The Light of Amsterdam, by David Park
Selected at the “Books set in Amsterdam” section of Waterstone’s Books on the Kalverstraat, this book has its characters visit many of Amsterdam’s main tourist sights. Some you have seen in other Book Trail postings such as: Centraal Station, the Kalverstraat, and the Red-Light District. Some are new locations specific to the story of this book. Click this link for an interactive version of the map below: The Light of Amsterdam Book Locations
The book follows three sets of characters; a newly divorced father with his teenage son, a mother who is joining her twenty-something’s daughter’s ‘hen do’ before her wedding, and a couple taking a well-earned break after working hard at their own business for many years. During the story all visit various locations and occasionally interact with each other too.
We begin with Centraal Station. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam_Centraal_station) While all three groups travel to Amsterdam via plane from Belfast, the train station is nonetheless the geographic center of the story’s start.
Station up close 
Looking back from Dam Sq to Centraal Station
Our first couple, Marion and Richard, cross town to find their hotel. They pass Dam Square, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dam_Square) finding the American Hotel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Hotel,_Amsterdam) on the Leidesplein. Marion is happy that their room does not face the noisy tourist area.
War memorial at Dam Sq 
American Hotel from Leidesplein
It is The Bulldog Coffeeshop (https://www.thebulldog.com/) that is the first stop for the hen party with Karen, the single-parent-mother-of-the-bride in tow. The local chain has many locations, but from the story I assume they go to the one on the Leidesplein which is visible to Marion and Richard from their hotel.
Alan, the divorced dad, and his son Jack also begin their journey at Centraal Station. From there they are looking for food. Jack is not interested in any Amsterdam specialties; they find one of the many Burger Kings in the city and join the queue. (https://www.burgerking.nl/)
After eating their burgers, father and son reach their ‘mid-priced’ hotel in the Spui (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spui_(Amsterdam)). There are many hotels over the various restaurants and shops in the square; I do not have a guess which of them the father and son may have actually used, but I do have some pictures of the area. The Spui Square is also the home of the Boekenmarkt, a used book fair held every Friday for more than 30 years. https://www.deboekenmarktophetspui.nl/
Vondelpark (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vondelpark) figures heavily in all three of the intersecting stories. Known for its trees, paths, sculpture, and cafes; all characters make it to this, the largest of the many parks in the city, at some point.
Museums are part of the story setting also. We visit the huge and beautiful Rijksmuseum (https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en) where Karen becomes fascinated by Vermeer’s ability to paint the light on a women’s face as she appears to read a letter by a window, (https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/search/objects?q=vermeer&p=1&ps=12&st=Objects&ii=1#/SK-C-251,1) and the Van Gogh, (https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en) where Alan hopes to find inspiration for his own art-based project on which his teaching job depends.
Rijksmuseum front 
And, the back which faces Museumplein
Far side of Museumplein 
Van Gogh 
Closer look at Van Gogh
During their visit to the city, Alan and his teenage son, Jack, visit a large open market which has multiple sellers of used clothing. There are many open-air markets in the city, but I believe they visited the Waterlooplein Market (https://waterlooplein.amsterdam/en/historie/ ). Originally the Jewish Market, it is now known for the large selection of used clothing among other, mostly used, items.
Marion and Richard spend their time visiting the floating flower market, bloemenmarkt, (https://www.holland.com/global/tourism/destinations/amsterdam/floating-flower-market.htm ) and a year-round Christmas shop as they go from one end of the Kalverstraat at Dam Square to the other at Munt Tower. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munttoren) Marion alone visits the ice rink at the Museumplein. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museumplein) (No, the ice rink is not currently set up for the winter, so no pictures.)
Floating flower market 
Canal side/back of flower market 
Munt Tower in background of the Floating flower market/Bloemenmarkt
Kalverstraat toward Dam Square 
Kalverstraat toward Munt Tower
I could not locate a year-round Christmas Store 
This is the store that opened on Kalverstraat October 1
In a chance meeting, Alan (the newly divorced father of Jack) walks Karen (mother of the bride) around some parts of the city. He shows her a hidden garden circled by houses next to a church; I believe this to be the Begijnhof, one of the famous almshouses of Amsterdam. (https://www.fodors.com/world/europe/netherlands/amsterdam/experiences/amsterdams-hofjes–the-historic-almshouses-83466600)
More than hidden – closed for Covid-19 
Almshouse from the back side
Lastly, Alan’s teenage son declares that he would like to see the Red-Light district. https://www.amsterdam.info/red-light-district/ While uncomfortable with visiting the area on a Saturday night – the two make their way to the multiple blocks by the Oude Kerk where prostitution is legal and advertised by sex workers in canal house windows. Note that it is not just uncomfortable to take pictures of the workers in the windows, such picture taking is illegal. All my picture taking of this beautiful area are made during the day which reduces, but does not eliminate, the likely hood of running into the neighborhood’s residents plying their trade.
Windows have sex workers at night 
A variation; alley-side glass doors with workers
At the end of our story all participants are back on the plane, back on their way to Belfast. All, of course, as in any good story, are changed in some way by their experiences in Amsterdam – the personal note here would be that it is probably changing us in some ways too.