Day 9 - Amsterdam Sightseeing

Sunday 4th September 2016
Sunrise 6:57am – Sunset 8:20pm

Weather Forecast:   19 AM t’storms

Steps:    17,497    12.1 km

I woke up with the alarm at 7am this morning.  I looked out my window and it was raining.  I went down to breakfast around 7.45am and then came back to my room and did some hand washing. I was thinking about taking the t-shirts to a laundromat but decided not to. I looked out my window and the sun was shining.  In the end, I didn't take my raincoat with me, just the umbrella and I wore a long sleeved top.

The coach didn't depart until 10am.  First up was a drive around orientation, then we all got off the coach and those who were doing the optional met the local guide and those not, did their own thing.  As we stepped off the coach, it started to rain.  That only lasted 3 or 4 minutes and it was dry again.  As I was going to use the coach to get back to the hotel in the afternoon, I opted to walk to where we were being picked up, so I knew where to go.  It took me a couple of wrong turns before I got the directions sorted. Amsterdam can be confusing at first.  I did a lot of walking in the 4 plus hours I had in the city this morning.

First up was to see the Royal Palace.

Then as I was walking to the Westerkerk, this limo went past.  

More street photos on the way to Westerkerk.  

The Ambassade Hotel on Herengracht canal. I stayed there for a week in 2002 and this is the room that I stayed in.  

I walked through the Flower Market, where bulbs are sold.

and cheeses.

More photos, as I continued on my way to the Magere Brug or skinny bridge.  

The bridge opened before I got there, to let a barge through.

On the way down again. 

It was at this point that my fitbit let me know that I had walked 10,000 steps.  I continued on my way, starting to head back towards the pick up point. 

Blue sky

I visited the Museum of the Canals along the way. That took about 45 minutes and was  okay.

Some more street shots.

There were some people who had bought tickets to visit the Van Gogh Museum, so they were dropped off near the museum, while the rest of us came back to the hotel. Cyndy was one of the museum visitors, so when she arrived back at the hotel, we then went up the street to an Italian restaurant for some dinner. She had a Pizza, I had a bowl of onion soup. Delicious.

We have a 6.30am departure for the optional tomorrow morning, so it's an early night for me tonight.