Netherlands 01: Amsterdammmmmm

Sunday, February 2, 2025

The bus arrived into Amsterdam very early this morning, just before the sun started to rise. By happy coincidence, the bus stop was just a block away from my hotel. I walked over to the hotel, but it was obviously too early to check in, so I hung out in the common area for a little while. While doing so, I was able to do my laundry, which I desperately needed to get done. Once that was done, I stored my bags in the hotel’s lockers so I could go out into the city. It was a bit disappointing that the hotel didn’t provide free luggage storage for guests, but luckily the cost of the locker was relatively cheap.

I had only one definite plan for today and that was to visit Huis Doorn on the outskirts of Amsterdam. My hotel was located next to one of the main train stations and it was very easy to get the train out to Doorn. It is a small town that has been made famous due to the manor house Huis Doorn itself. The modern house was built in the 19th century, though previous houses had stood there over the centuries. Kaiser Wilhelm II purchased the house after the First World War and it was there that he lived in exile after abdicating the German throne. The Kaiser died there in 1941 and is buried in a mausoleum on the property.

The house is modest, as far as royal residences are concerned, but it has extensive grounds surrounding it. The tour around the house is self-guided, though there are members of staff located throughout the house to provide information to visitors. Not being a huge house, the tour itself didn’t take too long.

The first thing that struck me about the house was the sheer number of personal belongings of the kaiser that were on display. He brought so much with him into exile and the house was full of little knick-knacks, from paintings to watches to cigarette cases. The house has been preserved just how it was during the time that Wilhelm II lived there, giving a unique glimpse into the last years of his life. The rooms were small, but very cozy and comfortable.

There were quite a few tourists at the house while I was there, which surprised me – I didn’t think that Huis Doorn was such a big tourist attraction. Throughout the house were busts of Wilhelm II, along with those of other members of his family. It has a very intimate, familial feeling to the house – gone were the trappings of royalty while he lived there, all replaced by the closeness of family. Perhaps the largest room in the house was the dining room, which could accommodate a large number of guests. One small room contained a few of his royal uniforms, which I quite liked being able to view.

The main bedroom on the second floor was surprisingly large, and it was located next to a small library with a large wooden desk. This room was again packed with small trinkets that had belonged to Wilhelm. The most interesting room was Wilhem’s study, which had the strangest chair I’ve seen: it resembled a saddle more than a chair! I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the various rooms in Huis Doorn, though I was not really sure about what I was seeing since there was no signage in English.

When I finished touring the house, I spent some time walking around the grounds of the estate. There is a small pond located in front of the house, with a small bridge crossing over part of it. The rear of the house is far more simple than the front entrance – the two facades look like they belong to different houses entirely! I made my way over to the small mausoleum where Wilhelm is interred above ground. I could not go inside, but I could peek in through the small windows and see his coffin draped in the Imperial German flag. According to his will, Wilhelm’s coffin will only be returned to Germany upon the restoration of the monarchy.

My visit to Huis Doorn was a lot of fun and I was glad to have the time to make it all the way out to the house. I then returned by train to Amsterdam, so I could walk through the city center for a little while in the afternoon.

I went to the central train station and began having a short wander around town. One of the things that I most fondly remember about Amsterdam is all of the snack food available on every street. I was keen to have something sweet this afternoon, so I ducked into a small face where I have a waffle with strawberries, covered in Nutella. It was delightfully delicious!

I then walked over to De Oude Kerk, a 14th-century church that is nestled in the infamous Red Light District. On the streets surrounding the church are the windows where the women will stand, beckoning to potential customers. There weren’t many women present when I was there, but one knocked on her window in an effort to get my attention. (I also searched in vain for Belinda Blumenthal, who I had hoped to spot in a window with the Countess Zara and Grigor… alas, it was not to be…) I turned back towards the train station at this point, strolling along one of the many canals in the city. It was just a short stint in the city center, but I would return the next day to have a proper look around.

I took a train back over to my hotel, where I spent the rest of the evening relaxing. It was nice to be able to stretch out in bed after being cooped up in the overnight bus the previous night. My time in Europe was quickly coming to a close and I was starting to get excited (and nervous) about the next stretch.