31 March and 1 April 2017 - Amsterdam day 1

A river Cruise starting in Amsterdam! Although long, the flight was good and we arrived feeling very excited to see Amsterdam.  We had arranged to come 2 days early so that we could see as much of Amsterdam and the Keukenhauf gardens before our Viking river cruise started. 
Finding our ride to our hotel was fairly easy. The airport is very large but well laid out and we were excited to get checked in so we could get out to explore the city. 

We were staying at a 5 star hotel with two restaurants in it. One had Michelin stars but of course we had not thought to reserve a table so could not eat  there.  Our room was very large with a great view of a small canal with trees in bloom.  We unpacked a bit, stretched out, admired the view and then went out to  explore. 

We started at the canal and walked along it for bit before trying to catch the trolley. We just missed one so we stopped in at a little cafe just up the street from the hotel and grabbed a bite to eat and a quick brew which was very good. I like dutch beer. After a relaxing lunch we then did catch a trolly, street car, bus, train thing into town. 

We got off at the garden and walked through it. Flowers blooming, green grass, people in light jackets walking around, the sun shining. It was lovely, especially after a long flight in a cramped airplane. fresh air and sunshine is a great cure for travel cabin fever. 

Back on the trolley and watching for the stop for the museums we were going to go and see the next day. We continued on into the downtown area and got off at what appeared be the correct stop, a very large square filled with people.  Around the square were lots of buildings and some of them were crooked, leaning heater skelter into each other. There are all over Amsterdam, crooked buildings leaning helter skelter. how fun is that! 

Crossing the street for the first time was fun. In Amsterdam there is a sidewalk then the bicycle lane, then the street,  then the lane for the cars, then trolley lane and then in the middle usually the raised platform (5inches high) for the pedestrians to get on and off the trollies, 

 then the trolley tracks going the other way, then the car lane going the other way, then the bicycle lane for the bikes going the other way and then the sidewalk on the other side of the street.  

The height difference between the pedestrian sidewalk and the bicycle lane is about two inches and the height difference between the bicycle lane and the car lane is about two inches.  I was little unsure of where the sidewalk ended and began at first but after just about being ran over by about a dozen cyclists, I figured it out. then there are the street crossing signals which are red and yellow and green but you really have to pay attention to who they are directing, people, bikes or cars. I love Amsterdam! 

It really is a city with million bicycles. We wandered around through a large square to try and find the market that was a tourist attraction but it was closed that day. there was a sun dial on a building but the sun had gone behind a cloud so we could not tell what time it was.

 the square had many different things going on one busker, Yoda was putting on a show for us. very cute.there was a horse drawn carriage with a driver checking his cell phone, and lots of young folks out for the big pillow fight that was just happening. Maybe it is a tradition to have an outdoor pillow fight in the square or maybe it was just for fun. 

We went to the large church on the square as they were advertising an El Greco exhibition.  It was a lovely church with some very nice windows but we did not get to see El Greco as that show was just closing. We lit a few candles and said a few prayers and then headed back out into the square.

 We got  a bicycle cab with a fellow named Herbert? from Budapest who wanted to earn enough money in Amsterdam to start his own bicycle cab business back in Budapest. although he said the hills could be a problem. 

He took us through narrow streets and along canals, past boats, over bridges on small canals. Amsterdam is the most picturesque city I have ever been to. I will paint this city with its waterways  and crooked houses with great architecture when I retire and relive these streets in my memories. 

He chatted as he peddled which just went to show that he was in really good shape, and dropped us off very close to the hot spots, souvenir shops, tulip and sex museums and the infamous red light district.  

We did try out different foods and drinks but did not partake of the edible canabis products that were everywhere. Decided that we wanted to see Amsterdam "eau natural" with no interference from legal drugs. 

We wandered around just absorbing the atmosphere. stopping to look in the windows and popping into a few shops to browse the souvenirs. Found a few interesting museums like the sex museum but we did not go in. We both knew that people have been having sex since there were people. 

We found the red light district which is pretty easy to find and the girls were just getting into the windows. there were signs asking to please not take photos as this was their livelihood and out of respect do not take photos so we did not but we did look. Ot one point I thought boy what a rough life it must be as some of the ladies were looking pretty rough. Margie asked me if I saw the men in the windows dressed as women and that explained everything to me. 

We walked up canals, over bridges and into shops, down canals, over bridges and into shops. We looked at boats and people and bicycles and trolley cars. there were lots of shops with canabis products but also quite a few with tulips and towels and souvenirs. Some lovely cafes and pubs and treat shops too.

   We did pass the Ann frank museum but the line was long we did not go in. We did find the smallest tea shop in Amsterdam, probably the world. It was so cute. We went in but, surprise, it was full. We bought some tea to go and continued exploring.

We ended up going back to the main square to catch the trolly back to the hotel.  We were getting pretty good at crossing the streets now and did not cause any more almost accidents. the trolly tickets are good for a day but you have to get them scanned when you get on and off. Interesting.

We got off at a different stop and had to walk back a bit down the canal past some lovely trees, flowers and buildings decorated Art Deco  We decided we would ask at the hotel about how to get to the Kuekenhoff gardens. We were going to two art gallery / museums tomorrow but we could go the next day if we had time in the morning. 

Poor us. Tired and hungry, walking in Amsterdam on our way to our 5 star hotel for a great dinner and big room with nice view.  Tired and happy travellers. Poor us.

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