Amsterdam - days 1 & 2 - venturing out while sick

on my first two days in Amsterdam, i did muster up enough strength to head out for the majority of each day, in between quick naps to rest and warm up in my room, and in between orange juice chugs and hot teas. on the first day, i ventured out and got lost for probably well over 4 hours. now when i say lost, it's not like i couldn't have found my way back sooner, but i have found it kind of fun to just get lost and stay lost for a while. you come across fun restaurants, bars, and sites you might never have seen otherwise. the Netherlands is quite a bit different from Germany, in that it is much cleaner and very uniform. the city follows a distinct canal ring pattern with canals circling the Central Station and streets all extending from the center like rays of sun. on the first night i went to an awesome little italian eatery/bar and I think i might have been the only tourist there. i had a few heinekens, chatted with a family vacationing from Switzerland, some other bar patrons, and had a pizza.

on day 2, i slept in quite a bit, just leaving enough time to quickly shower and head over for the city/river bike tour. the tour was about 4 - 5 hours, and took us from the city, out the Amstel river, and back through some parks. along the way, we stopped at a Dutch farm where we sampled some Dutch cheese and got to watch the process of how wooden shoes are made. The only people who wear these shoes still are farmers, and people get a pair to commemorate their wedding. other than that, they are almost entirely for tourists. after this, i went and had a local dutch favorite for dinner. PANCAKES! they not only have sweet pancakes, but "savory" pancakes which are actually a meal. savory pancakes are not made with sweet ingredients but with ingredients like meats, vegatables, and cheeses. I think I stayed at the restaurant for almost 2 hours because it was so warm inside. after I finished eating at the place, i just sat at my table and read about a quarter of "the diary of Anne Frank." her house is here in Amsterdam and I hope to visit it tomorrow, after I have had time to finish the book. until, then. chat with you later. check out the photos from days 1 and 2 below!

Amsterdam Day 1 and 2