AmsterDam Right I'd Do it Again.

10 out of 10. Would do again.

I mean . . .

Amsterdam is amazing and much much more than the things that immediately come to mind -

something about red lights and lighting things?

What immediately comes to mind NOW after visiting is Amsterdam's

cleanliness

friendliness accessibility

canals

fake bird chirping sounds in trees like the Hunger Games

aaaand

bikes.

I kid you not, my friends and I almost got run over by a bike at least once a day.

It is a way of life over there.

(the bike riding, not running over people)

They ride in any weather and transport many different things along with them.

Briefcases

Purses

((slightly typical))

Large dogs in buckets

Babies

((not typical in the least bit))

You name it, they will put it in a basket and pedal it 5 miles across town.

Here is what my friends and I were able to capture whilst trying to take a touristy photo of ourselves:

And it is true... most people (adults, kids, old people) did not have helmets.

...Even though the bike lanes were often barely distinguishable from the car lanes, which intertwined with the tram lines.

Luckily, there was a definitive spot for the boats in the canals. No confusion there.

(Though if you want to talk about blurred lines, the boat houses were plentiful, but their windows are WIDE open due to a culture of openness in the Netherlands: Wanting to show that you have nothing to hide. )

Anywho, my friends and I were able to walk and tram around the city with ease (mostly due to our one friend's impeccable ability to navigate. Without her, I still may be over there trying to find my way home.)

We didn't dare try to bike around, due to the seriousness in which they take this usually recreational sport.

And although I'd like to think we'd look just as coordinated an cool. . .

... we'd probably just end up in a Dutch hospital bed

Instead we took Amsterdam up on its terrific trams that run in and out of the city center into what looks like the outer ripples of the city .

Each tram is equipped with a little reception desk for information.

-cute-

We befriended all but one* Tram Guide with ease because we are likable people, naturally.

It got us from our hotel on the outskirts of town to the Heineken Factory

To our awesome boat tour

To the Anne Frank House (which I would advise any and all human beings to visit)

It took us to eat some of the greatest foods in all the land. And then some that I'd rather forget, tbh.

It took us to our tours and shopping.

We were able to go on a tour of the Red Light District, which is both mind-boggling and therefore, fascinating. That culture that you associate with Amsterdam is very much still a part of it, but there is more to be learned and I would highly recommend seeking a professional tour guide to do that, if you're interested.

So all in all, this trip was a pleasant "surprise".

I say surprise because I was expecting the trip to be heavily influenced by the stereotypical Amsterdammy things. Super rude, I know, yet that is what is put out into pop culture as a reference point.

Amsterdam was so much more, and I would recommend the trip to anyone and everyone!

I loved the city and all it had to offer.

Come back soon for a small little baby post about our day trip to Bruges, which was a part of this trip, as well.

Skål xx

* one Tram Guide (if he was even really a tram guide) didn't tell us the "No Exit" doors we were trying to get through at our stop were NO EXIT. So we were trapped in the tram until the next stop where he got a little taste of Jersey with our eye rolls and our out loud thoughts about his helpfulness.

We couldn't help it though ...