Some people moan about their jobs, but I can’t really complain. Last year I was abroad, with Icarus, in Bulgaria playing football and this year I’ve been able to do the same in the Netherlands. That being said, it would be a cheat to call this post Football in the Netherlands, as there is only one place we really visited.
Our easyJet flights from London Luton airport were great value (around the £100 mark with hold luggage, £80 without) and took us straight into Amsterdam Airport. Upon arrival, we quickly passed through customs after a slight dilemma with baggage (one of our group’s bag was left in Luton) and headed into what could be only described as Amsterdam’s answer to Grand Central.
The airport merges into a train station, where we booked tickets for into Amsterdam Central costing €5.50 each. The platforms are down stairs from the terminal, but it is easily identifiable which platform offers what train. We got on the train after a few minutes’ wait and before we knew it we were in the centre.
Marine Barracks
Due to our visit being a military visit, we were able to get free accommodation in the Marine Barracks, pretty much in the heart of Amsterdam. We walked for around 20 minutes to the barracks from the train station, and this was the long way around! The biggest issue with the centre of Amsterdam are the bodies of water that, believe it or not, take a while to get around with suitcases!
The accommodation itself was pretty standard for military barracks, however the establishment is partly converted into civilian apartments and restaurants. There were security passes to get in and out of the military elements, but otherwise the whole complex is well laid out and easily accessible. After arriving on the Thursday, although approaching midnight, we decided to head out for a wander.
Thursday Night Social
Amsterdam, well at least the area around the Marine Barracks, on a Thursday night is rather sleepy. We could have walked 20 minutes right into the centre (as the trams stopped running before 1am) but with a busy day of travelling we were just looking for a quick drink and maybe something to eat.
We stumbled across a bar that was still open and serving until 1am called Hannekes Boom. On Friday and Saturday nights, the place is open an extra 2 hours and offers live music and DJ sets. The beer was relatively good value for the capital and it is a beautiful setting on the waterfront overlooking the NEMO Science Museum.
Training Facilities
As was the case with Bulgaria, our prime purpose of being in Amsterdam was football training. Frustratingly, however, not all of the site’s facilities were available to us all weekend, as for Saturday and Sunday the gym (and consequently sauna) were closed.
The gym is, as you would expect for a military establishment, well equipped and sizeable. The equipment was very modern and most of the cardio suite could be connected to the MyWellness app with a QR code. There are a few floor to ceiling ropes to climb, a lot of free weights and some thick mats on the floor for stretching and yoga. We utilised almost every corner of the gym between us, the most annoying aspect being the opening times!
Upstairs, in the changing rooms, is a great little sauna with enough space for about 6 people comfortably. It’s a standard sauna, with an hourglass style timer and rocks with a water bucket to keep topping up the temperature. I highly recommend gyms with saunas; they’re a great way, in my opinion, to finish up after a session.
For actual football training we had access to a full size grass pitch and a small 5 a-side astroturf pitch next to it. The grass pitch was surrounded by a running track, which was in use throughout our visit, so our sessions were tailored around this. We covered everything from position specific drills (for our fixture on the Saturday), to possession retention, close control and aerobic fitness. The sessions were well run and pitched at the ideal intensity levels.
Kattenburg Food
Within the complex, we tried out a couple of places for food while we on site. The location from our accommodation and training facilities made the places within the Marine Barracks ideal for a quick lunch between training sessions!
In the morning we looked for breakfast somewhere local. We ended up choosing the Marine Mess. Although this option wouldn’t necessarily be open to everyone, it was a pretty standard buffet breakfast. Only open on weekdays, the mess had bread, meats, cheese and cereal, with little else to chose from. The food was pretty pricey for what it was, so don’t worry, you aren’t missing much!
Clubhouse Amsterdam was where we went for lunch on our first proper day. Although relatively pricey and hipster, the food was actually very nice! The fried pork belly sandwich was fantastic, as was the fresh juice. The juice had been mixed with actual fruit (and ginger for some reason) and the mix of flavours went very well together.
