Amsterdam

We arrived here from Brugge via Brussels. Had a couple of complications with the booking process. Our room in the hotel in Brugge had terrible internet connections so I asked the girl at the front desk to give us a hand. Florentina used the Booking.com to reserve a hotel in Amsterdam. Unfortunately, she booked the wrong date (off by exactly 1 month). On many of these sites, the booking is no-cancellation clause. You book it, you pay. She frantically tried to change the booking but the hotel had no reservations available for the dates we actually wanted to use. Another lesson learned!

Meagan met us in the morning. She stayed at the Snuffle Hostel in Brugge. She met up with a bunch of Canuks from Hamilton, Saskatchewan and Montreal. Sounds like they had a great time at one of the local out-door bars and made it back to the hostel in the wee hours of the day. She was still feeling the effects when she made it to our hotel for a shower at 8:00. Needless to say, she slept on the train ride from Brugge to Brussels and most of the way from Brussels to Amsterdam.

Once we got settled in Amsterdam, we set out to explore the canals and the hub of small streets and alleys. The smell of marijuana is EVER-PRESENT! I though I was back at some of the Ottawa rock concerts of the 1970's.


As you might expect, this is a city that attracts some unusual life forms (present company excluded). There are a lot of young males looking dope and chicks. A lot of young girls, locked at the elbows constantly chattering and trying to stay clear of young males looking for dope and chicks. A lot of Rastafarians with waist long dreadlocks or bulbous knitted touques. I think every nation and every race on earth has found a place in Amsterdam. It is a very tolerant city, though I understand from the indigenous that that is changing. Many are embarrassed by what Amsterdam has become and the type of traveller it not attracts. It may be a different city again in another decade.

We said goodbye to Meagan later that morning as she was heading towards Ghent Belgium and onwards to Brussels. We had a great couple of days with her and I am really missing her laugh. Fun kid!






Later in the day, Lill and I took the tour of the Heineken beer factory! It was a great tour. Very professionally done and, get this, FREE SAMPLES! I am totally devoted now!





I have to say though that the tour down the canals of Amsterdam was one of the best parts of the trip so far. They had a GPS based information system giving details of particular houses and sectors of the community and the history around each. What a peaceful way to spend a couple of hours!



At the end of the day, we had a nice cold Heineken (what else?) at the oldest pub in Amsterdam. Great way to end off a day!!!