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Vip Tours | 1 | 2 | 3
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| The Grand |
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Amsterdam, Netherlands |
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Extraordinary
August - 2003 |
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5
Stars & 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Hotel & Service' |
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The Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and Stripes® |
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| If you think that New York is hustling and bustling? For heavens
sake, go and visit Amsterdam! - Amsterdam is often referred to as one of the
most colorful and unique cities in the world, surrounded by fields of red and
yellow tulips, windmills and wooden shoes. Thinking of Amsterdam meant: Van
Gogh, Canals, Diamonds as well as the hiding place of Anne Frank and her
family. Amsterdam is more! More history, more culture, more diversify and even
more freedom ~ but we’ll get to those coffee shops later in the story...
The Dutch city of Amsterdam enjoys a great fame for being the proud owner of
one of the most important intact historical city centers in the world. The
distinctive Amsterdam city scape is dominated by canal mansions characterized
by narrow, tall facades and crowned by richly ornamented gable tops and is the
nation's capital, more than 700 years old. Amsterdam was very little destroyed
during WWII compare to Rotterdam. Speaking of WWII, the Dutch resisted until
the city of Rotterdam was decimated by German bombers. If this hadn’t
happened Amsterdam may never have reached it's status as capitol of Holland.
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| We began our trip at the
"Elite Lounge" of KLM (with an open fire place) overlooking one of the most
advanced, modern airports in the world, John F. Kennedy. We tried a little of
the delicious Dutch Gouda from a creative fruit & cheese platter ( the size
of wagon wheel) with a fine glass of Bordeaux. Great, open welcome smiles on
board of the 747 KLM, a nonstop flight for the veteran, back to its home base
in Holland. Here is our chance to review the recently re-launched World
Business Class, which KLM has neglected in the past. |
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| KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, which was founded 1919, operating under the
same name to this day, is the oldest scheduled airline in the world. By the end
of that year, the company had carried 345 passengers, 22 tons of cargo and
three tons of mail. The airline operated its first intercontinental flight to
Indonesia, then still the Dutch East Indies, in October 1924. |
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Regular scheduled
flights to the Far East began in 1929 and in May 1946, KLM was the first
continental European airline to open transatlantic services to the USA. KLM and
its partner airlines operate a route network connecting more than 500 cities in
90 countries on 6 continents.
The 60 inch wide / 150° recliners
are comfortable and allow plenty of leg space. As a matter of fact, we couldn't
reach the seat in front of us with our toes, which allowed us to convert to a
relaxing, almost horizontal position. The service at this level was exquisite,
unobtrusive and ever-present.
The on-board cuisine was above average,
a four course gourmet meal, prepared by master chefs de cuisine 'Het Gilde van
Meesterkoks' with a inspiring wine selection by 'Hubrecht Duijker'. In short:
it was a delight to "hop" over the ocean with KLM, which is once again renowned
for personal comfort and amiable service. We reached Amsterdam, our final
destination, perfectly on time. |
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Thorsten Piosczyk - KLM WBC |
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Our American Dream Travel TIP: choose the upper-deck level on the
plane which has even more leg space, it is less busy and we could actually
sleep. For more information about our KLM review, please
click
here.
Amsterdam! "Wow, what a city!" Be prepared for the
extraordinary. Remember our NYCity taxi cabs and the frustrated drivers? The
cabs at Schipool-Airport are mostly Mercedes S-Type, indeed a different taxi
style. No yellows. Our ‘friendly’ taxi driver got stuck in traffic,
so far we could identify! The annual gay parade was in full action, with black
leather hot pants, Dalmatian spot sprinkled tops, uncounted gay males on little
boats on the lovely canals, smiling and waving and celebrating their freedom;
250.000 spectators applauding. We loved every single second of this
spectacular. The other land of the free... |
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MOD Haydi Weenstra & Thorsten Piosczyk |
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Our domicile for the
weekend was the Grand Dame of Amsterdam, ideally located in the heart of its
historic center, set between two picturesque canals, and only a stone's throw
away from the key financial institutions and the famous Dam Square. And Grand
she is, presenting all the comfort and luxury of a world-class hotel. May we
assure you that the building itself is everything and much more than we saw in
brochures or on any of the history channels. In one word; "Breathtaking"!
Manager on duty Haydi Weenstra, was expecting us.
