Today started with a breakfast by the canal sitting on a sloped area that had little metal chairs. It was a popular spot for omelets. It seems that nice weather brings everyone out on sidewalk’s to eat and drink. The streets were filled with people walking everywhere. We finished and wandered past the flower market. There were bulbs and seeds for sale at very good prices. I wish I had room to bring them home.
We came back to the hotel to meet with a guide we had hired for a walking tour in the old town. We had met him on the street giving a tour on Thursday afternoon and took his card. He seemed very knowledgeable. He took us to many places that we would not have found on our own. We saw several more hidden churches and a beautiful private courtyard that had private residences and very old plaques from walls of homes. The plaques had been used to identify who lived in various homes. They were preserved by the city when homes were remodeled.
We walked into the old Jewish quarter of the city but didn’t have time to visit the many places there. Maybe Monday. We ended by having beer in a very old spot that has a huge beer selection and sells nothing else. I had a nice light beer that was local.
Tomorrow we are going to The Hague to experience a train ride through the tulip fields and then see a museum that has a treasure trove of Rembrandt and Vermeer paintings. So glad to be here a few days before the boat trip which wouldn’t give time to see much of Amsterdam.
The Adventures of Anne 