Arriving at BRS, the cost of using the short stay car park would have been £75, so we parked in the long stay car park which, on our return, cost £46.
Having packed for the weekend in carry-on luggage and checked-in for both the outbound and return flights, we headed straight for departures and security, where we were greeted by some kind of projection onto a person shaped panel which explained what was allowed to be taken through security.
Having chosen the shortest possible line, I was through security in around 5 minutes, my travelling companions had, for some unknown reason, decided to tag onto a much longer line and made it through the scanners after 15 minutes or so. The usual confiscation of shampoo etc. in containers larger than 100 ml continues but, being sensible and very unhygienic travellers, our toiletries were in much smaller bottles.
Onward, into the 'duty free' where we refreshed ourselves with some free squirts of cologne; my current favourite is Hermès Eau d'Orange Verte, and then to some kind of bar which required a financial transaction to receive a glass of Amstel in return.
Not having had lunch, I paid for a portion of home-made lasagne with a side salad which was surprisingly good.
Boarding was called as we finished off our beer, and we made our way to Gate 12 and the usual easyJet ticket check and wait in a line.
There was a fascinating display of young ladies re-packing their carry on bags which were all the size of a normal suitcase; to be honest, I have no idea what they were doing other than, perhaps, reducing the weight as the cases were destined for the hold.
After a short wait the inbound flight arrived and, once the arriving passengers had disembarked, we had the standard priority boarding (no-one, easyJet appears to have lost out on that revenue stream), families with children, and then the rest of us.
With seats towards the rear of the cabin we opted for the tail door steps and made that, oh so important, left turn into the aircraft.
Sadly, no subdued purple lighting, free Champagne or newspapers but we did see a lot of orange stuff, advertisements for some kind of sugar, fat and more sugar dining experience, a safety demonstration and then we were off.
Departure was almost on the dot and forty minutes, or so, later, we were on the Tarmac in an overcast and drizzling Schipol.
A swift train journey at €3.60 each, second class, plus a small VISA surcharge brought us into Amsterdam's Central Station an after deciding on a taxi, we were at Hotel Trianon Jan Willem Brouwerstraat 3, Amsterdam 1071 LH. Rooms were £34 per night with two bunk beds, ensuite shower bath and included a basic continental breakfast and clean linen and towels each day; functional and inexpensive but you, according to the signs in reception, not allowed to smoke cannabis immediately outside the hotel.
A Chinese restaurant (Chang-I) is adjacent and linked to the hotel, the City Concertgebouw is next door, and a large underground supermarket just across the bicycle, car and tramlines, tramlines, car and bicycle lines will cater for all your feeding needs; oddly, the prices for virtually everything are lower than the UK.
I guess that must be the VAT rate; any comments from Danny, aged 16 1/4, at The Treasury?
After freshening up, we headed out for a walk around and a beer; my eagle eyes spotted The Green Grill & BBQ at Leidseplein 8, 1017 PT and as my two travelling companions made straight for the bar, I began to salivate over the menu posted outside.
A couple of pints of Amstel later, I had persuaded everyone that we had to eat there as the food was organic / Fair Trade and all the tables in the first floor restaurant had a view into the kitchen area where most of the food was cooked over natural charcoal in Green Egg barbecues. The attention of a delightful Irish waitress and astrophysicist, Nicola, clinched the deal as she was allowed to serve in the bar and the restaurant.
I opted to have a starter of vongole with garlic and parsley, followed by 28 day dry aged tournedos with fried potato slices, asparagus, peas and broccoli, together with the most amazingly delicious sauce to accompany the meat.r
Diner number two chose the organic baby chicken, with a baked potato and seasonal vegetables, and diner number three devoured a 330 g dry aged Gascogne rump steak with accompaniments.
We drank a bottle of Pouilly-Fume and a bottle of Castillo Perelada 5 Fincas 2009 which was, quite frankly, delicious. The total bill, including the beers, came to €180.50. A tip reflected the great service.
Friday, saw us trundle around the Van Gough museum which was no more than 5 minutes from the hotel and a definite 'to see' with an entrance fee of €15.00. Dinner was an ok Indonesian / Korean but nothing to get excited about, and a wander into one of the two red light areas where we found ladies dressed in nothing but lingerie, quite extraordinary!, bars and coffee shops that had rather odd odours emanating from them.
Saturday was dedicated to the newly re-furnished (€375 million over 10 years) Rijksmuseum, which again was only 5 minutes, or so, from our hotel. Another must see at €15.00 with Rembrandt's 'Night Watch', Vermeer's 'Milkmaid' and my favourite, and the largest painting in the museum, Jan Willem Pieneman's 1824 'Waterloo'; an air of despair on the faces of the French prisoners and sunlight illuminating The Duke of Wellington and Lieutenant Colonel Freemantle arriving with the news that the 'Prussians had arrived'; the turning point in the battle which occurred at around 8 pm; a wounded Crown Prince William of Orange in the dress of a Major General of the 10th Royal Hussars 'Prince of Wales's Own' lies on a stretcher, in the foreground, 'the hero of the battle'.
Having walked for six hours around the four floors of the museum, I retired to the hotel to rehydrate, read and sleep.
Sunday was a day of two breakfasts, a short tram ride to Amsterdam's Central Station, a one stop train ride and a bus to Schipol, as the express line was undergoing repairs.
Straight though security without the UK and TSA hassle of putting your liquids in a sealable plastic bag and into the departure concourse for coffee, hot chocolate and a copy of the FT with the, so important, 'How to Spend It' magazine for €2.00.
I'm already planning a return visit now that I know the layout of this compact City, and how to get around, as there are a huge number of other museums to visit.
easyJet, you get five stars for being on schedule, clean and efficient.
