Friday, June 5, 2009

Amsterdam- Some of the Highlights

Beautiful Architecture and Canal
Chandler set his new watch to this clock- two days later, a tour guide told us that it was famously unreliable. I laughed. Most of the homes have hooks hanging from the middle exterior- This is to move furniture in and out of windows.




Scott is the frugal half of our union. It doesn't always work to our benefit.



There is a diamond museum in Amsterdam- Chandler and I were about to enter when Scott spots this place a few buildings down. It has a museum sign in front of the building. However, this one is FREE.



If you know Scott, you know that we had to go to the "Free" Museum.



When we entered, there was a touch screen computer which asked a few basic questions- After we answered, we were allowed in. There were some posters describing how to grade diamonds. Also, two gentlemen were polishing some diamonds. A "Tour Guide" introduced herself to us and explained the grading, cutting, and polishing process. After which, she indicated the rest of the tour would continue upstairs. Guess what was upstairs? Not an educational tour.

A salesroom- with many helpful salespeople. That was the end of our free tour. Of course, Chandler bought a watch. We are total suckers.








Chandler is climbing up there on the second "a"- You can see his white cap. The Van Gogh Museum was incredible- we paid to tour- So we got the genuine thing.






This was outside the real diamond museum- Which we never toured.









Amsterdam rivals Venice in the amount of canals.


















This is a "Coffee Shop"-









A band playing on the boat in the canal.










This pic is for a friend of mine- you know who you are.















Bikes account for 40% of the traffic in Amsterdam- We rode our bikes everywhere.




We also did plenty of walking. When crossing a busy intersection as a pedestrian, I am used to pushing the button and waiting for the signal to cross.




In Amsterdam, you push the button & then cross the bike lanes to the next median. Push the next button, and then cross the tram lanes to the next median. Push the next buttom, and then cross the car lanes. I looked like a deer caught in headlights most of the time- So much for blending.














See the mannequin legs? I think that they are doing pilates. I Kid.










Fun house boats.















3 comments:

Anonymous said...

So beautiful!!
So MANY interesting sites!
;)
(so MANY varieties!)

Anonymous said...

Ahhhhhhh Tracy ya finally went to my homeland!!!! I am sooo envious .Glad ya had a greattime and uhmmm ya did go in for coffee didnt ya ?
Mark

halfbreedwoman said...

Best coffee ever!