Museums, canals, and cheese!

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Aaah, Amsterdam! Dreaming of the place for so long and I'm finally here. I love the way KLM promotes the city of Amsterdam from their in-flight video screens. I did more walking ever before in one city. Stayed at Hotel New Amsterdam, a two minute walk from central station and located in a quiet residential neighborhood. Visited the Anne Frank House to truly understand the environment her diaries were written in. Of course, and thereafter, I stuffed myself with a huge cheese covered pancake ($11 Euro?! What was I thinking?!) at the Pancake House next door to make me feel better from depressing holocaust visions...The Van Gogh Museum was cool, but even better was taking a trip by train to The Hague (Den Haag) and seeing Johannes Vermeer's painting "Girl with a Pearl Earing" at the Mauritshuis Royal Picture Gallery. The exhibit there was called "Dreaming of Italy" and there were other paintings of Rome, Catholicism, and captured the tranquility of the Italian countryside. I wanted to be away from all the bustling tourists and ate at local restaurants in De Jordaan area. Definitely recommend a Tapas restaurant called Harkema - really cool, local bar / restaurant with live music...and of course, the coffee shops.

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