It had been on my calendar for months: a city trip to Amsterdam, quality time with my oldest godchild, and her very first big concert! Early July it finally happened: seeing Stray Kids live, with plenty of time to explore the city in between.

Thursday: train delays, park picnic & merch madness

We left Antwerp by train early Thursday morning, heading for Amsterdam. What should’ve been a two-hour trip turned into two and a half — well, you know how it goes with the railways. Instead of arriving at Amsterdam Central, we got off at Amsterdam Zuid, which actually turned out to be a nice surprise since it was closer to our hotel. So close, in fact, that we decided to walk there through the peaceful and green Beatrixpark.

On our way to the hotel, we stumbled upon a charming lunch spot — and with two hungry stomachs, we didn’t hesitate to stop for a first cozy break. By the time we finished lunch, it was the perfect moment to check in.

Then I let my godchild choose: head to the city center or go straight to Johan Cruijff ArenA, where the merch sale for the concert had already started. No surprise — she picked the ArenA. We waited over an hour in line to get her favorite items — it could’ve gone faster if the “click & collect” instructions had been clearer, but oh well. If she’s happy, then I’m happy.

After a quick stop at the hotel — the newly bought treasures had to be safely stored, of course — we headed to the city center. On the agenda: a Korean restaurant hosting a special Stray Kids event. Unfortunately, the food was already sold out, and the free photo cards that came with purchases over five euros were all gone too. Luckily, we could still get homemade drinks, complete with Stray Kids cup sleeves. That made my goddaughter really happy too!

For the real dinner, we went to the Foodhallen. Staying true to the Asian theme, we picked a plate of dim sum. Delicious!

We ended the day with a peaceful evening stroll along the canals and charming streets, watching the sun slowly set.

Friday: from the 9 Streets to the Anne Frank House

Friday started with a hearty breakfast at the hotel, after which we dove back into the city center. I had booked a late morning visit to the Anne Frank House, but we arrived a bit early, so we wandered around the 9 Streets first.

The Anne Frank House was, as expected, a very different kind of visit compared to the rest of our trip. Painful and confronting. The history comes alive again and really gets under your skin — especially with the realization that similar tragedies sadly still happen today.

For lunch, we tried the Korean restaurant again — and this time, luck was on our side! There was still food available, but no seats left. Fortunately, we remembered a cozy spot with benches from earlier, so we went for takeaway.

In the afternoon, we took a walk to Vondelpark. But soon my goddaughter’s nerves for the concert took over, so we went back to the hotel room for some decompression time.

Friday evening: Stray Kids!

And then… the moment everything had been about: Stray Kids live in concert!

What did I think? Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But the vibe surprised me — very laid-back, positive, and even cozy. Of course, there were tons of screaming teenage girls, but all full of enthusiasm, no hysteria. And that stadium… wow. 50,000 people, that’s impressive.

And those Stray Kids boys really know their stuff. The show was tight, smooth, and visually flawless.
In the end, I recognized more songs than I thought I would, and some of those new tunes are still stuck in my head.
They also know exactly how to charm their fans — a wink here, a six-pack flash there… and the screams kept rising in volume. My eardrums definitely took a beating. The show lasted a full three hours, with fun interludes like dance battles and sing-alongs. The sound from our seats wasn’t perfect, but the atmosphere made up for it.

Most importantly, my godchild beamed all evening — and I have to admit, I really enjoyed it too. Maybe I’m secretly turning into a mini Stay myself?

Saturday: the journey home (and train misery)

The day after the concert started slow: no breakfast, but brunch instead. Then we leisurely headed to the station. We arrived way too early, so we strolled around near Amsterdam Central for a bit.

The first train ride (to Rotterdam) went smoothly… but then the misery started again. Our 45-minute trip back to Antwerp ended up taking almost three hours. We really took a grand tour of Dutch stations!

Looking back

The trip is over already — and yes, the post-concert and post-city trip blues hit hard. Waiting so long for something, experiencing such an intense high… it definitely leaves its mark afterward.

But it was more than worth it. Definitely worth doing again, although I’ll have to save up a bit first 😉 Amsterdam was a bit busier than I expected (the canals are lovely for walks, but the traffic was intense), but the vibe, the food, the cozy atmosphere — and of course the concert — made it a trip to remember.