We left France by train, but not without changing stations in Paris, enjoying a coffee and croissant at a sidewalk cafe across from the Gare du Nord. (It wasn’t a real French breakfast though because we didn’t finish off with a cigarette!)
We were into Amsterdam by the late afternoon, with time to settle into our apartment overlooking the Prinsengracht Canal and then start right in on typical touristy things with a canal cruise. We didn’t feel guilty about treating Amsterdam as though it was our first visit; with 44 years having passed since our last visit it was almost like we’d never been before!
Our time in Amsterdam was spent visiting two world class museums, the Rijksmuseum for Dutch masters (and so much more), and the Van Gogh Museum for (obviously) the best collection of Vincent’s works in the world. Also hit the Stedelijk Museum for modern art, but only one of us thought that this one was anything but a waste of time. We had a very informative walking tour of the city, which included a stop at the edge of Amsterdam’s infamous Red Light district. Tours are no longer allowed to actually enter the district, so we returned on our own later to see what all the fuss was about.
Amsterdam is one of many cities worldwide trying to come to grips with with overtourism. This city of fewer than a million gets over 19 million tourists per year, and 3 million of them head for the Red Light district. We figured that we’d better check it out before it’s moved or closed down as has been proposed. (See Lonely Planet or the NY Times.)
Our final day in Amsterdam was spent in Zaanse Schans, a short bus ride outside the city centre. This outdoor museum featured a collection of working windmills, clog making demos, a cheese factory, and a surprisingly compelling windmill museum. (And, oddly, a lovely little Italian fast food restaurant for lunch.)
Hopefully we won’t have to wait another 44 years before our next visit to this capital city that somehow retains a small-town vibe.
See our selected high resolution pics of Amsterdam on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/100countries/albums/72177720310062698