Amsterdam Day 1 and 2

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Amsterdam day 1
We arrived in Amsterdam in a train coming from the opposite direction to what was planned, and so the walking path to our accommodation was unexpectedly inverted. This caused a much longer walk from the station to our Amsterdam accommodation. We were still dragging our luggage behind us, and the walk was long and hot, but eventually, with a little help and a few mistakes we made it to the houseboat on the canal in Amsterdam for our accommodation hrs later than anticipated.
We were staying on a houseboat called Mary-Annes Houseboat, and after the long walk from the station and after the train rides from the last 2 days, it was a very welcome sight.
Kathy now- we got changed had a cold drink and headed into town, only 10 min walk away now we know the right way. We had a tour booked but didn’t have a set time, we grabbed a hot dog on way tour office. When we got there she said we only booked tour without commentary and that we should go tomorrow much better with commentary. I knew I had booked without it was cheaper and fitted into the fact that we weren’t tied to a time but she really pushed that we go tomorrow. The tour was a canal cruise and city bus tour to diamond factory and windmill. The only thing that was putting me off was that I had tour booked for tomorrow already in the afternoon for 4 ½ hrs so didn’t want to be on buses all day and had hoped to have our first sleep in on the trip. I was exhausted from full day yesterday and not much sleep, then followed by 4 hours of train travel and long hot walk, so we decided to do as she suggested but we took the 1 hour canal cruise that day. It was very interesting cruising the canals of Amsterdam they head off in every direction, someone on the footpath however decided it would be funny to throw a half full can of drink at the open window of the boat, I think it was the first time I didn’t have my head and the camera out of the window thank god because it got me on the hand and bruised two of my fingers as well as fanta all over the place. When we got off the cruise we thought we should try and see the Anne Frank Hous and wander the streets as now we can’t fit that in tomorrow. I had to hand Greg the map on this one all in Dutch and streets everywhere. We went to Anne Frank house where they have kept the original room that she was hidden away in, very interesting. On way back to town we found a supermarket and purchased food for brekky and lunch next day. We had a kitchen on the house boat and Amsterdam very very expensive, can of drink about $3 for small can, takeaways-hotdogs etc about $6 and pub/café meals $20. We then headed off to find restaurant that Marie suggested when I asked her about the famous Indonesion Rice Tables. By this stage it started to rain and we still had a fair way to go, we found the area (Rembrant square) and found two indonesion restaurants but not the one she suggested which is most famous in Amsterdam, as it was quite heavy rain now we just went to the closest one. We were both ready for home now and still heavy rain so we caught tram back only about 8pm so enjoyed sitting on boat and relaxing.




Amsterdam day 2
Cooked our own bacon and eggs without the extra 5 things we have been used to getting on our plates.
Tour leaves 10am bus hasn’t arrived so we take canal boat to diamond factory (Amsterdam is city of diamonds) very rushed and not very organized, luckily we weren’t in the market for a diamond because you only had about 10 mins to look through showroom, not much time when you are about to spend $1000 of dollars. We then hopped on bus and tour the city with the commentary took 2 ½ hrs all up. We got off bus and headed for the flea market, Puccini chocolate shop - dutch chocolate and the flower market at a very quick pace and ate the rolls I had made up. Then we stopped for Poffertjes (dutch pancakes) and just made it back in time for our next tour. Our first stop was the windmills and clog making factory, very pretty area. Gift shop had more dutch choc so by now Greg has about a kilo of chocolate in an hour. 2nd stop was a cheese making factory we got to try lots of dutch cheese mainly the Gouda. We then headed off to Voldam fishing village, we had free time to wander around here, mainly souvenier shops and restaurants but a very pretty outlook. We caught a boat across to Marken which again was another village and caught bus back to Amsterdam. Very nice day out good to see the Amsterdam things you think of when you think of Amsterdam. We decided as it was 7pm to go and get some dinner. I had heard of two traditional Dutch restaurants so went to the closest one. It was really nice and had a set 3 course menu with choices you could have which was totally Dutch so we got 6 traditional meals in one hit. We then headed for the Red light district and Greg had a big smile on his face for about an hour (oh except for the one strip that had fat girls in the window). Home by about midnight.
k

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Photos

Red Light Lane
The Girls are inside glass doors under the red lights.

Comments

[Marlese Hurley]

mmmmmm very interesting!!!!! Love those glogs Greg he he he, If they're gunna throw a can in the window it would want to be something better than FANTA!!!!!! try Bourbon or PINK!!!! their nasty :( Take care guys love the blogs xxx

[Hank]

yeah!
Nice post! By the way, if you have any intentions of visiting Red Light District, you should check out The Amsterdam Red Light Guide