Amsterdam - what a nice surprise!

Amsterdam was great. I had a preconceived idea of what this city would be like - based on nothing more than a few casual aquantances with Dutch people living in New Zealand, a few random photos I've seen in magazines, and I think I've tasted a few Dutch chocolates and cheeses over the years, but after spending just three nights in Is city, I'd hafta say: great place to visit, and I probably wouldn't mind living there - for awhile.

So, when we arrived, we wandered out to the front of the train station with our suitcases and the intention of catching a taxi to the hotel. There was an official looking dude with a bright yellow jacket on sorting all the confused passengers out and telling taxis where to go. We showed him the address for our hotel and he pointed across the square and said there it was, so off we went. What he didn't tell us was that the street's 327 miles long and our hotel's at the other end.

Anyway, for the next 20 or so minutes, we wandered the cobbled streets of Amsterdam with our two suitcases. Another mistake. By the time we reached the hotel my poor wife was well and truly over it. Anyway, after descending the steps down to the front door and battling our way into the hotel, we were checked in, given directions to our room, pointed to the elevator and sent on our way.

Now I don't know that Denise and I with two suitcases take up an awful lot of room, but it was a tight squeeze in the elevator. Our room number was 502, so thinking like a normal person I went to push the number for the fifth floor to discover that the elevator only went to the fourth floor - 'cause that's the top floor of the hotel. So, after standing in the elevator for a week or so looking at each other in an increasingly confused manner, we read the big sign right in front of us to discover that room 502 is - in fact - on the fourth floor. 

After pushing the right buttons and reaching the top floor we started wandering down the corridor following the arrows that pointed to room 502, and the first thing we came to was a flight of stairs - going down??..... So, like good little hotel guests, we continued down the stairs, 'round the corner still following the arrows and found another, longer flight of stairs - going up!! and there was room 502. 

After that experience we thought we'd better go and have a cuppa, so off we went and immediately started finding some of the treasures of Amsterdam...

and then we found more..... treasures!!...

and even more.....

 This city is just absolutely... In your face... but the thing is, here that's the norm. No one makes any excuses or apologies for it. That's just the way it is... and it's honest, and refreshing and the whole city has a vitality and charm that's unique and fantastic.

But it's also beautiful. Not like other cities are... again, Amsterdam doesn't seem to bow to anyone else's tradition, it just is!

and when you think you've got it straight in your head it shows you a whole different side...

Three great days... Wonderful!!

Here's some more of Amsterdam. Hope you enjoy!

https://picasaweb.google.com/102502153151045712202/Amsterdam?noredirect=1

It's "All aboard" for us... we're off on our river excursion down the Rhine.

See ya!