City of canals with no guardrails, don't get too close to the side. There are reports of cars and bicycles being pulled out of the canals on a regular basis. This gives a new meaning to parallel parking, be very careful...that is if you are fortunate to have a car.  Very crowded city so bicyles are very popular mode of transportation.

By recommendation, we stayed at the Seven Bridges Bed & Breakfast on the canal. What a treat, the guys who ran this small hotel brought us breakfast every morning to our room as we sat overlooking the canal and the wonderful city of Amsterdam. Since there were no other guests in the hotel, we had our choice of rooms. Everyone was different and everyone was decorated uniquely. Since the stairwell (see photo below) was very narrow and steep...no place to be hauling luggage, we chose the 2nd floor on the front of the hotel on the canal.

Well, I guess there are mobile homes just about everywhere in the world, but here is a new meaning...see below.

Anne Frank at age 15

The Rijks Museum in Amsterdam

There are several old museums in Amsterdam, but probably the most well known is the Van Gough.  Most of the fine museums are of old arhitechture, but the Van Gough was a modern, contemporary building really not worth a photo and no cameras allowed inside. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took the train down to Brussels from Amsterdam as a day trip.  To the right is Ronnie in the square in Brussels.  We had lunch in a quaint little restaurant, did a little shopping and boarded the train back to Amsterdam.  We can at least say, we have been to Brussels, Belgium.

...and if you don't have a car or bicycle, how about a boat?

After climbing the steep, narrow stairway in the hotel, dragging our luggage behind us, much to our surprise, we found the picture below from a place near & dear to our hearts...home!  Was this just a coincidence...or was it because the guys knew we were coming from Dallas?  Either way, it was a welcomed treat.

Below is a quaint little Italian restaurant with a special touch on the walls. Three dimentional murals with little lights reflecting a small villa ambiance...very unique, and the food was good as well.

Bike stands at the train station...great way to get around.

We were not aware that the home that hid the family of Anne Frank was located in Amsterdam. This was a real interesting tour.  This family hid out from the Nazis in the back of house located behind a bookcase that disguised their hidding place.  They were finally discovered and Anne was sent to the gas chamber one month prior to the liberation of the Jews in Germany.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Van Gough