We spent a few days in Amsterdam while awaiting our flight to Tanzania (it turns out it’s [relatively] cheap to fly to Kilimanjaro Airport from Amsterdam on Swiss Airlines. Go figure!). We then returned for a few more days after 6 weeks in Africa, left for a week in the Canary Islands, and then returned for 3 more nights. You can read our posts about the Netherlands here:

http://www.travelingbones.com/?cat=255

We kinda used Amsterdam as a hub for our European/African travels. Here’s a map w/ a bunch of lines that illustrates our trips in and out of this great city:

We used Amsterdam as a hub for our travels. Can you tell?

As for our best pics, here they are. We really didn’t capture that much of Amsterdam’s beauty because it rained a lot while we were there. Oh, and we often forgot to bring our cameras… Anyhow, the pics below are the best we could do:

Tulip bulbs for sale in the Flower Market.

Amsterdam Canal.

Windmill (Part of Brouwerij 't Ij).

Another Amsterdam canal and the funky houses lining it.

LESSONS LEARNED:

• Bikes have the right of way in the Netherlands, and that seems to apply in all situations. In other words, if you’re walking around and a bike is coming at you, you should stop. The bike won’t.
• There are bike lanes everywhere, and they’re made out of reddish asphalt or paving stones. When crossing a street as a pedestrian, you will have to cross at least 4 lanes: bike lane + car lane + car lane on opposite side + bike lane on opposite side. Only then are you safe! Keep your eyes open!
• Get yourself an “anonymous OV-chipkaart” for all public transit. It’s very convenient and it’ll save you a lot of money (some fares end up being 50% less expensive than paying cash!)
• Go to an Indonesian restaurant while you’re in Amsterdam. Delicious!
• If you’re a serious runner, check out the Asics Flagship Store in Amsterdam. You can get your feet and gait analyzed for 20€ and they’ll recommend a great pair of shoes for you (fee waived if you buy shoes). The shoes are pricey, though, by North American standards.