Tulips are forever

With the summer coming to an end, the tulips  will soon stop blooming but at Schiphol airport there will always be hundreds of them welcoming weary travelers from all over the world.

If you are transiting in Amsterdam for an onward flight to or from the New World, the new transit area is a comfortable place to spend a few hours.

We were on our way to the Land of the Free and found that we had more than a couple of hours to spend before the next leg of our journey.

A welcome relief

After an  9 hour flight on Jet Airways ‘hohum’ flight we were happy to set foot on land at Schiphol. I don’t want this to be a rant about Jet ( I’ll leave that for another post ) but suffice it to say that what Jet advertises is definitely not what you get. The Business class seat I was allotted was as comfortable as a cardboard box and I began to wonder if the seats and my size were correlated. With every price rise, the seat became smaller and I longed for the old days when I used to swim in my Economy class chair!

For the privilege of taking a hefty fee from its passengers, Jet Airways cabin staff was even surlier than the American Airline staff and set a new record for Indian hospitality. Within minutes of take off, the cabin crew conveniently darkened the cabin and reluctantly offered the ‘anytime’ snacks and beverages that they had promised.  The inflight entertainment was pathetic as was the food which for the first time in my life I actually passed up.

So it was a welcome relief to see the tulips at Schiphol airport .

Since Ms Papaya was the reason for my travel,we wanted to book a room at the Mercure or Yotel but found that there was really no need. The new facilities at the renovated airport are simply marvellou, especially for baby passengers .

Have a bath for free !

Yes ! It’s amazing how baby friendly this new Lounge is. We found a baby care lounge where we could bathe Ms Papaya and even let her stretch her legs in a crib which could be curtained off for privacy .

But we didn’t want to really spend our time cooped up in the curtained comfort of a baby shower cubicle so we set out to explore.

Taste of Holland

The Dutch Kitchen was a great place for a taste of Holland and we pigged out on the yummy Dutch apple pie and their legendary pancakes . I would recommend the lesser known treat of Poffertjes which are baby pancakes doused dusted with powdered sugar.

We indulged in a plate of crispy crunch kibbeling which was accompanied by French fries (not as good as the real Vlaamse frites  though) .

The bitterballen another Dutch specialty is my favourite and at this cafe they are served as croquettes with all of the flavour of the original.

Relaxing with music

The new lounge area has plenty of spaces to relax in- tiered platforms with comfy cushions unlike the fixed furniture that isn’t really comfortable. There are work spaces where you can hook up to the Internet or relax with your own device and use the free wifi that is available. Or curl up with a book from the free library space

But what was most amazing was the share your talent  area where passengers can actually play a real live piano!

How wonderful it was to listen to light music played by ordinary people who entertained the crowds while they unwound .

Truly this new lounge is a great place to recharge and rejuvenate for the onward journey with it truly interactive lounge facilities .

Verdict

We found absolutely no need to book a room at the Mercure and even though we were entitled to the KLM Crown Lounge, didn’t find the need to really use it’s facilities.

So the next time you have a long layover at Schiphol be prepared to enjoy yourself.

P.S  And don’t make the mistake of flying JetAirways especially Business Class with an infant where you get the benefit of travelling with your baby on your lap for a higher price!