Our last full day in Amsterdam was a lazy one. Slept in and took a leisurely stroll to a new to us area called De Pip. It had the feel of an artistic neighbourhood with a wonderful street market. Lots to look at and sample including chocolate and more herring!
What about a wig?
A sign for your house?
Some chocolate!
Way better than herring.
This area also has the Heineken Experience showing the production of the beer and a few samples. It was crowded when we went by.
We came across a coffee shop called Mellow Yellow with this sign in the window...
These are the famous Amsterdam coffee houses where no alcohol or tobacco allowed just legal drugs.
We stopped to take in the architecture of many of the canal houses with the hook at the top. This is used to move heavy, oversized up and down the floors because the stairways are too narrow.Most of these houses were built in the 1700s which was The Golden Age in the Netherlands when Dutch trade,science, military and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. The houses have many facades that make the row houses very interesting to view.
Amsterdam also has around 3000 house boats that float in most of the canals throughout the city. Some of them look like old scows while others are quite modern. They range in price from 300-700 thousand Euros so not cheap. They are hooked up to all utilities and own their mooring.
And of course the bikes are everywhere. Today I managed to get a picture of a mother and her children on their bike. They carry a lot of different things on them.It was the European version of Hanoi!
Amsterdam is also a gay friendly city which is evidenced in many ways including this memorial to all those who have been killed because of their sexual orientation.
And of course we wouldn't be in Europe if we didn't stop for a refreshment. This place was great as it was on the corner so great for people watching and I got to sit under a heater so I was warm. I didn't want to leave!
We ended the day and our trip to Amsterdam with a Candlelight cruise on the canal. It was a great way to finish the week in Amsterdam.
Our impressions of the city were very positive...lots to see, great food, friendly people,reasonable prices and a great pedestrian city, just have to watch out for the bikes! We are now off to Brussels for a few days.
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