The buildings that
are today occupied by The Grand Amsterdam have been an integral part of the
fabric of their capital city for more than 500 years. They were originally
constructed in the 14th century as one of the most important nunneries in the
city, the Convent of St. Cecilia and St. Catherine...
And since we
couldn’t wait, Haydi took us right away on a
"Grand
Tour", follow us...
please
click here for the pictues. |
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| ...but the European Reformation and the spread of Calvinism in
Holland brought an end to the convents by 1578, at which time the buildings
fell into the hands of Amsterdam's city leaders. They converted part of the
property into a "Logement voor Princen en Grote Heeren", literally lodging for
princes and great lords. The buildings, which are today known as the Princenhof
or Prince's Court, hosted such eminent guests as William of Orange, the Duke of
Leicester,
Maria
de Medici and William V amongst others. Talk about a Dutch Dream...
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Roundabout 1597, part
of the precious ‘Princenhof’ was also used as meeting place for the
Amsterdam Admiralty Board. Together with similar boards from four other Dutch
ports, they managed the maritime affairs of the Republic. Amongst their duties
were commissioning the construction of ocean vessels meant to serve in war or
voyages of discovery and overseeing the operation of the navy.
In
1647 the ‘Princenhof’ had all but ceased to serve its original
purpose as lodgings for eminent guests and the remainders of the buildings were
subsumed into the Admiralty. The growing power and importance of Holland as a
maritime nation was symbolized in 1661 by the addition of the southern wing
designed by Willem van de Gaffel in, if I may say so, splendorous classic
style. This was at a time when Holland was in its heights of maritime influence
before the British naval supremacy. |
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| In the 18th century Dutch maritime power was on the wane, a process
culminating in the arrival of the French in 1795, after which the nation's
maritime affairs were administered from The Hague. In 1808, King Louis Napoleon
took up residence in the old City Hall on Dam Square, forcing the city leaders
to move Amsterdam's government to the former Admiralty building, a function the
property was to retain, despite extensive renovation and a number of additions,
for 180 years until 1988. |
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The wedding of Princess
Beatrix (now Queen of Holland) to Claus von Amsberg (a German blue blood) on
March 12th 1966, took place at The Grand ~ then and today the Council
Chamber.
This
historic
marriage chamber, decorated with magnificent frescoes and irreplaceable
stained-glass windows, they are portraying scenes of married life, was designed
by Chris Lebeau in 1926. Overlooking pretty gardens, the historic chamber is
now dedicated to private events. Only on weekends, in true and faithful harmony
with the Dutch past, civil marriage ceremonies are celebrated here. |
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| In 1989, the historic site was purchased by La Compagnie
Internationale Phénix Hotels, Paris. The company converted the
buildings, following a meticulous and sensitive restoration, into The Grand
Amsterdam, a luxurious destination hotel that re-opened its doors 1992.The
Grand Amsterdam features 166 luxurious, elegant guest accommodations and
suites, each one very spacious and individually decorated with either canal or
inner courtyard view. All guest units have it own air conditioning system,
hallelujah, my bride is sensitive! And since she not only travels with her
entire wardrobe, but also with all her entire jewelry, the in- room safe we
treasured. We usually don’t write about baths, but in the Grand’s
case, we have too. The marble baths are of course are equipped with any amenity
a world class hotel should offer; it is the antic, time period’s style
that is so fascinating. Congratulations to a truly world class designer. The
famous
Café
Roux a la Carte restaurant with its informal 'brasserie' atmosphere, under
the supervision of Maître Cuisinier de France Albert H. Roux, serves its
guests seven days a week. The Grand’s Spa with its European spa facilities
and services is not open to the public and exclusively available to hotel
guests. Privacy here we come... |
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| We resided in one of
the three beautifully appointed Presidential suites, which are named after
three former Mayors of Amsterdam, the Van Thijn, Polak and the Samkalden
suites. The newly renovated presidential accommodations featured stunning deep
royal blue carpets of great opulence. The Royal Suites have priceless historic
curved windows all decorated in great style, overlooking the encircling canals.
Named in honor of three famous former guests ~ William V ~ Maria de Medici and
William of Orange ~ they feature separate dressing areas, extraordinary marble
bathrooms and a dining area seating from four to six people. |
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take
a closer look |
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After Simone had unpacked, we both were little overwhelmed by a
culture shock, but refreshed with a nice, hot steam shower and half hour of R
& R, we were ready for the Great Amsterdam adventure. The best way to
discover Amsterdam is to reserve a Canal-Tour a "Grachten ride", right in the
heart of Amsterdam. And for sure, we weren’t wasting any time...
