Beautiful Day in Beautiful Amsterdam

This is me at the harbor. Don't know what the sign's for, but it seemed right.

Bike attire. 

Amsterdam smacked me between the eyes today with just about

Bike shoes.

everything I want--at first glance, anyway--in a city. It is bright, clean, imaginatively erected, colorful, historic, an architectural masterpiece, a biker's haven, filled with boats, almost devoid of cars, home of a crackerjack public transportation system, diverse as any place I've ever been and almost as friendly as Ireland.

The prevalence of bicycles and the absence of cars was the first eyebrow-raiser. I knew this was the capital of the world for bikes, but I had no idea a big city like this would have so few cars. Public transportation is wonderful and with the flat landscape, dang near everybody rides bikes. I understand cars are prohibitively expensive to own, so that would help explain some of it. I love the variety, the color and the styles of bikes. They're all over the place.

We're in a small three-story flat downtown with a staircase that would make Alfred Hitchcock blush. We lugged those increasingly heavy bags up the steps early in the afternoon after flying over from Dublin and almost immediately went to the center of the city to the Eye Museum, where we had a late lunch, watched the boats and bikers and generally enjoyed being here. It is stunning and the unseasonable 60-degree weather brought out a large number of natives and guests.

I'm loving Holland and tomorrow I follow Sonya's lead to some of its museums.
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This was the bike scene at the train station.

There are canals all over the city.

This is where we're staying.

This represents driving and talking on the cell. I saw people texting.

Hitchcock's stairwell.

Colorful kids downtown.

Hanging out on a pretty day.

More bikes at the canal.

A fairly typical street scene.

Sonya near the eye museum.

Amsterdam Central is breathtaking.

The old man in front of the extraordinary Eye Museum of art.

Dining hall at the Eye Museum.

Schooner passing during a late lunch.