Amsterdam Culture Shock

Arrived in Amsterdam today. We walked off the plane and were struck by the number of people and bikes. There weren't crowds of people anywhere in Norway. We saw more people in Copenhagen, but still not crowds. Now, hordes of people in Amsterdam. Welcome to European vacation in August.

Today was a travel day. We're back to a hotel and our room is really large. The hotel is near a big park. Where we walked over to see and there were lots of people enjoying their Saturday. The biggest surprise was that there were outdoor urinals. Yep, you just walk up, do your business, and walk away. All the while, everyone can watch you. We found a seafood bar and had the best meal we've had. Crab cakes, lobster soup, and a seafood platter with all sorts of crustations and fish. Add lots of wine and a chocolate cake and ice cream desert and the perfect meal.

Observations of the Day: Traveling Scandinavia is expensive. We've just arrived in Amsterdam, and prices already look more like California.Read more