A picture my brother Bob took in the early morning in Amsterdam.
Notice the Houseboats on the canal banks, many have been moved since then.
This is still one of my favorite pictures of Amsterdam! 2005
Here's Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, this is a huge art museum, full of Rembrandts.
You have to take a picture of the "I amsterdam" sign in front of the museum. 2012
The entrance to the Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum is located on a side street. The museum from the outside is huge and you only get to see part of it. The part you get to see has some of the most famous Dutch Masters paintings. It will not take you that long to see but it is well worth a visit. They do allow you to take pictures without a flash. 2011
A few of Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum paintings. 2011
A typical Dutch canal street. 2003
A Dutch bike with the traditional High handlebars. 2011
I started the days ride with a cruise through Vondel Park, The day started with some light rain, but cleared around noon.
The park was full of bikers but even more walkers were out today. The outer circle (seen above) is about 2 miles around,
I'm guessing, and is full of greenery and flowers. Many people bring their wine, beer and picnic lunches to the park.
This is great place to watch "the world ride by" 2012
A ride through Amsterdam's Vondal Park rose garden, this park is my favorite Europe city park. 2003
I went to the Albert Hein (there version of Publix) and picked up 3 world class Belguim beers.
All 3 came to under 4 euros total ($5 US), in the US they are around $5 each at the liqueur store
and that's the only reason I do not buy them more often at home. These Belgium beers are considered
to be some of the finest beers in the world. I'm giving the Kasteel and the LaTrappe
the highest rating (10) and the Duval was very good at (8.5). 2012
I wanted you to see the alcohol content on this beer bottle of Kasteel Tripel.
It is 11% but it does not taste that strong but it has a real kick to it and taste great.
By the way most US beers are about 4 1/2%. 2012
These canals run all over Amsterdam, notice the bridge can be opened as needed. 2011
These large thin pancakes are world famous and I can't wait to have another.
This one is full of thin apple slices. Awesome. 2003
A quiet canal cruise. 2011
A nice small hotel, on a quiet side street, were we stayed in both 2003 and 2004.
My brother Bob, next to an Electric Car, these cars can legally run on some side walks and bike roads. These cars are pretty common here. Parking can be as much as 35 euros a day in the city. Ouch! 2003
Taking a local double decker train from the Amsterdam station. 2005
Delft Blue China Shop window. Delft is a city in central Holland famous for its blue china! 2011
A fancy cheese shop near the flower market. They give free samples of this expensive cheese, But the cheese in the regular grocery stores are a 1/5 the price and awesome as well as inexpensive. 2011
Girl in costume cutting the cheese, so to speak. Sorry for the raindrop. 2011
Antique courier bike in front of another cheese shop, they seem to like cheese. 2011
Tulips at the flower market, they are bright in color, and offer many bulbs,
flower seeds and vegetable seeds. 2011
A bunch of Orange Tulips. 2011
A Dutch girl texting and cycling at the same time in Amsterdam 2011
Cheese drying the rounds on the racks in the windows. 2011
A cheese shop that was making cheese in the big steel vat 2011
Bike street light in Amsterdam 2011
A Dutch pickup truck! These bikes are fairly common there. 2011
(yes he's talking on the phone and riding - I never saw a bike helmet in Holland)
No Tour Buses in Amsterdam, but plenty of tour boats. 2011
I enjoyed taking a canal sightseeing boat our. 2011
Tour boat is the 2nd best way to see Amsterdam. Bike is the best! 2011
Where else do you see a boat shaped like a wooden shoe? Only in Holland! 2011
A fish stand (pickled herring etc). I'm not sure the name translates well. 2011
I really love Maoz's falafels (you add your toppings from a salad bar) they are a meal and very tasty. 2005
I went to Maoz Falafel to get one of my favorite treats, a falafel. A falafel is a toasted pita with fried chick pea meatless meatballs and you can add all of the fresh salad type toppings you want. This went well with a Belgium beer. I've had Maoz in Spain, but they weren't always as good there. And I hate to pick on the Brits but the Maoz I went to in London was not even passable. 2012
FEBO is a self service fast food place that you use coins to make your purchase.
The cook behind the wall of little windows. 2005
A direction sign on the countryside bike trail just north of Amsterdam. 2011
A Gazelle Bike Dealer. Gazelle's are THE bike of Holland! 2011
I think this is the only windmill left in the city of Amsterdam. 2011
A canal near Amsterdam train station. 2011
These are real Dutch bikes, notice the high handlebars. 2011
This area near our hotel offered many places to eat. 2003
I was on a search for food, I had the "All you can eat Baby Back Ribs" mmm. 2011
This is one of the older trams in Amsterdam, the new modern
ones are squared off and boring but very efficient. 2003
A bridge over an Amsterdam Canal. 2005
Bob, Carl & I doing the tour at the Heineken Brewery. 2003
Tour Guides at the Heineken Brewery. 2003
Scotty, Bean me and my three friends up! 2003
Funny vintage advertisments at the Heineken Brewery. 2003
Heineken Brewery tour. 2003
Watch out for the dreaded "DREMPELS". 2003
An old Windmill in the northside of the city. 2003
My friend Carl on a canal bridge. 2003
I changed towns and hotels this morning and I left my bike at the train station, since there was a light rain.
This is an electric tram (street car) that I'm taking to my hotel. The name of each stop is listed on the screen
above and "Leidseplein" is my stop. You can buy an hour ticket for around 2 and a half euros, and that works
for quick shopping and taking multiple tram lines in the same trip. The routes are numbered and they run as
often as 5 min. apart. making them very easy to figure out. When your out bicycling through town and
you are a little lost, just follow the track back to the town center or use the maps at the tram stops. 2012
Here's an electric car in the city and it's connected to a city charging station. Now this 2 seat car is tiny but cute. 2012
Here's a DHL delivery boat, loaded with boxes and making drops. (DHL is like FEDEX) 2012
Bike parking is such a problem in some areas, that they brought in old boats and turned them into bike parking. 2012
This is one of the busy intersections near my hotel, but my hotel is on a very quiet canal, You have to deal
with bikes, cars, streetcars and pedestrians all sharing these very narrow streets. 2012
I went to the Rancho Argentine Steak House and had the all you can eat baby back ribs, fries and salad. (14 euros)
These ribs are very good and a good deal, as well. All you can eat is not a normal thing in Europe. 2012
Those same old guys are still playing chess in front of the HardRock Cafe courtyard. 2012
One of the Amsterdam tour boats I took on a previous trip through the canals and down the Amstel River 2012
There are some awesome waterfront homes in Amsterdam and this one has 2 very cool boats. 2003
These boats are to get you across the bay from Amsterdam to North Amsterdam and they are free of charge. 2012
They love to party in Amsterdam and where better than on a canal. 2003
This canal is packed with a boat party following a city wide canal parade. 2005
Here's the 1st coffee shop in Amsterdam, they have a gift shop just like the Hard Rock Cafe.
By the way I'm not condoning the use of coffee. 2005
Yes, it's what you think it is, an agricultural garden center. 2003
Yes, they even sell tulips in a can. 2011
Red Light District in Amsterdam. 2003
Carl and I taking a bike ride through the Red Light District. 2003
A cool classic style Dutch bike with the old fashioned white tires, wood fenders, Brooks saddle and cork grips.
They take old bike frames and recycle them in to new bikes. The dutch bike frame is as strong as they get. 2012