August in Amsterdam: A Short Post, Like Everyone’s Time in Amsterdam in August

August in Amsterdam is like an oxymoron for a local. The 31^st of July was a Monday. Everyone showed up to work on Monday. And then Tuesday, 1 August rolled around and everyone was…gone! The August holiday period in Europe, and in the Netherlands is no joke. People take 2-4 weeks off. They really do! This is something the American in me still cannot get over.

I spent the first two weeks of the month working, and wishing I was more European and had taken vacation earlier. But, nothing to complain about. It was nice and quiet, which allowed me to get a lot of things crossed off my to do list and to have a little fun in the sun in the city (while it lasts).

Here are a few brief highlights:

·         More canal cruises: One beautiful evening I was strolling home from work and just didn’t want to go home. I reached out to my friend Jenna to see if she wanted to do something and as luck would have it, she invited me to join a few friends on a night time boat trip. My fav!

 

·         Girls nights and birthday celebrations: I am lucky to have made some really great friends so far in Amsterdam all through friends of friends of friends from the States. It’s so nice to grab dinner with the girls on a Monday night, or celebrate a friend’s birthday. I’ve never had an issue making friends, but for some reason I was a bit terrified of being alone all the time when I first moved. Thankfully, that has not been the case J

 

·         Amsterdam Pride: I am not sure when the Pride festivities in Amsterdam started, but in recent years Pride has become a city-wide celebration where, similar to King’s Day, Amstedammers come out in droves to celebrate in the streets. The canals become host to parade floats and it’s a day-long celebration that effortlessly flows into night. This year my friends Megan and Katharine hosted a brunch and then we all headed out to catch the canal parades. The night ended with a birthday celebration for my friend Scarlett at her apartment overlooking Dam Square, which was hosting live music events throughout the evening. It was really cool to experience Pride Amsterdam-style!

 

  

 

·         And of course, visitors! One of my best friends and roommates from college, Heather, came through Amsterdam on her way home from an 18 month experience living and working in Thailand and Vietnam. It was so nice to see Heather and her friend Kaden, and to hear about their adventures through SE Asia. Months could go by without seeing Heather, but when we’re together we always pick up right where we left off. With Heather and Kaden we did the typical canal cruise, but they got to experience the crazy parties from Pride and we took a fun trip to Rotterdam and Kinderdijk, which are the old-school windmills about 35 minutes outside the city. After Rotterdam Heather and Kaden continued on south to Gent and Brugges, while I went back to a week of work. Heather returned for a few days at the end of the week and we got to celebrate her birthday together!

 

 

 

·         Save the best for last: Perhaps you may have caught the image on Facebook or Instagram of my latest purchase. If not, I’ll get you a hint: What has two wheels, handle bars and a bell? You guessed it! I am the [proud?] owner of a bike! Long story short, a friend of a friend was moving back to the States and selling her bike. Remember the night boat ride I mentioned above? I met her there and my friend Megan connected the dots: She’s selling a bike, and I was bike-less. So, I went to test it out and thought “What the heck?!” It was only a matter of time…I walked it home one night with Heather, riding the last few feet. And I have to admit, it was kind of fun. I think it might still be a while until I’m gliding up and down the streets of Amsterdam during rush hour, so don’t worry concerned friends at home. You have time to get those packages in the mail with the bubble wrap, helmets, knee pads and elbow pads J

 

And now, off to greet a very special visitor, my mom, at the airport so we can begin our journey to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallinn, St. Petersburg and Helsinki. I am ready for my August holiday to begin! 

 

A Week in SE Asia

After Beligum I had the rest of the week in the office to catch up and prepare for my trip to Singapore. The itinerary was set to host two crisis trainings with four different markets in the region, two media trainings and catch up with colleagues Monday – Thursday and then I arranged to meet with my predecessor and friend, Holly, in Myanmar on Friday.

The trip to Singapore from Amsterdam is about 13 hours on a direct flight. Knowing I can be sensitive to jetlag, and because I’ve never been to Singapore, I planned to leave Friday evening after work, which got me in to Singapore at 3pm on Saturday. When I arrived I was joined by our two fantastic crisis trainers who had been on a tour d’Asia, working with other markets on our behalf. The weather was over 100° so we cooled down with delicious Tiger beers at our hotel before heading out for dinner.

