July 22, 2018
We had a good visit with family in Connecticut. We bought a third big suitcase while we were there because all our bags were overweight. It rained on Sunday in CT/NY which delayed our flight a few hours. But after we were in the plane, so we sat on the tarmac. Other planes waiting had to return to the gate because they burned too much fuel. Our pilot turned off his engine which allowed us to skip a few places in line and eventually get off the ground and have enough fuel to reach Amsterdam. We arrived in Amsterdam Sunday morning really tired. And we spent most of that day getting our phones working. Our apartment is working out great. It’s compact, but well located. And you would not believe these stairs. It is like a carpeted ladder. That reminds me; I fell off a ladder 2 days before we left and think I broke at least one toe. Silly injury for falling off a ladder. I worried that it would be a big hindrance with all the walking around. But it is not causing any problem; it’s still so swollen, it’s numb.
Yesterday we visited a museum and walked around the City, a lot. Today we toured the Ann Frank house. It was worthwhile and thought provoking. Then we went to the holocaust museum, Jewish history museum and Amsterdam resistance museum. We wanted to get all the depressing, but important history out of the way on the same day.
Weather has been hot and uncomfortable. But today is cooler and even a few sprinkles.
We need to lighten our load. We are only using a fraction of our stuff and just can’t drag all this around. I am researching options.
I miss those dogs. And everyone and everything else. It’s starting to sink in what we have done.
Wow! What a first day. Traveling is not just about the attractions I guess. Where in Amsterdam do you suggest staying if you have less than 1 week? Is it hard to get into the Anne Frank House? Do you need a reservation? I have heard everyone in Amsterdam uses bikes. Should I rent one to get around?
Amsterdam is relatively small and transportation great, but different neighborhoods will have widely different vibes. Definitely get your Anne Frank tickets ahead of time. You will get an exact entry time on your ticket. You can imagine, it is a pretty small place, so admittance is metered. I would not recommend renting a bike. We are avid cyclists, and we don’t. You can really tell the unsure tourists. And Dutch bicycling customs and bike etiquette are different from ours.