Ate Up Amateur: Amsterdam

When I was previewing what would be up next for us on our trip, while on the trip, I mentioned we planned to spend a day in central London. We did not do this. We were so tired after the first three days in the UK that we decided to hitch an earlier flight to Amsterdam, the next stop, and maybe get a little rest. And, S decided he needed more time in London, too. So, we'll have to take a trip there someday. Just for that.

So, we headed to Amsterdam. A city neither of us had ever visited. Here's a recap of what we did.

This was the view from the hotel window when we arrived.
It was raining.

This, and the next one, is the view from the room at night.

And this one - the view from the room at dusk.
It was a nice room with a nice view, apparently.

While at the hotel, and noticed as a local favorite in Amsterdam, I had some of their tomato soup. I love tomato soup - one of my favorite things in the world when it comes to yummy comfort food. It was cold and rainy most of the time we were there, so all the better. This soup, though, was so rich! And, served in a HUGE bowl! I ate about an inch down into the bowl and I had had my fill. When the waiter came to take the plates away, he asked me if I didn't like it. No, I liked it alright. Just maybe not well enough to eat my weight in the stuff.

I found this weeping willow tree to be exquisitely beautiful.

This is another view from the hotel - from the top floor this time.
And, facing the other direction - towards town.
There was a light coming up the glass at the bottom, which is causing that glare.

This is behind the hotel - S is at the other end of the plank, photographing me.

S zoomed way in with the little camera...blurry.
It's just not equipped for that sort of detail work at that distance.

The canal behind the hotel was very picturesque.

Besides the hotel, we walked around two parts of town. We walked around the Museum Platz, where you find the Concertgebouw, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and some other smaller museums. We didn't go in any of the museums - no time, but the plaza area itself is very nice. This was also, as you may recall, where I had my camera on some strange setting, and some of my photos came out very overexposed.

The other area we walked was from the Dam Platz back south to the hotel. This was a pretty good walk and encompassed several canal and retail areas. We were walking in the morning though, when most retail wasn't open. We were just sort of seeing the sights. The next images highlight these walks.

The Museum area - this one is looking towards the Rijksmuseum.

This sculpture is outside the front of the Rijksmuseum.

This is a view in the park looking the other direction toward the Concertgebouw.

And, that's a close-up of the Concertgebouw.

That modern looking building is the Van Gogh Museum.

Also in this park - a collection of brightly colored elephant statues!

I took this self portrait in the Dam Plaza.

S took this photo of me in the Dam Plaza...
I love how horrible this photo is.
It makes me laugh.
And boy, that truck in the ear sure did give me a headache!

This is a detail of the top of the building behind me in the photo above.

This is a typical Amsterdam street.

And this made me think of New York - New Amsterdam -
a church crammed between two retail shops.

I thought this little cove was picturesque.

This is the canal with the floating flower market - opposite side.

Another view of the flower market.
It was cold and wet, yes.

I don't know if you can read it, but over there where they are selling Dutch beer, Grolsch, the name of the place is "Real Italians Bar". I thought it was funny.

Also, over there - "Bar Americain."

When I am in Amsterdam for work next year, I have a "free day" here, which means I will have a little time to do something in the city. I hope to go to Anne Frank's house as well as the Rijksmuseum. That's the plan, anyway.