We went to a soup dumpling and dim sum restaurant that was highly recommended by a friend of a friend who used to live in Singapore. The restaurant was in one of the many high-end shopping malls off of the famed Orchard Road. What a scene! The malls in Singapore are all 3-5 floors and filled with designer after designer after designer. Mind boggling. Not sure who needs to go to Cartier at 11:00pm on a Saturday night, but if that’s what you’re looking for, it is readily available.

Anyway, back to dinner. We ordered a mixture of dumplings and other scrumptious Chinese dishes. I I LOVE Asian food, Chinese in particular, so this meal was a real treat. It all went down nice and smooth with a Tiger, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite beers.

 

 

 

 

 

Packing It All In

Sunday was my day to explore. I started the day by heading to Chinatown. As luck would have it, my Uber driver doubles as a tour guide. So, I learned a lot about the history of Singapore on my way. I found the history to be fascinating, as I typically do. Small things – like most Singaporeans speak a minimum of 4 languages: Malay, English, Hindu and Cantonese. Who knew?!

I walked around Chinatown for a bit, walking up and down the main and side streets. Lots of touristy trinkets like magnets, fans, etc. lined the streets. For lunch I stumbled upon a famous chicken rice hawker, called Hawker Chan. It is a one-star Michelin restaurant, and the cheapest Michelin restaurant in the world! It was delicious.

 

 

 

Given the extreme heat, I couldn’t help but follow lunch with a local shaved ice. Luckily this mountain of shaved ice stood tall for the picture. Unluckily for me, it topped over the second I dug in. That probably was not a bad thing.

After dessert I was off to Gardens by the Bay, a jaw-dropping floral exhibition in the heart of the city. The gardens – I believe – make up the world’s largest greenhouse. The stunning arrangements are each a work of art. A truly impressive, and must-see attraction for anyone traveling to Singapore.

 

 

The Gardens are located in the Marina Bay area, which is where the famed Marina Bay Hotel is situated. The hotel is an architectural masterpiece. It is comprised of three enormous towers that come together only at the top by a horizontal joiner that sports an infinity pool and restaurant/bar. The views from the top are stunning, and after a drink at the top, we decided we just had to stay for the sunset as well.

 

The Magic of the People at HEINEKEN

On Monday it was back to work. It is always nice to work from another HEINEKEN office. One of my favorite things about working for the company is that HEINEKEN people all over the world have the same je ne sai quoi. The moment you step into a HEINEKEN office, you know you’re there. Not just because of the décor, but because of the people. The Asian Pacific region office in Singapore was no different.

 

We got right into a full day of training with teams from Japan and Laos on day 1. It was great to see the management teams from these two markets – and two very different markets – work through the simulation and training. A hard day’s work was rewarded at night with a group dinner at a local seafood joint for the famed Singaporean Chilli Crab and other local delicacies. What a feast!

Day two brought media trainings for Japan and Laos while we met the Timor and the Asia Pacific Export teams for the crisis trainings. Another great day in the office was rewarded with a group outing to the International Champions Cup (ICC) match that evening in the beautiful Singapore National Stadium. We watched Chelsea (the local favorite) lose to Bayern Munich by 1 goal. Not the game the locals we hoping to see, but still an all-around great evening.

 

A Night at the Zoo

On Wednesday evening after our meetings I had a ‘free’ evening, so I decided to go to the Maxwell Road Hawker Center for dinner. Hawker Centers are traditional street food markets in Singapore. You can find things like chicken rice, dumplings, chilli crab, etc. The markets are full of delicious food at very reasonable prices.

After dinner I went over to the Singapore Zoo for the night safari. The zoo hosts the safari each evening by tram or walking tour. It is essentially a zoo visit and they light the animal habitats in a way in which you can see them. Some of the animals are going about their business while others were sleeping. It was night, after all. You can’t take any photos with flash – no one needs a hyena charging after them – so I tried to snap a few flash-less shots and wound up with these pathetic mementos:

 

Off to Myanmar!