The Canals
Think Amsterdam ~ Think water! Water is the very
reason the first ‘Hollender’ settled here in the early thirteenth
century. Water was also the main reason for Amsterdam's wealth in the 17th
century, when it became the most powerful trading city in the world. The canals
in the center, with their beautiful merchant's houses from the Golden Age, are
what made Amsterdam truly famous. The richly ornamented gables from this period
are still everywhere to be admired. The finest facades and all the bridges over
the canals are illuminated at night. American Dream Tip: Take a canal tour at
night, it is very romantic, great way to propose... !! |
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Amsterdam's canals
offer year-round entertainment not only for the tourists, due to the countless
boats that tour all day and most of the night. Hundreds of houseboats and
barges, often beautifully painted and uniquely decorated (we some with lion
heads and mermaids) are contributing to the beautiful sight. There is always
some exciting event happening on the water, from canal concerts to dragon boat
races, rowing regattas or like this weekend the colorful gay parade.
Come with us ... we are inviting you to our American Dream canal virtual tour,
right here with Thorsten as the captain - fasten your seat belts ;-)
Canal-Tour. |
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Maritime Museum:
Just a five minutes walk from The Grand
Amsterdam Hotel, we discovered what 18th century maritime life was like in
Holland. We stepped on board a full-size replica of a Dutch East India Company
ship, the "Amsterdam". The maritime museum exhibits also authentic ship models,
charts, navigation instruments, flags, interesting weapons and splendid
paintings and boy, so much more... |
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The Rijksmuseum:
The 17th century wealth created an enormous appetite for art. Rich
merchants commissioned portraits of themselves in full regalia. Rembrandt is
the most famous artist of that period and his paintings can be admired in The
Rijksmuseum. The museum also houses canvases by such great masters as
Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals and the famous Van Gogh.
Take your
time ~ we did! American Dream History Tip: The Self-portrait of "Van Gogh".
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Finally, after a long day packed with history and adventure and by
now very hungry, we entered the ~Fabulous ~ Five Flies
Together with
Executive Chef Rene Cramer and General Manager Albert Veerman we debated
whether this world renowned restaurant is named for the five canal houses that
it occupies or if it was named after the first owner of one of the houses, Jan
Janszoon Vijff Vlighen. (Vlighen = flies) But it was Nicolaas Kroese, an
entrepreneurial, creative business man who created the first success of the
Five Flies Restaurant. In 1939, the antique and art dealer announced the grand
opening of the Five Flies as a public house. The excellent PR man appeared on
The Ed Sullivan Show in New York promoting his restaurant to United States of
America.
Upon entering this cozy, historic place we most definitely
felt as if we had been invited to the home of a wealthy Dutch man, with a
second home in Sag Harbor, trading wale oil and silk! |
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| 5 Flies |
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| Amsterdam,
Netherlands |
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Extraordinary
August - 2003 |
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5
Stars & 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| Bright, welcoming smiles and all the personal attention we received
upon arriving, led us to believe that we were long lost relatives or homecoming
friends. Our waiter was Dirk Lentink who has worked there since 1967, a tribute
to his professionalism. Almost like a maze, the historic dining rooms spill
through five connected narrow houses, built in 1627. There are nine
interconnecting dining rooms each with uniquely designed individual
décors. The
Rembrandt
Room, where we dined, displays four original impressions by the great Dutch
master while the
Knights
Hall is filled with helmets, armors and weapons from the 80 year war which
was between The Netherlands and Spain. The
Glass
Room displays delicate glassware dating 17th century. In the Amsterdam Room
our eyes were drawn to the remarkable painted ceiling. The Bridal Room creates
a more intimate ambience capturing our imagination with its classic wooden
paneling Dutch interior. |
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We got lost in time,
while we were viewing precious original etchings, after all we were about to
dine in a museum. Let us assure you that the only flies you'll ever see are
those which are identifying the gourmet houses on the tavern-like ion-hammered
sign. This celebrated restaurant has now been awarded "Five Stars and Six
Stripes" by the American Dream Cuisine Team! Of course it has seen its share of
American celebrities over the last decades as well with past diners who have
included the likes of Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Walt Disney, Danny Kaye, Elvis
Presley and so many others.
