Small notes from a city of water and bikes

I've spent a good part of the last few years in Amsterdam, and I keep writing things down: walks that worked, food worth queueing for, the small habits you only notice after a while. This is where those notes end up. Nothing here is a guide, just one person paying attention.

Latest notes

• 26 April 2026

  Markets, herring and warm stroopwafels

  A weekend habit of street markets, raw fish with onions and syrup waffles eaten standing up.

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• 18 January 2026

  Winter light, short days

  Lit-up windows, the yearly hope of ice on the canals, and why the dark months are my favourite.

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• 21 September 2025

  Learning to cycle like a local

  Heavy bikes, two locks, tram tracks and the polite language of the bicycle bell.

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• 8 June 2025

  Across the IJ on the free ferry

  The little boats behind the station and the rougher, roomier side of the city across the water.

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• 14 March 2025

  Slow mornings in the Jordaan

  Side canals, hoisting beams, hidden courtyards and an hour before the crowds arrive.

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