Canals and Tulips
(Note from Nicole: we found free internet at hotel. keyboard is terrible so grammar and puncuation may be a little dodgy. just to warn you. now onto blogging.)
We had our first real day in Amsterdam. I am still looking for the elusive pancakes, we can see a sign from the hotel window but have not made it there yet. Todays agenda was Netherland fun. Sort of . Well it was fun but it is hard to describe walking around a dead girls home fun.
We started the morning out at Anne Frank House. Wow that was a teeny tiny space for 8 people to live. It was a really somber sort of day but it is good that you can see the experience and suffering of one to stop it from happening again; it makes it all feel that much more real and terrifying. We had a bit of a wait but the house was along the canals and its all so picturesque. We did wander around the area a bit and took a ton of pictures! Perhaps when I get free wi fi Ill try to post some.
After that we hit Keukenhof. It is basically Amsterdams version of Buchard Gardens. Only with tulips. Dozens of different types and colors. It was really beautiful. It was all planned out really impressively and didnt even feel that crowded. Also they had the greatest street food ever. We walked around with waffles and cups of strawberries with whipped cream. Delicious. They even had a soup cart. Soup!
The craziest part of Keukenhof was the getting there. We bought a pass that came with bus fare from the airport. Only we had to get to the airport. Luckily our hotel is located minutes away from Centraal Station. So it was actually pretty quick and easy. So we walked to the train, took the train to the airport and then bussed it to the park. We did sit in the first class section of the train on the way back but the nice man must be used to the idiot passengers. I remember reading about that but honestly, this is probably the second train I have ever ridden on.
Tonight we officially started the tour. It seems good so far. Our guide has a sense of humor! Hurrah. The most important aspect in my opinion. The best part by far is that usually they take 40-50 people. But only 24 signed up. And I am not even the youngest. There appears to be a surly teenager with her parents and grandparents and a dating couple from Hawaii who are here celebrating their 30th birthdays. And we are not even the only Canadians.
Tomorrow we have a leisurely morning and a city and canal tour. So we will be able to see things that we have not walked to!
We had our first real day in Amsterdam. I am still looking for the elusive pancakes, we can see a sign from the hotel window but have not made it there yet. Todays agenda was Netherland fun. Sort of . Well it was fun but it is hard to describe walking around a dead girls home fun.
We started the morning out at Anne Frank House. Wow that was a teeny tiny space for 8 people to live. It was a really somber sort of day but it is good that you can see the experience and suffering of one to stop it from happening again; it makes it all feel that much more real and terrifying. We had a bit of a wait but the house was along the canals and its all so picturesque. We did wander around the area a bit and took a ton of pictures! Perhaps when I get free wi fi Ill try to post some.
After that we hit Keukenhof. It is basically Amsterdams version of Buchard Gardens. Only with tulips. Dozens of different types and colors. It was really beautiful. It was all planned out really impressively and didnt even feel that crowded. Also they had the greatest street food ever. We walked around with waffles and cups of strawberries with whipped cream. Delicious. They even had a soup cart. Soup!
The craziest part of Keukenhof was the getting there. We bought a pass that came with bus fare from the airport. Only we had to get to the airport. Luckily our hotel is located minutes away from Centraal Station. So it was actually pretty quick and easy. So we walked to the train, took the train to the airport and then bussed it to the park. We did sit in the first class section of the train on the way back but the nice man must be used to the idiot passengers. I remember reading about that but honestly, this is probably the second train I have ever ridden on.
Tonight we officially started the tour. It seems good so far. Our guide has a sense of humor! Hurrah. The most important aspect in my opinion. The best part by far is that usually they take 40-50 people. But only 24 signed up. And I am not even the youngest. There appears to be a surly teenager with her parents and grandparents and a dating couple from Hawaii who are here celebrating their 30th birthdays. And we are not even the only Canadians.
Tomorrow we have a leisurely morning and a city and canal tour. So we will be able to see things that we have not walked to!
