Canal Hopping

So, Europe in February is bitter cold. That did not prevent us from having a great time wondering the streets and canals of Amsterdam, most of the time lost trying to find one thing or another. I think my feigning where I was going was starting to get on Abby's nerves, but I did warn her several time that I was not Rand McNally!

First order of business after breakfast, was to navigate around the city, and find all the places I wanted to show Abby.





























After a morning canal boat ride , we headed to lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. (reader note: this was Abby's first trip to Europe, so I was pretty lax on the capitalist western eateries!) Outside of the cafe was a cool human chess set up on the square. So that made it not so bad.

                                                    
                                                     Abby at the first of many Hard Rock Cafe's - although I can't blame her, I dragged her into 
                                                     the Starbucks!













From lunch, we  headed over to the Singel Canal and checked out the Anne Frank House. 

                                                                                    If there is one thing you see in Amsterdam, its this.  This is  the most
                                                                                    prolific piece of World War II history. Its so much more then a
                                                                                    monurment, its a home, and a refuge for 7 people who lived through
                                                                                    a time that shaped so many people.  For anyone who is going to visit
                                                                                    Amsterdam, please make some time for this.  A little on the                                                                                    depressing side, but well worth it.

After the curt history lesson, we wondered around in circles for a little while trying to find the Bloomenmacht (which was pretty much under our noses.) This is one of the largest flower markets in the Netherlands, and what is cooler, its on the Canal - not on the street, and not too far from the infamous Amsterdam Coffee Houses and Red Light District.