Today (from what all the locals have told me) is a great day for a boat ride. In Amsterdam, there are many canals all throughout the streets. There are boats for rent, where you and your friends can grab some wine and a picnic basket and just ride around town. It’s a great way to achieve a tan without the beach.
There are many canal boat tours. You can see Amsterdam in its entirety in an hour. If you are planning to stay in Amsterdam for a day, I suggest buying the all day pass (23£, roughly $26). This day pass is what tour companies called, “hop on, hop off”. Basically, you have the freedom of hopping on or off on specifically stops all throughout Amsterdam.
On the Holland Canal boat tours, there are three lines, a green, red, and blue. Blue is the longest line and the green is the shortest and most popular line. The green line has all the main attractions like the Anne Frank House, RijksMuseum, Rembrandt house, etc.
Here is a picture of the Anne Frank House. I’ve haven’t been there yet, but the building from the outside looks new and modern. The long line is common. A local suggest that I buy my ticket online and either get there early or two hours before closing. Those are the best way to avoid that line. Honestly, I wait in a lot of lines in my normal life. I don’t want to stand in lines while on vacation.
*sigh* Red light district. Photos are prohibited. Okay, it’s actually red. The road and most lights are red, which is how it got its namesake, I imagine. Lots of (shockingly) pretty girls behind a huge store front window with a mini bikini on. Some girls are sitting, where others are just dancing. Nothing hardcore, well, nothing I’ve never seen before. The grosses thing about the red light district (and it’s not the girls) is the public urinal. It’s literally a steal box that covers your chest and butt area and you just pee on the ground like a dog. It’s rather gross when you are stand nearby it, but when you gotta go, you gotta go.
Finishing up my post on the Heineken experience. This one time functional brewery turned glorified bar is fun if you are under the age of 23. Back in the day, the experience used to be all you can drink, now you pay for the beers you drink. What’s the fun in that??? Anyway, I passed on the experience, but it’s something to see.
All in all, day two has been great. Nice people, great weather, and the coffee shops are awesome.
Boat houses, which can be rented as a hostel.
Tons of great cheeses for really cheap.
Amsterdam calls this an open market. In Hawai’i, we would called this a swap meet. Or it could also be called a flea market meets farmer’s market.
Cutest mini strawberries. I’ve never seen that before.
I ended my 2nd day with bangers and mash, something that I can’t get at home. It was good!
I’m off. Thanks Amsterdam for the memories. Next stop, Frankfurt, Germany. Stay tuned for more wanderlust adventures.
Boat rides sound fun and you have got some great pics. I love the architecture of european countries – some modern some old world…what a great mix. Those strawberries are cute as all get out. Safe travels to Frankfurt – can’t wait to hear about it. Take care.
The architecture has been AH-mazing. I’m not the type of person to noticed, but here you have no choice, but to notice. Apparently (what I learned from the boat tour) amsterdam’s buildings are built with a little lean forward to give the illusion of it being taller.
Greetings from Frankfurt.
Jen! I love that you are keeping us updated in your travels. I hope you eat some amazing fooooooood!
Haha! That’s my plan! Thus far, Germany’s food has been great. Amsterdam has “meh” food.
Greetings from Frankfurt.
I don’t know if I commented, so I better do it again.
Thanks, i’m determined to keep up with my travel blogs. I must say, Germany (by far) has the best food. Amsterdam’s food was very “men”. Not the best food, which I find weird, because I would think they would have the best food with all the munchies. LOL
I’m so bummed you are going to in O’ahu when I’m gone! WHY!!!!! LOL Why are you going? And when are you going to come back.
Greetings from Frankfurt
Oh my goodness! That line is so daunting. I don’t think I’d have the patience!! And the public urinal….ew. Just ew. I know I know – it’s better than ppl just pee’ing on the side of a building but somehow, it seems like with all the technology we have today, there might be a slightly more civilized or hygienic way of accomplishing the same thing. You’re totally rockin’ it Jen!!
Yep, that line was way too long for my taste. Maybe I’ll try to attempt to go inside when I get back into Amsterdam, but I can’t make any promises.
Peeing outside it gross, but I guess to attempt to fix the problem, Amsterdam thought it was best to make really public urinals. Gross, but better than peeing in every corner, I guess. LOL It’s still gross and they should just put more toilets around. LOL
Greetings from Tuscany
I think boat houses are awesome! I read a blog recently where a couple rented a houseboat for a week instead of a hotel. How cute! Guess they don’t want pix in the red light district for a reason. I thought they wanted to convert that district to something less controversial. Glad you’re having a great time! You certainly are keeping up with the posts! Impressive!
House boats would be fun. I think it would be fun to stay in one, as long as its not too rocky. Lol I can imagine myself having one too many wines and falling into the canal. Lol
Greetings from Berlin
LOL fall into the canal
Knowing me…I would totally fall in. LOL
LOL @ the description of the red light district. I think that urinal idea sounds worse than a port-a-potty. LOL Funny though how you’re like “Its actually Red”
Man, I was dying to take a picture, but I saw this one “woman of the night”…Russian with big melons…open her door and almost punch this lady who was taking an iPhone photo. I was not going to get arrested in Amsterdam for a petty crime like voyeurism. LOL