Adventures with Julie, Part 2: AMSTERDAM

So if I could sum up Amsterdam in 3 words, I think I would choose the following:

beautiful

bicycles

free.

The city's architecture and canals are absolutely gorgeous. 

EVERYONE has a rusty bike with a bell and rides it very fast (pedistrians do NOT have the right-of-way FYI!!!)

You can do/buy/see pretty much anything you desire in this city---freedom.  In some places, I felt as if I were in a different world.

Bicycle parking garage.

What is this, you ask?  Let me tell you.  It is a 4-person-at-the-same-time public urinal.  When I saw guys using it, I was definitely not expecting it.  While it was odd, at the same time, I give Amsterdam credit for being smart because let's be serious, if it weren't there, guys would go on the side of buildings or on flowers. 

This, my friends, is the "street" of our sleeping accomodation, Botel Zebra.  Yep, you got it, Botel---Boat Hotel.  I'd be lying if I said the name didn't sway my decision in choosing this place. 

In case you were unaware, Amsterdam is a city with many canals, therefore many people actually live on houseboats.  So I thought, going to Amsterdam, why not do like the residents and sleep on a houseboat??  Besides, how many people can say they've slept on a boat in Amsterdam?

Haha the view from lying down in my bunk bed aka mattress in a coffin.

View from our room.  Helloooooo neighbors!

 Botel Zebra's lovely dining room.

Our floating neighborhood.

So this posted sign is a true story.  It was found outside of a coffeeshop.  FYI it is known that one does not go to "coffeeshops" in Amsterdam to buy coffee.

If you go to Amsterdam, you are going to walk a LOT.  So make sure you wear comfortable shoes and not uncomfortable boots like I did.  You will probably buy cheap Euroshoes like I had to along with band-aids if you don't have comfortable shoes.

This rusty looking contraption on the front of this bike is a child's seat.  The child sits on it or I even saw a young girl of about 4 yrs old standing on the seat with her hands on her dad's shoulders as they were zipping through the narrow street.  I felt like such a mom when I thought, "Be careful!! Where's your helmet?!?!? You're going to get hurt!!!"

This is the house where Anne Frank and her family stayed in hiding.  They have it turned into a very interesting museum.  It was incredible.

So this might be one of those "guess you had to be there" stories, but it was so funny....So Julie and I were sitting outside of this cafe (a normal cafe, not a "coffeeshop" :)  just watching the bikes fly by, and all of a sudden, the man on the right rides by on the motorized chair.  Then the man on the left with the flag ZIPS by and screech stops right in front of the other man, as if he were racing.  He stopped real fast and just grinned, like an ornery little boy.  Hysterical.

What is going on?????  I don't understand!!

I forget the name of these little guys, but these delicious, fried little potato balls are apparently very typical in Holland.  Also, the waffle covered in heavenly icing below was also sold everywhere.