Amsterdam - Day 1

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Geo: 52.3738, 4.89095

So ticket in hand I rocked up at Brugge train station ready to jump on the train to the Dam. Only the dam wasn't coming up on any of the boards. Where the bloody hell is this train. Back to the ticket office to make an enquiry. Turns out I'm catching 3 trains today, Brugge, Antwerpen,Rotterdam and then Amsterdam. I had about 20 minutes between each train. Should be plenty of time I thought...until I got to Antwerpen. The train station is MASSIVE, I mean there are four or five floors of platforms. Thankfully they have really good signage and the dude at Brugge had printed out the entire trip for me so I knew which platform I had to get to without checking the boards. I just had to wind my way down into the bowels of the earth....otherwise known as platform 22.

The train to Antwerpen was easy, plenty of room. The train to Rotterdam was a different story. I think they overbooked it. There were people standing in the isles. Not a lot of baggage space either. Because the train was so full I had to store my bag instead of dumping it on a spare seat next to me. After Rotterdam the train was quite easy, lots of room, although I had to change trains at Leiden central, which I think is like the Seymour of Amsterdam. Nearly got left on the train because I didn't hear the announcement. Thanks to another passenger I was made aware of the situation, and got off the train.

First sight in Amsterdam as I left the station was a pommy guy in nothing but his jocks and a mankini. No it was not a sight worth seeing, I believe he was on a bucks weekend, or at least I hope he was. Although it is hard to believe some lucky girl snapped that up. I hope it gets better from here. I caught a cab to my hotel, got settled and then set out to find myself some lunch (at 5 in the afternoon) fortunately my hotel is only a few blocks from Leidseplien so finding some food and a few tasty beverages was not difficult. Leidsplien is very entertaining. Buskers floating around everywhere, all sorts of street theatre. Awesome

After I had eaten, I took a wander around the area. I didn't want to go to far because somehow in between my hotel and picking a place to eat, I managed to loose my map. Something's I've noted so far.

1) Beware of Trams - almost got splattered wandering along in my own little world
2) Beware of cyclists - they go full tilt and there are a lot of them
3) The cyclists path is not the footpath. They look the same but they're not the same
4) Apparently this is the place for bucks/hens do's I've seen 5 so far and I've barely been out
5) The shops here have such pretty things

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Comments

[Garry Haynes]

Hope you enjoy Amsterdam one of mine and Kaz favorites.Hope you are a much happier traveller with luggage in hand ??? LOL

[Karen]

Goedemorgen, Check out Rembrandts House if you have time.

[Kat]

Aww...you don't like mankinis? Hee hee. The rest of it sounds awesome.