Amsterdam

      The first stop on our week long break was Amsterdam. Its a charming city that feels more like a big town with a lot of canals. Its a pretty city but in a relaxed sense, like if Paris didn't take itself so seriously. We arrived late at night after two long train rides so we went to bed early, much to the disapproval of Lola, the British girl who shared our hostel room with us. The next day we did a tour of the city by ourselves, just waling around and looking for interesting things. It only takes two hours to walk the entire city, meaning that wherever you stay, you're close to something. We've had terrible luck with places being under construction when we visit and in Amsterdam both the Royal Palace and the Rijksmuseum were being repaired. In the case of the palace the entire thing was covered with sheets and scaffolding so it was hard to tell there was a building there. The Rijksmuseum was great, a whole lot of Rembrandt and a few Vermeers. On the first floor they had a whole exhibit to Dutch maritime history which was really interesting.
      The best part of the day though, was the Heineken Experience. Heineken started in Amsterdam and still has their global HQ there. The beer is no longer brewed at the Amsterdam site so they turned it into a museum/attraction. The entrance fee got you two free drinks at the bar at the end of the tour and you also got a free drink at a tasting halfway through. We got to look at the brewing process and taste the beer at different stages as well as some of the ingredients. By the time we got out it was happy hour at the bar in our hostel. We met some Austrians and joined them for Amsterdam nightlife.
       The next day was more relaxed sightseeing and then we walked around Amsterdam at night, including the famous Red Light district, which is actually not very sketchy and is a big party scene. We found a sports bar that played American football so we got stayed there and got a little taste of home. The next day we saw Westerkerk, one of the tallest buildings in Amsterdam and got good panoramic views of the city. The Anne Frank house was crowded with tourists and the building that people walk through is actually not the house that she lived in. I think part of the tour walks through there but its mostly in a   museum. There are cats in every bar and cafe in Amsterdam. Its just what they do. We were tired and hung out for a while in a cafe while waiting for our train and the whole time right next to us was this cat just hanging out.

      The attitude of Amsterdam is relaxed and a little slower than back in the states. People don't go to bed till 3am and don't wake up till late morning. When we went out we had to actively try to get our check, they're content to let you sit and relax, no hurry. Also they bike everywhere, and really enjoy their bikes. Little things make Amsterdam interesting. There are rows of houseboats and even a museum dedicated to tulips.