Getting around Amsterdam

The day was full of interesting things to see and do.

The B&B we're staying at started our day with a nice selection fresh meats and cheeses. The bread and muffins were spot on! Interestingly enough, dairy products in the Netherlands are sold in cartons - both the yogurt and milk came in cartons. Interesting...

Thanks to the espresso machine, I had all the caffeine I needed to start the day. The day started off below freezing, so throughout the day, the rain turned into snow. Didn't we leave all this weather behind in Michigan? Sigh...

The first stop of the day was the Anne Frank museum. For me, the museum made me reflect on some of the darkest times in human history. It was a powerful, moving experience.

Our next stop would have been the houseboat museum, but the weather didn't cooperate. You wouldn't believe how uncomfortable you can get in the wind and rain! Thankfully, Amsterdam has a nice network of trams and buses. Once we figured out which trams run where and when, it started to get easier to get around town. Many folks were out and about on their bicycles. We weren't quite daring enough to get on bikes in this weather - maybe if things were warmer...

When we left the Anne Frank museum, we wanted to visit Westerkerk, a nearby church with a splendid spire. However, it was only open from April to October, so opted to press on for lunch.

Ramona had heard about the Pancake Bakery on Rachel Ray's show, Forty Dollars a Day. It was just up the street from the museum, so we dropped in to eat. The Pancake Bakery serves, well, pancakes - the size of dinner plate! They're thin, like French crepes, but they had exotic recipes on the menu. They had everything from apples-and-mango pancakes, to could order "Brazilian" pancakes, with bananas, cheeses and meats.

In hopes of orienting ourselves to Amsterdam, we hoped on one of the tram lines and rode it to end. We had no idea where we going, but were pleasantly surprised at where we ended up.

The Heineken experience saved us from an afternoon of drudgery. Located in the eastern canal ring, this "museum" was dedicated to Holland's most famous brewer. The experience includes everything from beer-tasting and gift shops to a simulated "brewing process". It was a fun lark and a nice place to stay out of the rain and snow. The nearby street vendors had a variety of snacks for sale. I grabbed an apple fritter and Ramona found her way to the bread and cheese. Nothing of either snack made it home, much to our mutual delight.

Afterwards, we wandered around town and ended up in Oudkirk and went to Oud Zijde and happened upon the Red Light district. Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking. Because it was only 7PM or so, there were few, if any ladies in the window. However, as the night wore on, their numbers quickly began to multiply. We beat a hasty retreat.

We walked to Cental Station and took a tram to Rembrandtplein, a nice dining area (I had fish and chips). We hopped another tram back to the house and stopped by the local grocer, Albert Hein. With groceries for breakfast, we went to a local bar to savor a Dutch delight, bitterballen - a gravy-filled meatball, similar to a croquette.

With another day behind us, we opted to turn in and prepare for a trip to the Rembrandt Museum. Pictures will come tomorrow, after I've had a chance to sort them.