Amsterdam June 13–14 with a camera

 

After spending time in Amsterdam on the 12th and buying a phone and sim card (so we can call our hosts from couch surfing) we found our way to George and Hong’s apartment near the arena outside of Amsterdam. 

 

   I’m sure you can tell who is who.  What you cannot tell is that the 3 year old, Buha, runs the house.  Or maybe that last sentence is redundant….We were met with amazing warmth.  We were treated as welcomed guests.  We really needed that after packing and traveling and running around and ….. we needed a rest.  We got that the first day.  After they went to work and school, we went back to sleep.  After another wonderful dinner, we moved from the living room floor to the guest room vacated by the other couple staying with George. 

So today, the 14th, off to Amsterdam we go.  You have not been misled, Amsterdam is a city FULL of bikes.  Everyone rides one, kids, adults, adults with kids, business men and women, old women with long flowing skirts..everyone.

    When people do drive cars or trucks, many of them are this size.

Amsterdam has more canals than Venice.  Yes, that’s true.  The canals are used to drain the land, so it can be kept dry even though it is below sea level.  The dikes today do not made so that a Dutch boy can put a finger in it.  It is as high tech as you can imagine. 

                                                                                               

Did you notice the flags on the right bank of the canal?  No. 

Try this                                    It is playoff time for world soccer and Europe is going crazy.  The Netherlands is playing (and losing) but that does not lower the enthusiasm of the locals.  Orange is everywhere.

OK, not everywhere.  There is, of course red is the most important color in a different part of town.

    

Those are not manikins, they are girls advertising their wares.  Duane was disappointed that they were not advertising more aggressively, ie. unclothed to show all their wares.  They were not giving away anything.

Some beautiful buildings:

    the train station

                      

 

                

 

    some are too big to get in one shot

   You will never guess what this building is…….a mall.

Street artists abound.  This one really has it down.

      Low effort, high reward.

These guys really worked hard.  It took 5 guys to work the doll and one other making music and sounds.  Absolutely amazing.

         

                                                                                       You must see this  !!!!

      

                                                                 

Walking Doll

We really enjoyed Amsterdam.