September 2021 feels like a lifetime ago now, but looking back, that first trip to Amsterdam marked a quiet turning point for us.
We had only moved to Germany one month earlier and were still living in the lodge, surrounded by boxes, temporary routines, and that in-between feeling of not quite being settled yet. With Europe finally opening up cautiously again, it felt like the right moment to explore somewhere close. Amsterdam made perfect sense — familiar enough to ease us into travel again, but different enough to feel like an adventure.
This became our second European trip and the third country we’d visited as a family.
🚆 Deutsche Bahn, COVID Rules, and Retro Game Boys
We traveled by DB train, which at the time still came with clear COVID precautions. Masks were required, distancing was encouraged, and everything felt slightly subdued compared to pre-pandemic travel.
The kids, unfazed by it all, passed the time with their retro Game Boys, a sight that somehow fit perfectly with the moment — old-school entertainment in a world that had slowed down. There was something comforting about the simplicity of it: train tracks rolling past, muffled station announcements, and the quiet excitement of crossing another border together.
It felt like a small victory just to be traveling again.
First Wanders Through the City
Once we arrived, we kept things intentionally light. This wasn’t a checklist kind of day — just a chance to walk, observe, and absorb.
Canals, narrow houses leaning at impossible angles, bicycles everywhere, and that unmistakable Amsterdam rhythm that feels both calm and alive at the same time. We wandered through the city center, taking in a few iconic views, snapping photos, and letting the kids set the pace.
There was no rush. We were still learning how to travel again — especially as a family — and Amsterdam welcomed us gently.
🍽️ Dinner at a Restaurant That Honors Mothers
That evening, we stumbled into a traditional restaurant that immediately felt special. The walls were lined with framed photographs of mothers, sent in by people from all over the world to honor the women who raised them. It wasn’t flashy or curated — it was personal, sentimental, and deeply human.
The atmosphere reminded us instantly of Mami’s in Aberdeen — from the warm, unfussy hospitality all the way down to the intentionally mismatched plates that somehow made the food taste even better. It felt like someone’s home, not a restaurant.
The meal was simple, hearty, and comforting — exactly what we didn’t realize we needed after months of uncertainty and transition. Sitting there, surrounded by stories of mothers from every corner of the world, it felt grounding in the best way.
A Small Trip That Meant a Lot
Day one in Amsterdam wasn’t about museums or major attractions. It was about being somewhere new, together, at a moment when the world still felt fragile.
We were a family newly arrived in Europe, still finding our footing, taking trains in masks, and rediscovering the joy of movement and curiosity. Amsterdam was close, accessible, and forgiving — the perfect place to remind us that this chapter of life was really happening.
And it all started with a train ride, a Game Boy, and dinner that felt like home.