Every chair in the almost 300-seat
restaurant has a copper plaque claiming the name of a different celebrity who
has dined here. Old, leather-bound guest registries date back decades. The
aroma of grandma's attic permeates the air as living history, whispering: "I
was here!" The extensive, expertly prepared menu celebrates traditional Dutch
cuisine, offering roast duck breast, veal sirloin, lamb, suckling pig, grilled
fish, smoked eel, raw herring and lots of the fresh local harvest Holland is so
famous for. Vegetarian menus are available as well. |
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First, a glass of ~
Fox Creek 'Vixen' Sparkling Shiraz Cabernet Franc ~
Now, here
General Manager Albert Veerman turned heads as he caught us off guard. We are
used to the finest grapes and Vixen’s are world-class. The sparkling red
wine is a child of Fox Creek Vineyard from Australia, and has the stuff
American Dream wines are made of! When the Watts purchased the 32 hectare Fox
Creek Vineyard in 1984, they were advised against planting vines in their heavy
clay soil. Well, you know, they did it anyway... And their labor was rewarded
with wonderful fruit, which turned into supreme quality wines. |
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Under the care of the
loving and capable hands of the Watts, the wines came back to life. The leader
of the pack and the first wine made at Fox Creek was their 1994 Shiraz, which
won the Trophy for the best wine at the McLaren Vale Wine Show in 1995. Next
was Vixen which is made from a blend of both young and aged wine of which 55%
comes from Shiraz, 30% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. The bead on
the wine is minute and persistent, indicative of its high quality, we assure
you. Its dark crimson color is matched by an intensity of flavor, which has
been described as "liquid Black forest Cake". It is packed with ~ intense ~
forest~ berry~ and chocolate flavors and has an inspiring lasting semi-dry
finish. What an exciting start... |
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Amuse:
- Veal Pate with
Balsamic vinaigrette
~ A little something - we insist to try this
inspirering promise ~
Appetizer:
- Beefmouse with chives sauces, salad
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Definitely the most unique creation of beef, ever ~
A Bombe of
smoked rib of beef filets with sundried tomatoes, chives, spring onions and
smoked mushrooms ~ Applause ~
- 2003 Cogmans Kloof
"Kristel" Colombard/Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa
~ Perfect match ~
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Main Course
I:
- Seaperch with fennel
and celery - crispy, flavorsome
*/*/*/*/*/*/
~ A life changing
experience ~
- 1999 Medalla Real
Chardonnay "Reserva" Santa Rita, Casablanca valley, Chile
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Main Course II:
- Veal sirloin onion gravy ~
If only our taste buds could smile ~
- "Pedro Castillo" Redwine -
Argentine Malbec ~ Perfect match, no question ~
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Main Course
III:
- Lamb chops with
zucchini and tarragon sauce
~ Melting tender delight~
- 1999 Rioja Muga
"Reserva" Bodega Muga, Haro, Spain
~ Perfect match, no question
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Desserts:
- Mousse of berries,
strawberry sorbet
~ just culinary heaven ~
- WINE: Dessert Wine
Château de Rolland
Barsac Grand Vin de Sauternes 1998
~ Sweet,
matching the cranberries ~
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Some of the typical Dutch specialties are endless varieties of
cheeses like Gouda and Edam; Dutch chocolate; Dutch cocoa; Dutch cookies; Dutch
Apple Pie. The most famous Dutch beverage is of course beer, with Heineken,
Grolsch and Amstel being Amsterdam's most famous exports along with Dutch gin,
Jenever. The 5 Flies restaurant’ has over 150 different kinds of jenevers
and liqueurs. Dutch coffee is made espresso style, strong, black and served in
tiny cups. They do not serve "regular" American coffee. Executive Chef Rene
Cramer is truly a master in his field. Visiting Amsterdam doesn't go without a
dinner at the Five Flies, call for reservations well in advance.
