which finishes on 6th December. This is followed by Xmas and there is a light festival running for December and January. Amsterdam is lit up at night by light installments.   Next week, we'll be picking Tulips in Dam square. 

5. C&A!

Hair

Having had the same hairdresser for 6 years in London, venturing only to another salon when I had a discount voucher, I know what I like my hair to look like when I step out of a hairdressing salon. Sleek and smooth. I've had blond foils for years and recently had a fringe cut. This is the result of my last hair cut. That's me in the middle.

I've been in Amsterdam for 3 months now. I've heard people having bad experiences in hairdressers. Once I met a friend who arrived late. I asked her where she'd been and she said she'd been in the hairdressers. Now, in London, you know when someone's been to the hairdressers. You notice how shiny and finished their hair looks. This lady had nice hair, but it didn't look like she'd been to a hairdressers. Curious, I thought.

A few weeks later, I received a recommendation of a hairdressers from a friend also from London who had a good haircut. 'Hooray', I thought, 'finally, after three months I can have good hair again'.  

I did not take into consideration that the salon specialises in hair for those blessed with curls. 

I went in wanting this....

And I came out with this.

Comments received so far include:

'Mummy, did the wind do that to your hair?'

'Wow, that looks like several hair styles in one'.

In order to achieve this look, I had a condom-like plastic cap placed over my head. Hair is pulled through tiny seive-like holes and bleached. Now, twenty years ago, I remember having one of these things on my head, but now in UK everyone uses foils. It gives you a headache as it's so tight and you can't see anything either.

To be fair, the end result of the weird cap is more natural than the stripey look you get with foils. The weirdest part for me was the finishing. A lot of mousse was used and I was asked to lean forward and my hair was scrunched dried. Wow, not been scrunched for twenty years either. But this is the fashion here. It's a different way of doing hair. The cut is not bad, but not quite what I had in mind, I did agree to go with what the hairdresser advised and maybe it suits my face better than the trendy style above. The hairdresser was very welcoming and friendly to me and my nearly two year old. The coffee in the hairdressers is amazing.Should I go back? I can't decide. Who knows? Feedback welcome!