On Thursday after work I flew up to Myanmar. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to visit the incredible Holly Bostock and learn more about her new life in this new country. I took over Holly’s role in Amsterdam and she took on the Corporate Affairs Director role at HEINEKEN Myanmar. Holly picked me up from the airport and we were off to catch up! First stop: a rooftop bar in Yangon to cheers over a HEINEKEN!

Right now it is monsoon season in Yangon. Except I would hardly believe it because my 24 hours on the ground were almost 100% dry! We braved a very, very brief drizzle on the roof and then moved on to a delicious dinner with local delicacies in downtown.

It was so great to hear about Holly’s new adventure, and what an adventure it is! A great and challenging opportunity to lead a team in a relatively new market. In a short period of time she’s already done so many great things. I am sure she will leave her mark in a tremendous way throughout her time there.

On Friday we went to the office, which is a really interesting gated-community. The city itself reminded me of a British colonial-era village trapped in time but not maintained. What I mean by that is you can definitely see the British influence throughout the city from an architecture standpoint, but only the resemblance of what once was as most buildings were not kept up.

Once you enter the gate to the office grounds there are three buildings:  a colonial-style mansion of sorts which houses functions like finance and then two branded container-looking buildings that house marketing, corporate affairs, HR, etc. We entered the container where CA sits and were warmly greeted by the team. It was nice to meet everyone and hear what area of the team they support, and then equally as nice to sit down and have some time with Holly to discuss some ongoing projects. 

 

 

All About That BUDDah

Taking advantage of the dry weather we went to Shwedagon, the ancient pagoda in Yangon. We hired a guide to walk us through the glorious site. The pagoda consisted of smaller temples and shrines made out of gold and other precious stones which glistened as we learned about the history of the temple. We identified the day of the week in which we were born, and learned that each day of the week has a corresponding animal and god-like statue that you pour three cups of water over as a ritual. We also took turns banging the gong three times, one for each good deed we recently may have done.

 

 

 

 

After the pagoda we headed to one of the local markets. A labyrinth of fabrics, pottery and more, the market was made up of endless rows of stalls with each shopkeeper vying for our attention. We stopped at a few fabric stalls to check out patterns as Holly plans to decorate her brand new apartment (which is beautiful!) with some local décor. The market was the perfect place to get a feel for the people, and the local flavour of Yangon.

 

 

 

Until Next Time SE Asia!

My trip to Yangon was wayyyy too short but I had an amazing time catching up with Holly, ending the week at our Myanmar offices and seeing a few sites of this ancient city. I know I will definitely return!

 

 

If it’s Tuesday Monday, it Must be Belgium

It’s always a gift when a business trip falls on a Friday or Monday when it involves travel to a place you’ve always wanted to go. In this case, I was fortunate to join two colleagues on a tour of our maltry and a brewery in Belgium on a Monday in mid-July. And, as luck would have it, visiting the city of Gent (or Ghent) has been high on my list for a long time now.

Brugges is Overrated

You have probably heard amazing things about Brugges. And they are all accurate. So, why am I calling it overrated? Because once you’ve been to Gent during Gentse Feesten, there’s just no comparison.

Gent has all the same charm as Brugges – the medieval buildings untouched by WWII, the canals, the beer, the chocolate, the waffles and the waterzooi chicken – and then some. Not only is it a bit bigger than Brugges, there are more monuments to see, it’s a more historically significant city (during Charles V’s day it was the richest European city behind Paris), and each summer it is home to Gentse Feesten, a huge festival in the old city that brings live entertainment to the streets all day, and for free.

 

24 Hours (or less) in Gent

My day started with a quick and comfortable train ride from Amsterdam Centraal to Brussels. Aside from a small mishap in Brussels (NOTE: Brussels-Midi IS Brussels-Zuid…you do not need to the leave Midi, take a subway, or do anything else, to get to Zuid from Midi, because you are in Zuid. Big mistake. I’ll let you imagine the rest of what happened), it was relatively smooth and easy to get to Brussels and transfer to a local train to Gent.

