We left our apartment this morning literally sliding our cases down the wooden stairs.  We were pleased to see the end of that accommodation!

We boarded the Eurostar to Amsterdam. Our route took us via Brussels, Rotterdam and Antwerp.

We arrived at Schipol Airport at lunchtime.  After grabbing some lunch we found a bus to take us to our hotel.

What a stunning hotel we have – clean, spacious (in European terms) and quiet. We feel like we have hit the jackpot!

After settling in, we found our way into Amsterdam Central via 2 trams. Most commuting here appears to be on trams.

There are bicycles everywhere!  Most don’t stop for anything or anyone. There is bicycle parking everywhere.  There are bicycle parkades. They have recently opened a new underground one for 10,000 bicycles, and there were only about 3,500 open spaces, according to the notice.

We got tickets to go on a Canal Cruise, which was very interesting. The couple sitting in front of us were from Jo’burg – so we chatted to them.

Some houses are known as the dancing house, as they have moved so much over time that they are now skew.  In the 17^th century, the maximum width you were allowed for your house was 6m – the house could be built up a number of stories and back as far as the land would allow.

One canal leads into 7 canals alone.

All houses are propped up by the next house, failing which they would all collapse. The wooden poles which support the foundations are fine, until the water level drops. The poles coming into contact with air starts the rotting process. As a result they now try and regulate the water levels in the canals.

After having a warm drink – it was freezing cold – we boarded a ferry to cross the canal.  Here these ferries are free for cyclists and bicycles, pedestrians and these dinky little cars that drive on. (When I say dinky, these cars would make Lucy (my Honda Brio) look like a double cab bakkie in relation to the size!)

We then went up to A’dam lookout – it was originally built by Shell, but when they pulled out of The Netherlands,  it was revamped and is now a hotel, offices, revolving restaurant and lookout point.  It was bitterly cold up there but the views were great!  It is 20 floors up and the lift takes 22 seconds to get there.

Back on ground level we walked around Old Amsterdam, before taking 2 trams back to our hotel.  William found the Liverpool match on tv – with Dutch commentary – and I did some work.

Tomorrow is tulip day!