Just a few photos from my trip to Amsterdam last May with my mates Glenn and Rob. As mentioned in a previous post we were mainly there to see The Dandy Warhols but we also managed to spend a few days seeing the sights of the beautiful Dutch city. Here are Glenn and I posing in front of the obligatory canal with the equally obligatory bicycles...
More canals and more bikes...
And, of course, trams...
We were staying a 20-minute tram ride from the city centre and they were definitely the best way to get around. And when we got to the centre we found such lovely places as these:
The Royal Palace in bustling Dam Square with added middle-aged Punks
More lovely buildings and waterways
Above is the stunning Rijksmuseum. We didn't have time to properly investigate this huge museum / art gallery / cultural centre but we had a great time wandering around its grounds and just generally hanging out in the neighbouring park and gardens...
( Who let this idiot get in the water? )
We met a familiar face outside the Van Gogh Museum...
And, of course, Rob had to mess about in the fountains :-)
We had a look around the train station, much to rail enthusiast Glenn's delight...
"Trains!" ( Double-decker ones at that... )
And from the train station we headed down to the waterfront ( not a cue for a Simple Minds song )
I was very tempted to hop on board this ferry and investigate the other bank but we didn't have enough time. And there wasn't enough time for this either:
The infamous Red Light District was certainly eye-opening!
And here's a friend I made at the hotel who helped me eat my breakfast.
All too soon we had to head for home but it had been a fantastic long weekend in a truly beautiful, friendly, laid-back city. It was my first trip abroad for 9 years so I really appreciated the experience and the great company. Hopefully I'll be able to take Sarah there sometime - Amsterdam is just too awesome to keep to myself!
It now feels like I have visited it too!
ReplyDeleteI DO hope that the Dutch treat their stray cats better than the Greeks do?
I hear that, if you get a bit peckish, you can get some very nice cakes from the cafés over there!
( cough! )
:-)
I think you need to go back to Amsterdam again and this time take your wife. She'll love it, I'm sure. Nice photos, by the way, they made me smile.
ReplyDelete@John P
ReplyDeleteI didn't actually try any of those "special" cakes. Maybe next time. I know what you mean about Greek cats - I've been to Corfu a couple of times and there seemed to be thin, starving moggies everywhere. As far as I can remember Hotel Cat was the only feline I saw in Amsterdam and she was a real cutie!I think I gained a friend for life when she realised I was willing to share a little bacon fat...
@John S
Thanks, man! Yeah, Sarah would really love Amsterdam and we definitely should go at some point. We had a trip to Barcelona a few weeks ago ( another Dandy Warhols-related jaunt ) which was her first journey abroad in 9 years and we had a fantastic time! I will post about that adventure soon...