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It’s been an interesting last week here in Amsterdam.  During the only 2 days I didn’t work here mother nature decided to water the tulip bulbs for spring.

That didn’t stop me from seeing some parts of Amsterdam I was determined to see. Saturday morning, I had a nice typical dutch breakfast. A pancake with bacon and apples. It wasn’t as good as the first pancake I had for dinner a few nights earlier, but it really hit the spot.

Immediately after breakfast I walked across the canal from where I ate and got in line for  the Anne Frank museum. I waited in line for about 1.5 hours while drizzling. I can honestly say that I would easily do it again to watch someone else experience the tour. It’s difficult to say that the museum tour was awesome due to the seriousness of the subject, but it was extremely well put together. Aside from being educational, I was able to walk through the very same apartment Anne Frank hid in with her family and friends. Walking through the hidden bookcase enterence was surreal. I could barely fit through the hallway and my huge shoes struggled to grasp the short, almost vertical staircase. It goes without saying that if you are in Amsterdam, this is a MUST.

The remainder of the weekend was spent just walking around the city streets. I walked the main shopping districts, flower markets, Dam Square, Central Station, and countless little side streets. It was wet, I was cold, but I sure as hell enjoyed it!

By now, I’ve had enough of this trip. I can’t wait to get home to Maria and our families. I would love to come back and visit Amsterdam one day, with Maria of course! Gathering information from the locals, I think I would like to come back in the spring when the tulips are blooming.

is a HUGE surprise to me. The city is truly incredible. There is a vibe here and it’s pretty hard to explain what it’s all about. I visited the Van Gogh museum today. Other than the crowd of people, it was a pleasant visit. The audio tour was actually pretty good and was well worth the extra 5 euros. Walking the streets really is a great way to spend time here. There are plenty of shops, pubs, cafes, and food stands (both sit down and street food) to keep you busy. I really wish I brought comfortable gym shoes! Ok…ok, I get it, you want to see the Red-Light District right? Well here it is in all it’s glory!

Well, isn’t it fantastic? Crazy? What you thought it would be?

Hopefully I’ll have a bit of time next week to take a boat tour of the city via the canals. I also uploaded more pictures in the gallery from my previous post.

While working in Amsterdam, I am trying to find some time to snap a few pictures during my stay. It really is a beautiful city and I would like to come back (with Maria of course) to explore more of the attractions But during my stay, I hope to visit some of the more popular attractions such as the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House.

Amsterdam