I took the train to Amsterdam which in itself feels very European to me. I spend my Saturday morning wandering the streets. I find a fabulous open market with everything from meat to furs, they are showing the many uses of a dead animal.
After walking around on my own for hours I made a friend. If you know me you know that it is not uncommon for me to find a local to show me around their town. And that is exactly what I did. We went to a local bar/cafe for coffee and beer. He then took me to a crowded smoke filled local thai restaurant for dinner. We of course went through the obligatory Red Light District stroll. It is exactly what you would expect it to be. The bars were crowded but I did not mind squeezing in with the locals. We parted ways early in the night and I took a ferry to my hotel.
I was greeted at my hotel with a warm smile and cookie, what is there not to love about this city!
The next day was rainy and cold but I made the most of it. I grabbed a cappuccino and a croissant as I waited for the ferry to take me back to the main square. The rain kept me from wanting to walk around too much so I popped into one of the many museums to spend my time inside and dry. I decided on the Maritime museum to learn more about the Dutch history. There was an incredible exhibit on whales that I spent most of my time walking through. After my time warm and dry I continued to walk along the canals. I passed vegetarian restaurants, street performers and shops with crystals/geodes in the windows. All more reason to love that city.
And for those of you who are wondering, YES they do all ride bikes. I was secretly hoping that my new friend would let me ride on the back of his bike while he showed me around but instead he just walked alongside his back as we made our way around.
Now for some pics so you can see why I love it so much.
