The last time I was in Amsterdam was in 1969, a mere 55 years ago! My roommate and I took a 10-week trip through the UK and Europe as a college graduation gift to ourselves with the book, Europe on $5 a Day, tearing out the pages as we finished with a particular country or city to lighten the load. There have been many changes here, but the charm of the canals, the tall, narrow buildings, and the warm people has never diminished.
We arrived in good shape, worked our way to the train in the airport to get to the Centraal Station, and finally a taxi to our hotel. We purchased a lot of these online before departing from Mexico. That made for quite a savings and ease of travel by having our tickets ahead of time.
Again, we stayed at a hotel in the same chain as the one in Madrid, Motel One. The rooms are compact (read small) but very nice, with a comfortable lobby for breakfast, if you choose, and drinks during the day. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful.
After check-in and a little relaxation, we wandered down the street to an Italian restaurant and shared a delicious pizza. The owner and his wife are actually Egyptian and were so pleased to hear about our travels there. It was a delightful end to a long day.
Tomorrow, we start with a cruise through the canals of this beautiful city and a tour of the Jewish synagogues and a walking tour of the Jewish area, which happens to be a block from where are staying. this should be very interesting.
Time for bed…