Long walks and discoveries: Kadijkenplein

Most of the visitors attention here is mainly focused on Amsterdam's central part called Red Light District - while this might be understandable, it is neither pretty nor inspirational but rather a nasty, sleazy part of old town where cheap, gimmicky shop windows fight for naive customers to buy sex toys, aphrodisiacs, T-shirts and plastic souvenirs made elsewhere. If this is what you came for, good for you, but there is so much more to this beautiful city. I was stuck in this area since I lived here for a while, but eventually my natural curiosity inspired me to see what is over there so I moved to the left - still historical part, just far less visitors and not commercial at all - first I discovered the old Jewish neighbourhood, than I moved further left to Kadijken.

Kadijken is the area just across the famous Het Scheepvaartmuseum - originally it was a shipyard area and even today there are houses here built for the seamen, like Zeemanshuis (The Seamen's House)

or on the opposite side there is a beautiful building in the style of Central Station and eventually I found out it used to be The Nautical School - also, because there used to be all sorts of gates around, people who worked around them lived here. So this was all about seamen, shipyards, gates, naval academies, warehouses and the smell of fish everywhere. The part that particularly delights me is called Kadijksplein and it is a charming square right opposite of Het Scheepvaartmuseum.

Because of Corona, the place is deserted, of course, but my impression is that this was never  crowded place anyway - it really looks as one of those forgotten corners known only to locals who live here. After all, the tourists usually crowd elsewhere and Kadijken seems genuinely as a perfect biking or walking route, very quiet, very serene and just a little bit out of center. There are several extremely charming bistros and terraces here, along with a super attractive bakery and some art shops, but the best of all is the sight of my favourite house in Amsterdam. 

I don't know how to explain it or put it in the words but my heart beat faster when I saw this little beauty. There are two cutest little houses leaning on each other and mine is the one of the left. Apparently they are here for quite some time and the old photos show the both little houses being some sorts of local shops (Tobacco?) - it was always a very pleasant little neighbourhood and these two sister houses are just the cutest little sights for me - I always smile when I see the house on the left, number 15. Apparently not so long ago, both of them were seriously neglected and it is heartbreaking to see how bad they looked - whoever lived there, just didn't give a damn or did not appreciate what a fantastic place this is. Fortunately, both houses got extremely nice makeover and new owners, so now when I walk here, I see young families with small kids playing outside and it just feels so right to see the little house bursting with a new life, it always makes me happy - it doesn't matter that myself I don't live there, in fact this new young family with kids belongs there perfectly, its almost like some Disney movie, the beautiful little house with a young family inside. I do have a soft spot for little houses and they always catch my attention as I enjoy my walks, this little beauty definitely warms my heart.