So we woke at around 8am. Quite rested, no bong hangover .... yet, and headed down for breaky. Nothing flash but reasonable plunger coffee and some interesting conversation with a couple from Boston. It is amazing what strangers will share with you sometimes. Their son recently divorced from a nutbag neurosurgeon who was cheating on him. As I said, 20 minute breaky and we know the family story.
We headed out to the main central square in front of the Crown Palace, to meet up with the 'free walking tour'. You pay what you like at the end, not a bad deal. Our guide was from California, and ex golf professional and groundsman. Seems he liked grass of many forms and therefore moved to Amsterdam. He was a great guide and took us around Amstersam for three hours. We visited the red light district, museum area, the east India building, stories about trade, hookers (more trade I suppose), religion, war, the Nazi's and the strong beliefs and good nature of the people of Amsterdam and Holland as a whole (no it's not "a hole"). Lunch at 3pm at a doner kebab place.
We then caught a train to the Rijksmuseum and saw a lot of Rembrandt paintings and some amazing sketches, especially one of Christ which was done by making one continuous line of circles varying the thickness to give texture to the image of Christ. Hard to describe but even harder to draw.
Coffee at a local cafe (with a black cat that that Jen has adopted as Euro Olive ... two timer!) and home to the hotel for the night. Thinking of Brugge tomorrow but it looks a bit far. Maybe a canal cruise and more pastries. :)
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