After this culinary delight, we topped the dinner of all with a local "Oude
Juniper Genever" a real specialty, which is our American Dream Hot Tip; we
leave the taste for you to be discovered. Most certainly we took a guided tour
through the 5 Flies with all its historical buildings. And we have a
sneak
preview for you, right here: Please
click
here, you are invited.... |
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Back at The Grand:
The Grand made us feel just like at home. The twice-a-day maid and
"turn-down" housekeeping service, which had placed lovingly little Dutch
chocolate shoes on our huge European pillows, we'd like to consider as one of
the best in the world. Both, the pillows and the chocolate! We were very tired
after a whole day of so much excitement and slept like babies in the slightly
starched fine linens.
Punctually at 08:00 am, after a few laps in the
crystal clear pool, wrapped in downy white bathrobes with royal logos, we where
ready for breakfast. We allowed ourselves a good hour to treasure this
unforgettable experience. |
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What an atmosphere ~ so dignified, sterling silver coffee pots, fine
blue Rosenthal china, the elegant but discrete ambiance, antiques, overlooking
the canals. What else can one want when one is in love? Propose?
The
Dutch breakfast buffet presentation was simply wonderful ~ thinly shaved, wild,
smoked Norwegian salmon ~ morning baked breads and crisp rolls in uncountable
varieties ~ plenty of fresh fruits and berries of all kinds ~ cold cuts, lost
of them... ~ scrambled, organic farm eggs ~ smoked ham, to die for ~
mouth-watering bacon and most certainly the richest selection of Dutch cheeses
you’ll ever find. We sat back and relaxed, bbreathing good old European
air into our lungs .American Dream Cuisine tip: Enjoy some of the plenty of
homemade jams, Café Roux’s own label. Can you keep a secret? They
are just as adorable as Simone, so she had to take some of the blue berry jams
home as souvenirs. |
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On our agenda was to
visit the Anne Frank House and we decided to walk. We very much advise you to
do the same, walk, over the little bridges and through narrow little alleys, we
loved it. We were really surprised when we discovered "Coffee Shops" as the
Dutch are very liberal and you can actually get cannabis products legally with
or without your coffee.
We ’had’ to stop and take another
little ‘brake’, still relatively close to The Grand ~ next to the
Royal Palace ~ where the true bargain hunters hearts were beating faster;
direct confrontation with the latest fall fashion! Simone got herself a nice,
little green top, which truly, I agree, was made for her:). I tried one of the
famous wooden shoes, unfortunately I couldn’t find the right size...
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We passed the Royal Palace, originally built as City Hall; Louis
Napoleon Bonaparte converted it into a Royal Palace during his short-lived
reign over Holland, the Netherlands. Today it is very rarely used by the royal
Dutch family, more on ceremonial occasions; wonder where Prince Claus Von
Arnsberg proposed to his Queen? The sculptures and artwork inside are worth
seeing.
A walk we wouldn't have missed for the world ~ Amsterdam, the
city, so full of life ~ we stopped at little flower shops and markets and
admired thousands of Dutch plants, bulbs, and especially tulips; all grown in
the relatively close-by fields. |
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Amsterdam is an El
Dorado for visitors and American Dreamers alike, easy to get around, easy to
read signs, and plenty of those everywhere. We didn’t have any problems to
find Anne Frank’s house, ever reminding us not to forget one of the
saddest moments in our world’s history ...
"If you climb the
stairs and open the door at the top, you will be amazed that such a large space
could be found in such an old canal house." That is how Anne Frank described
the house where she, together with her family and four others hid. Her diary
became world famous, the house is now opened for visitors as a museum"
Please click here for a more
detailed
picture about the House. |
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| There was no way I was going to leave Amsterdam without sticking my
head into Europe's most famous comic shop and a hallmark in the world of
comics. Conveniently located in Amsterdam's city center, Lambiek is Europe's
first comics shop, and the largest in Holland. |
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Founded in 1968, the
name is derived from the popular Willy Vandersteen character, and now it's
probably the oldest comics shop in the world. Lambiek's art gallery features
many expositions of European and North American artists, like the famous
Hamptonite Frank Borth, who explore the boundaries between comics and
'conventional' art. Browsing through Lambiek's huge and impressive collection
of underground, alternative and mainstream comics from all over the world will
stir any imagination; except Simones’, she reminded me a few times that
our flight back home was not going to wait ...
Pleace
click
here for our KLM - Royal Dutch Airline World Business Class
review. |
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by Simone Buehrmann & Thorsten Piosczyk
Editor: Ingrid
Lemme
Editor-in-Chief: John Lomitola |
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| © 2003 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes,
Inc. |
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