Madame Tussauds Amsterdam: WOW!

Madame Tussauds Amsterdam bills itself as “Amsterdam’s most fun and interactive attraction.”

In this entry – part 2 of my Amsterdam Adventure – I decided to see if that moniker was true.

But first – Breakfast!

My taste this day desired something sweet and not too complicated. Amsterdam offers many choices that would satisfy my desire, but what to choose?

How about pancakes?

I mean, you can’t go wrong with pancakes, right? 

I researched a few pancake houses and decided to try the Pancake Corner. Its menu offered a variety of pancake options, both sweet and savory, and it was one of the few restaurants opened at the time. 

The Pancake Corner was a nice walk from the hotel, so I snapped a few photos along the way.

Amsterdam truly is a beautiful city.

THE PANCAKE CORNER — Rating 2 out of 5 Stars

The restaurant wasn’t busy when I arrived, so I was seated quickly and given a menu. I started with a hot chocolate with whipped cream because coffee really isn’t my thing, and the restaurant’s selection of teas left me wondering if their cupboard was bare. 

Nostalgia for England is the only explanation as to why I ordered the Full English Breakfast. 

I instantly regretted that decision the moment the plate was placed in front of me. 

What was this mess?

The eggs were terrible and too runny. The ham posing as back bacon was nothing more than processed sandwich meat you can buy at the grocery store. The less said about the beans and sausage, the better. 

And how do you screw up toast! It’s TOAST!

I picked over much of it, eventually giving up and ordering my pancake. 

The Strawberry and Cream pancake was selected and it looked delicious. 

I should know better than to judge a pancake by its cover. 

The cream was good, but the strawberries tasted as if they were a few minutes from being dumped into the trash. The pancake itself wasn’t terrible but it fell way short of my expectations. I ordered another hot chocolate – which was the only good part of this breakfast – paid my bill and left.

Hey, not every meal is a 5-Star affair. 

MADAME TUSSAUDS AMSTERDAM 

I arrived at Madame Tussauds Amsterdam just after opening, so the line wasn’t long. Also, COVID restrictions limited the number of people allowed inside at one time. 

I wasn’t expecting to spend more than two hours inside, given the museum’ size. 

But OMGosgh!

This museum was #Awesome! It made the most of technology, encouraging interaction whenever possible. The best part was the option to enter your email and have videos and photos taken sent directly to you. 

It was so cool having a video of me strutting down the runaway like a supermodel! 

But I’m not posting that video anywhere! Why? Because I tripped and fell on my butt, and I wasn’t wearing high heels. A truly funny moment that I’ll re-watch over and over again in the years to come, but only in the privacy of my own home.

Each room of the museum was a joy to interact with, and made the €22 entrance price worth it. 

Singing a duet of “We Are the Champions” with Adele was a blast.

I did discover that I shouldn’t sing outside the shower after listening to my version, sent to my email thanks to the museum’s interactive system.

And no, I will never allow anyone to hear my version – ever! 

Check out my response when asked how I felt traveling solo in Amsterdam:

The Vincent van Gogh exhibit was my personal favorite. I spent 20 minutes getting different versions of myself in van Gogh’s Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun painting. 

Granted many of the Dutch celebrities I didn’t know well, but I still had a great time. 

Madame Tussauds Amsterdam did live up to their billing. 

I spent the rest of the day in my hotel room putting the finishing touches on a research paper for school. That evening, I settled on the Hard Rock Cafe Amsterdam for dinner. 

HARD ROCK CAFE AMSTERDAM — Rating 4 out of 5 Stars

I seldom have a bad experience at the Hard Cafes I visit, and Amsterdam was no exception. Good food, wonderful atmosphere, and GREAT view of the canal below. 

I ordered One Night In Bangkok Spicy Shrimp and Cedar Plank Salmon with extra broccoli.

Both dishes were delicious. My visit was wonderful and my server was great. I had to take away a star because there was no free WiFi to download the menu.

After a nice walk around the city, capturing some night photos to prove to my friends that I do leave my hotel room at night, I called it a day.

The next day, I was set to explore the Amsterdam Countryside.