The day after we visited the dogs, we hopped in the car and started our journey to Amsterdam. About 4 hours later we were within Amsterdam city limits and ready to explore. We checked-in to our Marriott (of course) and almost immediately boarded a canal boat for a tour of Amsterdam. This was a fantastic way to start our visit to Amsterdam. The boat tour was about 75 minutes and wound us through the maze of canals throughout the many areas of the city. Here are a few photos from our tour:
We instantly fell in love with the city and couldn't wait to explore more. After the boat tour ended we found our way to a local pub and enjoyed some dinner and beer. Once we'd had our fill, we decided to check out the Holland Casino Amsterdam which we had spotted on our boat tour:
The casino was pretty sweet. There weren't very many 10 euro minimum tables, so we didn't play too much, but we did absorb that unique casino energy. After about an hour and a half we decided to head out for some snacks and then home.
The next morning we had a slower start (there may or may not have been a copious amount of beer consumed the night before), but a delicious one nonetheless. We found this darling little sandwich shop and indulged in a local treat, a croquette sandwich:
Post croquette we walked through the flower market (gorgeous!),
Post croquette we walked through the flower market (gorgeous!),
tried on shoes,
and visited Anne Frank's house. The Anne Frank House was such a moving experience. Photography was not allowed so we don't have any images from our visit, but we both enjoyed learning so much more about Anne Frank and her family. Upon exiting the Anne Frank House we wandered over to the Tulip Museum for a quick peek. We ended our day out with another local favorite, pancakes! This was not your usual pancake. It was more like a ginormous crepe stuffed with whatever you wanted. We chose the Greek Pancake. It was deeeee-lish:
On our way back to the hotel we walked through the Red Light District. What a trip! I think "sketchy" is the best word to describe that little nook of Amsterdam. Certainly not our favorite spot, but so interesting to see. Later that evening we ventured out to a Argentinian steakhouse for dinner. After dinner we headed back to the hotel for a good night's rest.
Bright eyed and bushy tailed, the next morning we set out to visit the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum:
Both museums lived up to their reputations. The Rijksmuseum was a splendid mix of artifacts and art. The Rembrants and Vermeers were our favorites. Our least favorite? The guy who kept sneezing without covering his mouth...EW! The Van Gogh Museum was a remarkable collection of his work from the well known beauties to the less popular (but just as beautiful) canvases. Intellectually enriched, we were ready for lunch. We found a mod little outdoor café that provided us with a tasty lunch. After lunch we walked the few blocks to the Heineken Brewery:
The tour was extremely informative and interactive. Between the XXXX Brewery in Brisbane, the Guinness Brewery in Dublin, and the Heineken Brewery we definitely learned the most at Heineken. The tour ended with two beers (each!) at the Brewery's World Bar.
We left the Brewery and found a small outdoor table at a local pub and soaked up some sun while people watching along the canal. It was the perfect end to a fun day and a wonderful trip. The next morning we checked-out and drove back to Germany. Between the picturesque canals, old Dutch architecture, quaint houseboats, and world renowned museums Amsterdam is one of our favorite cities!
If you'd like to view the rest of our photos from Amsterdam, please click on this link:
Amsterdam Photos
