Slow Down in Rotterdam
From the architecture to the food, the art to the skyline, Rotterdam was everything I hoped it would be and much more. We flew into Amsterdam and popped on the train to the stunning Rotterdam Central station.
We used Rotterdam as a base to explore the surrounding region. I never expected that Rotterdam would offer enough to keep us occupied so already planning to go straight back and just spend time in the city.
Also, this is now my closest Hema location (Amsterdam has less appeal) since they pulled out of the UK during the pandemic. In my house Hema runs are legendary as I’d come back with the cocktail peanuts I’m now addicted to as well as other savoury snacks, sharing bags of sweets that much better value than the mainstream brands and things I never knew I need for the house as well as dog tea towels, shoe storage and excellent birthday presents. I miss it like we all miss Woolies
This time, we visited The Hague which is pretty and littered with great architecture, old and new. Going to Bagel and Books (I know, it just drew me in) was the first time we’d eaten at a cafe that didn’t take cards for payment other than from Dutch banks. We’d experienced this at supermarkets in Rotterdam and assumed it was just that chain. I guess the staff were used to this, The Hague being such an international city and they were happy for both of us to go to a cashpoint after we’d eaten and trust us to bring cash back. I felt bad doing that so I stayed back to look at the books.
After a mosey around the government buildings, we sat for a coffee at Filtro and popped into homewares chain store (you know me by now) Dille & Kamille where I wanted to buy everything but bought a few mementoes. Ditto at Dok down the road had an enviable Marimekko collection. The Hague trip is rounded off with ice cream from Hema sitting on one of the many outside seating areas along the main street.
Our hotel has the fantastic Hallen foodhall attached to it. After we’d landed, I enjoyed some quick nachos and after The Hague, we sat down again for an Indonesian dinner. I love these food halls that we only seem to see abroad (although visited one in London recently so they are coming). They are an affordable way to try new foods, great for groups and so welcoming after tiring days.
Our debit cards were also no good in another tourist-driven town of Dordrecht at the Bowie-themed restaurant Rebel Rebel. After having enjoyed a late lunch at this vegan place. we were far away from the main town and the cash point so we both raced across and raced back. That pretty much took up the time we were doing to spend in Dordrecht. Luckily we’d already explored as we walked all the way through and stopped off at the excellent Hazel for coffee.
Another trip out for the incredibly picturesque Schiedam where the first windmills of the trip and enjoyed 5* service at Latte Heart and went through another fantastically renovated train station to get to the beach, the Hook of Holland. By now, the sun was at it’s hottest so it was more about the journey rather than the destination - I’m not a heat and/or beach person. It’s always wonderful to be on any coast and as well as walk away from the tourists arriving for Friday night drinks, we had our traditional fish meal sitting in the shade, looking out to the beach. There are umpteen fish places and we went back to the first place we saw when we arrived and enjoyed the friendly lunchtime welcome.
After coming back into Rotterdam, we did that thing that we never do at home in the UK, go to a Pizzeria. I’ve never understood why these are everyday staples abroad - as they should be - and yet in the UK they are overpriced. It’s just pizza. Having said that, Massina just a walk from our hotel had a table and on a Friday night was full of local families. I knew it was going to be good the minute I walked in so opted for a rare glass of wine to wash down the simple, well-made food served with a smile. And we had another view of the water here. I scored another double later with a complementary (courtesy of the booking co) glass of wine in the modern and comfy bar of our hotel.
All the food is fantastic during our trip, including ducking the rain (it finally came to break the heat) for a quick Sunday night meal at Diego Burger to the fantastic Afghanistan meal at Kite which set the bar high on our first night and I am already so looking forward to my second Afghan meal.
And then there are the breakfasts from the Rolphs opposite our hotel (yes, we were so well located) where the pink salt they used made me buy salt for the first time in my life, the view from the popular Bertrams (reached via an unlikely entrance), the incredibly busy Ted’s, Jarnmusch and Bakkers Winkle on a Saturday morning where a few were already too busy for us but we wanted to get our boat out to Kinderdijk. I didn’t feel the lengthy, pricey journey by boat to the most touristy place of our trip was worth the effort but now we have seen ALL the windmills.
There were two coffees enjoyed at Served, the first time for convenience and the second, after a disappointing visit to another place where we had the only bad hospitality experience of the trip with no acknowledgement from staff at all. The minutes we waited there for sure wasted.
On Sunday, we booked Betrams to be sure we got fed somewhere and this was the rainy day. We had to take cover for a few minutes to save needing a boat to cross over to it and it was utterly worth it for the views alone. We had one last trip to take and the rain mostly held off so we could enjoy Deft.
The fantastic local neighbourhoods of Willomena pier and Katendrecht were explored all too briefly. So yes, for the next Hema run to Rotterdam, we will be enjoying these much more.
June 2022
