Once a working class neighborhood in Amsterdam, now gentrified and full of trendy shops and cafes, the Jordaan is a neighborhood not far from our hotel that we’ve heard we should visit. Today was fairly unstructured, so we decided to just wander through the neighborhood before the predicted afternoon rains began to fall.

Jordaan is said to be a lot like Cockney neighborhoods in London were: it has its own dialect, was fiercely proud of itself, was a bit more on the edge politically, and a place where neighborhood bonds were strengthened at the local pubs.

Today, the Jordaan felt quiet. We were there a little early, before most shops open at noon. (The Netherlands, it seems, is not a go-go-go culture where you’ll find 24/7 stores or a live to work attitude). We wandered through, snapped some photos, and peeked through gallery windows. It was nice to get to know this neighborhood a bit.

In the afternoon, I went to a spa here in the Canal Zone. I love to have a spa day, especially when on vacation. Clint loves to read. So that worked out perfectly this afternoon. The spa, Sauna Deco, has been operating for more than 30 years, but almost the entire interior came from the Paris department store Au Bon Marché, which dates from 1920. When store owners decided to remodel in the 1970s, they decided to take the wrecking ball to the deco interior of the store. When word of this got out, a developer from Amsterdam purchased many pieces of the store and built the spa around them once they were transported to Amsterdam. It is a very beautiful space, for sure.

All relaxed and with skin as soft as a baby’s behind, I made it back to the hotel to meet Clint in time for dinner. We ate in a pub just a block from the hotel, which was filled with locals mostly. The bustling atmosphere was fun, even if the weather outside today was dreary. We’ve been so lucky with weather on this trip, we can hardly complain.

The weather is due to improve tomorrow and we have big plans for our last full day in Europe. Stay tuned …

The main square in the Jordaan

The architecture here in the Jordaan tells the story of this being a former working class neighborhood.

Gentrification of this neighborhood started about 20 years ago.

The Jordaan is full of color as residents’ gardens are often in containers right in front of their windows and doors.

One of the lift bridges connecting the Jordaan to the rest of Amsterdam Centrum, the borough of this Canal Zone.

One of the smallest, cutest boats we’ve seen on the canals, here in Jordaan

Just across the Prinsengracht Canal from the Jordaan, the homes are much more stately … albeit a bit tilted.

This building, opposite the Jordaan, shows the large shuttered windows which were from the days when these buildings were warehouses and goods could easily be hoisted in from the streets or canals.

After walking the Jordaan, we explored a bit more of the neighboring areas. Like in many places in this city, “coffee shops” abound. This is nothing like your neighborhood Starbucks. These don’t serve coffee at all. It’s all about weed, pot, Mary Jo Wanna, 420 … whatever you want to call it.

Then I did a little shopping. How’s this for an outlet store?

This is the spa I visited today, showing many of the art deco elements from the Parisian department store.

After dinner, walking the short distance back to our hotel, we noticed this small little canal off of the Prinsengracht canal that our hotel fronts. Cute. But the skies are quite dreary, as you can see.