A 17th-century canal-house guest room: Late-morning sunshine streams through a drift of tulle curtains; outside the window floats a Vermeer-worthy view of the Keizersgracht, the most elegant of Amsterdam's canals. After lolling under crisp sheets, the down-stuffed duvet, and a bed canopy, you get ready to face the day by heading for breakfast, stepping down the steep and narrow canal-house stairway. You enter a breakfast nook that is the epitome of gezellig, a term that embodies the notions of coziness, comfort, and pleasure. The table is set with ham, rolls, jams, and cheeses, and the lady serving you is as courteous as the ontbijtkoek (gingerbread cake) is velvety and rich. More »
