Amsterdam Adventures. Rain, Waffles, and “Gluten-Free” Cafe

Our last full day in Amsterdam started with a sound of rain hammering against the windows. Nothing says rise and shine quite like gray skies and the urgent need to dig out the only vaguely waterproof jacket you packed.

Armed with our limited supply of “warm-ish” clothes, we headed toward the much-hyped MOCO Museum. The digital exhibition in the basement was an absolute highlight – walls, floors, and ceilings coming alive in color and light. It felt a bit like stepping into someone’s wildest screensaver (in the best possible way). As you can probably guess, we took a bunch photos to prove we were there.
From high culture, we wandered into De Pijp, where our first stop was the usual one: Starbucks. By the time we finished our drinks, the rain decided it had bullied us enough for the day and made room for sunshine.

The market in De Pijp offered a true Amsterdam experience: hot, fresh caramel stroopwafels. Obviously, I had to get one. Nearby, we discovered an international shop catering to expats, where we stocked up on UK and US snacks like kids unleashed in Willy Wonka’s factory.

Next came the much-anticipated stop at a “gluten-free” café. The quotation marks are very intentional. When we asked the staff which cakes were gluten-free, the answer was… two. Just two. Out of an entire showcase. A bit of a letdown, though at least the marketing department got creative with the definition of “gluten-free.”

In the afternoon, we hopped back on the metro for a quick round of shopping before returning to the hotel. By this point, Saskia had firmly decided that she was not leaving the room again. Fair enough - travel stamina runs out eventually. I did a solo run to the corner shop for dinner supplies, bringing back a picnic that was definitely less glamorous than stroopwafels but equally satisfying.