Hotspot | Candy Freaks // Amsterdam

As some of you may know, I'm a complete candy addict! I love everything sweet and sour and I'll just eat and eat until I get nauseous. Not too sure if that's a good thing... 

So, a little while ago, I walked past this cute little shop called 'Candy Freaks'. I've walked past it several times before, but I never had the time to actually take a look. But, this time I did have the time so I decided to step in. 

My inner candy lover performed a little dance when I saw all those beatiful colors and candies. But what is so special about this shop? I could just go to the supermarket and buy some sweets there. Well, this candy shop does not only sell regular or 'classic' candy (as they call it), but they also sell organic and natural candy. If you're someone who has certain allergies or lives the vegan lifestyle but still want to enjoy candy and its sweetness, this is the place to be! 

They offer sugar-free, gelatin-free, gluten-free and dairy-free candies, but also vegetarian and vegan-friendly candy. 

I bought myself some 'classic' candy, but the shop assistent also let us taste some organic candy. We got to try gelatin-free gummy bears which didn't contain any artificial foodflavourings. They were all flavoured with actual fruit! It was delicious!

We also got to taste organic candy which looked like the 'peach candy' from Haribo, but this one also was gelatin free and was free of any artificial foodflavours and colorings. 

Except for candy, they also sell delicious Belgian waffles! So if you're in the neighborhood, come and check it out!

Adress: Nieuwe Hoogstraat 4A, Amsterdam
Website: http://www.candyfreaks.com/

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Hotspot | Oudemanhuispoort Bookmarket // Amsterdam

Close to the Nieuwmarkt in Amsterdam, on the Kloveniersburgwal, make sure you don't pass right by a small alley; the Oudemanhuispoort. It's a small jewel you must visit when you're in Amsterdam. 

In this alley, there's a daily bookmarket which has been there since 1879! Can you imagine? Wow! Tons of books and prints are waiting to be sold by a few elderly men. These books and prints are almost all used, so they cost a fraction of their original price and since these salesmen are quite friendly, they may even offer you an extra discount. I purchased a few books there for just €1,- apiece! If you can't read Dutch, no worries! You can find books in a variety of languages, English, French, German, even Japanese! A great chance to expand your literary horizon I'd say!

The bookmarket is opened everyday, except on sunday, from 9 a.m. untill 5 p.m.

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Travel | Why you should definitely visit Leiden sometime

First of all, HAPPY NEWYEAR EVERYBODY!! Let 2015 be a super awesome one for you! And maybe you should try and visit Leiden some time this year. A little while ago, I showed you guys some photo's of Leiden, a city which I love dearly. But, I didn't really explain why I love it so much. So here it goes!

1. It's just like Amsterdam, but smaller and less crowded with tourists. As a 'small town girl' I wasn't used to the 'big city life', even though I feel more at home in bigger cities. So, Leiden was a great starting point for me when I left my home in little Eibergen. 

2. When I say that Leiden is just like Amsterdam, I mean that it also has canals and these old houses which look quite similar to the canal houses in Amsterdam. I love them! 

3. Leiden is a city with loads and loads of students, and even though I'm not the typical outgoing and partying student, I still really like them around me. It keeps the city young and vibrant. 

4. Maybe the best feature of Leiden is its location. With Leiden as a startingpoint, you can visit a lot of other cities to go shopping or immerse yourself in the Dutch culture. By train, it only takes 10 minutes to political The Hague, 20 minutes to historical Delft, 30 minutes to vibrant Rotterdam and 30 minutes to the cultural capital of The Netherlands; Amsterdam! Win-win situation I would say!

Would you ever want to visit Leiden? And if you already have, what did you like most?

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