I’ve visited Amsterdam twice in my life. Once when I was too young to know the true “allure” of the place (or to even know what the word “allure” means!) and the second time during my all-encompassing (or so I thought!) Europe trip in 2005.
Bikes, bikes, and more bikes.
During this second trip, I think I got a great overview of the city – much of which was done in one day of walking over canals, trying on clogs, posing with cute houseboats, and tasting lip-smackingly delicious food!
I’m not even sure that this needs a caption!
My travel buddy and I started the morning off grabbing breakfast at a cute little cafe near the train station before grabbing a bike taxi to wait in line at the Anne Frank house. We waited twenty minutes to get in, although the line looked significantly longer later in the day. This short, but impressive, area really highlights the need for world peace – as one of the biggest attractions in Amsterdam, I would definitely put this on your to-do list.
Beautiful!
Getting out of that around lunch time, we munched on Belgium waffles and cold Heineken beer, courtesy of a little lunch shop. Surrounded by “coffee shops” and cafes advertising “magic mushrooms”, we decided to take a walk through the Red Light District (remember, taking pictures of the girls is not advised!) before deciding to spend the rest of the day checking out The Sex Museum (Damrak 18, website: here). A funny, educational, and surprisingly insightful view of Sex through the ages, this museum is a unique way to learn more about the Red Light District, as well as the world’s oldest profession.
The obligatory houseboat picture!
Although I’m by far not an expert on Amsterdam, I would venture to say that exploring the city by foot is the way to go. Boats and bicycles may be fun, but they remove you from the regular people, or in the worst case scenario, target for local bikers (bicyclists will NOT stop, regardless of whether or not your body parts are in the way!).