Two hours and 30 minutes later (give or take, given the mishap above), I arrived in this beautiful Medieval mecca. I started my day with a walking tour of the city which helped orient me and taught me all about the history I needed to know in order to understand the significance of the beautiful buildings and truly appreciate the city’s charm.

After the walking tour I couldn’t help but stop for the gastronomic sensation that is the Belgian French fry. The tour guide pointed out a hotspot along the tour and I made my way back, found a seat outside and listened to the live music in the early afternoon sun. No, I did not try the mayo. But, I did go for the local specialty – a pickle sauce (right up my alley!) – alongside my boring side of ketchup. You can take the girl out of the U.S….

 

 

After my nutritious lunch, I set off to visit the Belfry. From the top I caught the most amazing 360° views of the city. The streets were flooded with people and although the day was a bit overcast, it was perfect for picture-taking and touring.

 

 

I wandered along the lines of canals checking out local shops and scoping out my chocolate options for after dinner. The important things. There’s one great thing about loving to shop – when you travel, finding little boutiques with originals that you can’t find anywhere else can be an exciting thrill for a shopaholic. Then, every time you wear the item it reminds you of the trip. I just love that.

After my stroll around town I decided to take a canal cruise. What else is new?! Just like in Amsterdam, canal cruises can be found all around the city, and it really is a great way to see the city in a new light. I can’t say I learned anything new or different from the walking tour, but it was nice to cruise along the water and take in the scenery. I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the city.

 

 

Before calling it a night, I hit up a recommended café to get the famed waterzooi chicken. I would best describe it as a heavy chicken stew that is rich in chicken and hearty vegetables. It’s absolutely delicious, even though the picture below may lead you to believe otherwise. I paired it with a raspberry beer, which really hit the spot. A no, I did not have a Stella. And for the record no one drinks Stella in Belgium. Belgians don’t like Stella. It’s hard to find such an inferior beer. J

 

The Steps Behind the Making of a Great Beer  

On Monday morning I met up with my two colleagues in Brussels and we headed towards Mouterji Albert, a HEINEKEN owned company that has been malting our barley for over 40 years. Our gracious hosts took us through a history of the company, taught us about the 4-step process and took us through their admirable sustainability plan and practices.

After our sit-down meeting, it was time to get a tour! It amazes me how rarely we stop to think about the process of making beer, and even if we do, we think about what happens once all the raw materials arrive at the brewery. Learning about the malting process was eye opening. A whole operation that takes time, effort and care in order to deliver the perfect product to the brewery.

The barley comes from France and then goes through a 7-day process: Weken, which is the steeping of the barley in water (1 day), Kiemen, which is the germination (5 days), and then Eesten, which is the kiln process (1 day). And then voila! The barley is ready to be transported to HEINEKEN breweries around the world.

 

Brewing in Beligum is a True Craft

Belgians have a strong reputation when it comes to brewing beer. Looking at the beer list in Gent was almost overwhelming with heaps of local brews flooding the lists. We tend to forget that around the world local beer is personal. There is pride behind drinking the beer from your hometown and as the craft phenomenon continues to expand in Europe it is fascinating to see some of the Belgian crafts take flight.

One such craft, Mort Subite, has been part of the HEINEKEN family since 2008. It was delightful to tour the brewery later in the day. It’s hard to believe that just 5 people are behind the success of this great brand. That’s right. Five people work in the brewery, including the brewmaster who also oversees the Affligem brewery up the road.

Our tour was led by the brewmaster himself, which was a treat. He told us about the ins and outs of life in the brewery, the history of the brand and all the exciting growth the brand is seeing outside of Belgium. We got to do a taste test with a few different varieties and learned about how the cherry harvest can have such an effect on their famed cherry beer. It was the perfect way to end the day.

 

As I headed back to Amsterdam that evening, I couldn’t help but reflect on the last 48 hours. I’ve been doing that a lot lately. Stopping. Reflecting. How amazing that you can take a two-hour train ride and arrive in a piece of history. A two-hour train ride from New York gets you to…New Jersey. I’m truly loving every minute of this journey!