goedemorgen amsterdam

We arrived in Amsterdam yesterday morning after a long, but thankfully uneventful flight. We expected public transportation to be easy, but the kiosks to buy train tickets didn't want to take our credit cards, so we took a cab instead - which actually was quite reasonable for four of us to share. We checked into the hotel, unpacked, and then walked around to get our bearings.

Before I show you photos, I'd like to start off with a quick disclaimer: these aren't exactly award-winning images so far. I just took a few quickies to give you an idea of the experience. We still have the rest of our week here - I expect to do a whole lot more photographing during that time.

Our rooftop view and workspace
Our lovely, modern bathroomKeeping in touch with home... for free (thanks Skype!)
Mike and Christina are right next door

Later we took an evening stroll. The streets were lined with holiday lights and the city was bustling with activity. We expected there to be less crowds this time of year, with the colder, wet weather. But, perhaps because the IDFA (international documentary festival amsterdam) is going on, we've seen a lot of people and quite a bit of activity. We're thinking we might join in the festivities and catch a documentary sometime this weekend.

I haven't completely got my facts straight yet, but I think this might be the Amstel River.



We stopped and had a delicious, warm kretenbol - a doughy, round pastry with raisins. think churro as far as flavor, but different shape and texture.
It was raining when we got to Dam Square. One of the things we noticed was that the really heavy waves of rain or hail were short - so rather than plowing through it, the locals just ducked for cover and waited it out for a few minutes.
Any overhang would do, even the monument itself was sufficient coverage until the downpour passed.I LOVED these department store windows - something about those cheery colors and whimsical arrangement of items really made it appealing to me. Christina and I have decided that we'll be making a trip back here to shop at least once before we leave.
We had dinner at a cafe/pub/steak house called The Old Bell. The food was tasty, the ambiance was pleasant, and the people were friendly.
Before the trip, we found a little molskine travel book for Amsterdam - which has been great. It has a small map of the city with street index, but it also has plenty of space for us to include our own notes and doodles about the places we go. Here Dick is adding an entry.Any place with a house cat is top notch in my book. Dick took this less-than-flattering shot of me polishing off my baby back ribs while the cat hung out in the window behind me.
So far I'm really enjoying Amsterdam. The people are great, it's easy to get around, and the photographic opportunities are insane - I can't wait to take more today!