We left Koln with a little sadness. Koln and the whole Rhine / Mosel region was beautiful. But it was also our last transfer. The train trip to Amsterdam was uneventful, and the change of scenery was quite marked – from the hills and mountains of Germany to the flatlands of the Netherlands. We arrived in Amsterdam just after lunch then headed out to find our hotel. Amsterdam was so busy! So many people. We found our hotel and checked in, then went to lunch at a small bistro around the corner, Cafe Tapas Bar. The food was average. We then settled into our hotel room, then set about exploring Amsterdam.
We headed towards Damrak and then into the Red Light District. It was a real eye opener. The city and the canals are beautiful, and very picturesque. But the people make the whole city feel claustrophobic.
We ended up at Piazza Dam, then walked across to the Jordaan. This side of the city was so much more peaceful and quite beautiful. We walked towards Anne Frank house, but the queue was over three hours long! So we just kept exploring.
We found the spot where the film, “The Fault in our Stars” was shot, and enjoyed some relaxation time, just wandering along the canals. It was quite restful.
We finished up at the flower markets, then headed back towards the hotel. We had seen Flame Steakhouse, a nice Argentinian restaurant, earlier as we were going to the hotel, so we decided to go there for dinner. It was nice enough, although nothing spectacular. All in all, a nice first day in Amsterdam.