Report from Amsterdam

Two more nights in Amsterdam and need to get up to date. Some interesting stuff.

This city is big, about 300,000 more people than Boston. This city of openness and free thinking can be a pig pen during the day. They clean it up at night. Not unusual to see someone (usually young) just throw trash on the street. The trash containers are too small and trash is all around them.

Many taxis are Mercedes E and S class and usually black. Lexus LS as well. Why I do not know but taxi fares are high.

We are getting familiar with the city and even responding to requests for directions. We walk everywhere using Carol’s cell GPS.

Overhearing a Dutch conversation my sound something like Yah, Yah, Yah, Yah.

Learning that we are from the US they want to know if someone will actually vote for Trump. TV coverage of him is not supportive .. At all.

Our BB was built in 1652. Many old buildings are tall and narrow. Reason .. They were taxed by their square footage on the ground. Many of the buildings are at an angle. Most all the windows, floors, doors etc are crooked.

Huge department stores are located in old beautiful stone buildings.

There are many city squares where thousands gather to chat, drink bear, and have a good time.

If we drive from Amsterdam to Disney Paris we will arrive sooner than when we drive from HH to Disney World in Florida.

It would be interesting seeing this place in the winter with people ice skating on the many canals. Sidewalk cafe’s are closed, how do they survive during the cold and lack of tourists.

Yes, the Dutch girls are pretty and blonde.

I mentioned that residential buildings are high and narrow and they are built on each other. The access is small, narrow, dangerous, spiral staircases.

There are a few “red light district review booths” in our building block. I had better not walk in my sleep!

Many trolleys run throughout the city and are well used. Driving here takes courage. Cars, bikes, buses, trolleys, scooters, three wheel carts, and other unique vehicles.

Stay tuned for pictures from Hukenhoff. World’s finest garden.

More on Amsterdam 

I listed some incorrect information about Amsterdam taxes being based on square footage on the ground. That was in France I believe. The narrowness of the homes here is base purely on engineering considerations. The ground is so naturally wet that they pounded wooden pilings deep into the sand for foundation support. That in itself allows for the houses to shift in the sand and lean into the next. I would say that half the homes lean and are far from straight.

I forget to list another vehicle type they use as taxis …. Tesla!

I know I mentioned something about the amount of bikes here but it is truly amazing. Have not seen an accident. Men in three piece suits and women in dresses, skirts, and heels all over the place.

They party, sing, and are rowdy until 3-4am, every night. I won’t be able to sleep with all the quiet in HH.

Pictures of ‘bicycle flats’ parking garage reserved for bicycles only, a hotel and train station.