Amsterdam

Amsterdam is one of the most visited cities in Europe. It's liberalism and canals draw people in for a reason. We found an apartment built in 1650 not too far from Centraal station. This is the northernmost city we'll visit on this trip, and also the most expensive. Our room cost about $250 US/night, which is 5x more than the 2 BR apartment in Malta to start the trip. 😭 But it is amazing and we don't mind paying for the experience.

If anyone wanted to save money, you could easily stay in Haarlem or even farther away and take trains in and out. They're cheap, quick and the lodging could be half-price.

I've been here before and did the partying stint 23 years ago. We were a tad more subdued on this trip, especially after 10 weeks of travel. But we did sample some genever, the local gin.

The highlight was a visit to the Rijksmuseum, full of Dutch Masters and a few Van Goghs. The 2 days here were spent mostly walking along canals and taking in the sights. We absolutely love the architecture.

It wasn't possible to visit the Anne Frank Museum. It's a small house and that sells out weeks and months in advance now. Too bad Deanne couldn't see it. On my first trip, I just walked right in.

We're going to end the trip with Maastricht and Utrecht, two cities known for treaties. Maastricht is at the farthest point away from Amsterdam and it's still under 2 1/2 hours away on a train. I thoroughly enjoy train travel here and find myself wishing the trips were longer.

More photos and videos are here.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8xtZpdytgeEcpqch9

The Rijksmuseum
https://photos.app.goo.gl/jhjQyjPz9nF2CCuN8En savoir plus