Cultural Experiences
Neighbourhood Culture:
Amsterdam Oost By Christina Newberry
Amsterdam’s hip eastern borough is a cultural mosaic where Surinamese take-out joints mingle with Middle Eastern greengrocers, modern boutiques and classic Dutch bars.
BROUWERIJ ‘T IJ, AMSTERDAM’S OLDEST BREWERY ©CHRISTINA NEWBERRY
SETTLE IN FOR A SIP Oost’s best-known drinking establishment is Brouwerij ‘t IJ, the city’s oldest craft brewery. Housed in a former municipal bathhouse, it’s tucked between Amsterdam’s largest windmill and the Singel canal. The brewery’s sunny picnic tables are tough to beat in summer, but the idyllic pond-side terrace at Distillery ‘t Nieuwe Diep gives them a run for their money. Nestled in leafy Flevopark, the distillery is accessible only on foot – or, if you’re modelling the locals, by bike. This is a perfect spot to try jenever, the local juniper-based spirit. To immerse yourself in neighbourhood life, head to Walter’s (also known as the Walter Woodbury Bar) for one of the local favourites: gin and tonic or fresh mint tea.
36 • Vacations ® • Spring 2019
TROPENMUSEUM ©CHRISTINA NEWBERRY
UNDERSTAND A TROUBLED PAST It’s impossible to talk about Oost’s cultural mosaic without acknowledging a history of slavery that brought so many cultures together in Amsterdam in the first place. The Tropenmuseum’s permanent exhibition “Afterlives of Slavery” showcases personal stories and artifacts that raise difficult questions about how a society moves on from a slave trade that ended only 150 years ago. In nearby Oosterpark, the abolition of slavery is celebrated every summer at the free Keto Koti (Broken Chains) Festival featuring Surinamese food, music, dance, and educational programming. If you’re not in town for the festival, visit the park’s national slavery monument, a moving work by Surinamese artist Erwin de Vries.
