Regardless, we bought a few heavier outfits for the kids and had a blast! Highlights included a trip to the Rijksmuseum where we saw some Rembrandt and Vermeer and a tour along the Leidesplein and many canals in a boat. The real highlight for me was just walking around - it's a beautiful city with a rich heritage (literally) and lives up to it's reputation for being a tolerant society in just about every respect.
The Dutch LOVE their bicycles and it seems like the junkier the bike, the better. You wouldn't find any fancy suspension systems or even shifting elements for that matter - pretty much brakes, a single gear (including awesome pedal brakes you had when you were a kid), a bell-ringer (critical for negotiating pedestrian traffic). and maybe a basket in the front. I also saw the smallest car in the world.
Jessie and Eli climb the Dutch "knee knocker" stairs. Amsterdam was largely constructed as a port town with waterfront space at a premium, there was no room for normal stairs, apparently. Ann Frank discussed these in her diary (we're going to visit the Ann Frank house when we return in later December).
View down some of the many bridges that cross the canals in Amsterdam.
Dad and the kids on the tour. Evan called out EVERY bridge we went under with something like this - "Look Daddy - ANOTHER one!" There are 1200 bridges in Amsterdam,
The corner at our flat at the interersection of Keizersgracht (king's canal} and Browersgracht (brewer's canal)
Cheese, anyone?
1 comment:
Pat,
I found your blog site and it sounds as if you and your family are doing really well. Thanks for posting the pictures they are a wonderful way to help all of us back here experience a little bit of the amazing experiences you are having. I look forward to seeing more. Let me know if you need anything or if I can help you in any way. Please give your family my best!
Jeanne
(Earth Science Teacher)
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