Pension Homeland and Scheepskameel are another couple of places on the site that looked really nice for food and drinks. We didn’t use these, however, as we wanted to get out and explore the city.
Amsterdam Scene
Obviously a prime appeal to Amsterdam is the nightlife. Everything about the city feels like a large culture shift from what we are used to back home in the UK. From weed and shop windows to heavily overpriced drinks and a lot of canals. Walking the streets of Amsterdam as night falls is certainly an experience.
Our first stop to suss out the vibe was The Old Sailor. Sat in the heart of the Red Light District, this bar was very busy, quite energetic and pretty pricey. I say that in comparison to London; a beer costing over €7 seemed steep to us!
A slightly cheaper establishment, still in the District, was Bar Old Wembley. A good place for a few drinks and they had the international football on. Watching Germany vs Netherlands in the heart of Amsterdam was a great experience. Especially with the Dutch winning!
As we moved on from the bars, we also tried a couple of later night entertainment hubs. We went into Escape, which charged €15 entry! A very expensive nightclub, however once in the vibe is great. With a couple of different rooms and a main stage with the DJ and dancers, the place pumps energy throughout the night to the early hours. Another place we spent a lot of time another night was Club Prime. A place with no entry and cheaper drinks, both give a couple of late night options in the city.
From Drink to Culture
Obviously we didn’t spend the whole time exploring the social perks that Amsterdam has to offer. We also took a couple of opportunities during our short stay to sample some local culture. If you can call it that.
Considering our military links, and the Dutch’s involvement in the Second World War, we took some time to look back into history. Unfortunately we didn’t go to Anne Frank’s House (one for my next visit), but we did see the Resistance Museum. Covering how the Dutch coped with the German invasion, the museum gave a great insight to the true political struggle of the Dutch people. There were many artefacts from the period, and harrowing stories from families who were torn apart by Nazi regime. A sobering experience and one certainly worth visiting when in the city!
On a slightly cheerier note (only slightly) we also took some time visiting somewhere very different to anything we experience in the UK. Zuiver is a spa (and hotel complex) like no other I’ve been to before. Located a short, but expensive, Uber just South of the city, the spa is huge. They have a great range of saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs and swimming pools. It proved a perfect way to unwind and rest our legs. The catch? Nudity. I have been to spas where swimwear is optional and some people chose to strip off, however here it is forbidden! After the initial 10 minute shock (and giggle) at everyone walking around naked, you quickly accustom to it. There is something somewhat liberating about swimming around naked! Just don’t stray too close to other guests!
Red Light Delights
As misleading as that heading may be, I am of course referring to the true way to any man’s heart. Through his stomach. Between our tours of the city and football sessions, food was a hot topic for most of us.
Outside of Kattenburg, we found an array of places to eat, on a range of budgets. Our first proper meal in the city centre was at a grill called Argentinos Steakhouse. Although it isn’t hard to find a steakhouse in Amsterdam (they are scattered everywhere) this one was a good choice. For only €15, you could have a large mixed grill containing steak, chicken and ribs. In comparison to some of the other places, and the price of steak there alone, it was great value for money.
For another dinner we explored what can only be described as a fast food burger place. After being less than impressed with Delirium’s menu one evening, we found somewhere open for food late. Burgers ‘N Ribs was, surprisingly, the best value meal we had in the city. Although a takeaway at heart, we sat in and ate our burger meals on our last night. Good quality food for a very reasonable price, considering the time and location!
Brunches were also very important! They were all pretty similar in what they provided, however located across the city. Close to Kattenburg we found Bakers and Roasters, and further afield near the museum we found Box Sociaal. Both provided a good eggs based brunch and charged what you would expect in Amsterdam.
The Verdict
Would I return? Absolutely! It is a relatively expensive place to visit when you are eating out for every meal every day. That can be managed though; self catered trips can save you quite a bit of money! We found that pre drinking a couple of crates of beer was much cheaper (and sociable) than sitting in a loud pub watching sport.
All in all, there a certain culture difference between Amsterdam and the UK which makes it worth visiting. There is a lot to do and you can easily fill a week trip.