AMSTERDAM

Arrived Amsterdam early am Tuesday 6th, -5 degrees! P in jandals and shorts.... shame! made our way to hotel, easy. check in drop bags go. What a city, beautiful. we're in a great location, walking distance to everything. we are little kids in the candy store. Canal boat trip 1 hour another perspective.
The light is that early spring kind, sparkling on the water and everyone is making use of the warm sun... people everywhere. not downtown Oneroa now!
Bikes today. Love it! so hard core... remember to stay right and if it all looks like its going to go to shit just keep going don't hesitate. that's the rules.... until when you stop at a coffee shop. instead of a DblFW there is a joint.. (don't tell mum!)
enjoying the atmosphere of this place so much. busy.
i think a trip to the country side tomorrow. slow the pace abit.

Amanda




Hey

Amsterdam wow! Full on.

We are staying in a little hotel with a corner room, quite good really. Ten minutes walk and we are into the out-shirts of central Amsterdam where thousands of people are doing the same as you, walking around looking at stuff and looking for a seat in a restaurant facing the sun (must have been a cold winter!) drinking beer or coffee of course.

The bikeers here are so crazy, I can't get over the ordered system they have. Its so intense when you go walking so have to look both, sorry all ways...cars, trucks, people and did I say heaps of bikes. They seem to live a law in themselves. Incredible!

This is from our room






We hired two bikes today. Nine o'clock sharp we were there to pick two of the finest bikes for the day. We headed to Jordon in the N-West of the city. We headed there looking for a brown cafe that was recommend by the Rough Guide website as being the best in Amsterdam...it was closed of course. So we found another one, called The Greenhouse... We found ourselves there at 10am starting with a coffee (shite) and after a nervous contemplation we had a a wee puff. Wasn't the best timing I must say. Getting back to our location was a mission. Did really well in the end. A few map issues! She recons it was nearly a divorce..I was right of course....hehe..

Jordon was great place, heaps of cafes, small streets and of course bikes galore.


We left the bikes at home!

After a small rest we then walked around some more for a few hours. No shit the longer the day goes on the more people come out. We walked to a beautiful spot where this cafe was right on the canal. We saw it on the boat trip. Beautiful place I must say. It took us some time to get there. Tricky and massive this city is...you think you have sussed it then all of a sudden you are saying..."Hell...I don't recognize this place!" Consult the map and we are back on track.

This is from the cafe by the canal...




This is such a culture shock for us. So much to take in. There is everything you may want from all cultures. You feel like you are standing-out but there are thousands of people in the same shoes as you.

Now food. I'm enjoying the food but Its hard to put my finger on it. I have been starved for so long the choice is over whelming! It takes along time to decide even what type of food we would like. There is everything you may want to eat. There is not really a strong theme of Dutch food....in saying that our complementary breakfast each morning consists of fresh bread, cheese and slices cold meats. Interesting to say the least.


Well we are off again on the bikes..

Till later....

x peeeee