The Western Canal Ring, Amsterdam

 

The Western Canal Ring area in Amsterdam in a Unesco World Heritage Site: it's a real treat  wandering about, admiring the architecture or the many quirky shops that are to be found here.

 

 



 

We usually start from Dam Square, walk down Kalverstraat, the main shopping street, turn right, and these two buildings, one Art Nouveau, one Art Deco, are the landmark, the signal that we are about to enter this very special district in Amsterdam. We tend to walk along the Singel, one of the large canals, for a bit, then walk up one of the Negen Straatjes (Nine Streets) looking at the shops until we reach the Prinsengracht, the last canal of the ring, then down another of the Nine Streets, and so on and so forth.

 

 

Not sure what this building is, but we presume it must be a bank - very fortified

 

 

 

 



massive doors

detail.

The Negen Straatjes are a real delight - full of quirky little boutiques stocking antiques, vintage fashions, housewares and one-off speciality shops: the toothbrush shop exclusively sells just that

 

 

or plastic ducks in the Amsterdam Duck Store.

 

 

 

 

 

It's a real pleasure wandering around here - during our last two visits we have noticed signs of gentrification - the big designer brands seem to have started moving in here, and this undoubtedly will change the atmosphere of these streets

 

 

 

 

 

Hester Van Eeghen's handbag store has been here for years

 

 

 

 



 

 

but this time we noticed that she has opened a shoe shop as well - shoes with her trademark bright primary colours and inspired designs

 

 

 

ceramics

everything well looked after

 

 

with the Dutch flair for simplicity and elegance 

  

 

 

 

including the pots of herbs in their paper bags in the window.

 

 

 

 

The contrast between the intimacy of the narrow quiet little streets

 

and the openness of the canals, is very pleasing

 



 

 

 

and when the weather is good every one is out - either on a boat or sitting in cafes

 

 

 

 



and there is an air of celebration all around.

As usual, the queue outside Anne Frank's House is very long

snaking around the block

 

We continue walking along the edge of the water 

 

 

 

crossing bridges

 

 

 

admiring the architecture

 

looking closer at some of the buildings

 

 



 

 

or even closer

 

 

 

 



 

and then it's time to join another of the 9 Streets for more window-shopping.

But the canals is what we like best