April 12, 2025 Amsterdam

 Today was a very interesting day. We were up early and ready to hit the road by 8 AM. We are parked at the hotel and we are going to take the train into Amsterdam.

We got some instructions from the reception area at the hotel and she even wrote it down for us. But let me tell you when you are two hay seeds from the country it’s not very easy to read the bus signs, especially when they’re all in Dutch. We had to walk about 10 minutes to catch a bus which would take us to the train station, which would take us to Amsterdam train or Metro station and then we had to catch a metro to get us into Amsterdam Central. Let me tell you, it was very challenging. We arrived at about 10 o’clock so I guess we didn’t do too bad. We were fortunate enough to be talking with the guy from Amsterdam and he kind of led us along until we got to the central station.

OK now we’re in Amsterdam and with our Google GPS made our way very easily to the Anne Frank house. Unfortunately, they’re all booked up until the end of April so we did not get the chance to go in. We crossed the canal and strolled down there trying to decide from the many restaurants where we might stop for something to eat. We decided on a pizza. It was very good.

Now we find ourselves just strolling along minding our own business when we come upon this lovely barbershop. Or should I say a men’s hair styling salon. I convinced Richard that this is a good time to be getting his haircut and €45 later he looks like a new man. The barber who is originally from Buenos Aires in Argentina took great care with finishing up this masterpiece. 

OK now that he’s so handsome I guess I can let him loose in the red light district. There won’t be any photographs here as it is strictly forbidden. If you want, you can just see the lovely ladies in the windows, beckoning all you poor bastards in or you can pay some money and go in and actually watch people having sex on stage. We opted just to see the lovely ladies. Or should I say I opted for that.

Now we are going to a little wine bar called Wynand Fockink which translated means….well you can figure this one out…you all have Google Translate don’t you?

We have spent the better part of the day roaming this beautiful city full of canals and so many people you can’t even believe it that we decide that we’re going to make our way back home. But we can’t leave until we’ve done a Canal cruise. The boat takes us out into the harbor where you can see the river cruise ships that come in and out of this harbour making their way to various parts along the way. I know a lot of them go to Prague. Since this is the first nice weather that they’ve had in quite some time, the canal is full of boats; Canal cruises, party boats, and privately owned idiot boats. This was a quote from our lovely lady captain  

We are now ready for our very stressful return to Almere where we are staying while we visit Amsterdam. Both of our phones have died and I have not brought a cord with me.  Miraculously, we find our way back to our hotel by about 7 PM

Richard has found a restaurant for dinner called Steak on the Lake. Unfortunately, when we arrive there were too late as the kitchen is closing so we opt for a Japanese restaurant next-door called Treasures. The food was very good.

Back to Hotel and we finish up the evening with a glass of wine on the house. This is a gorgeous hotel.