We arrived in Amsterdam at about 4pm after an eventful train trip from Bruges which was delayed by almost an hour due, sadly, to a suicide on the system, and a mad dash to catch our connecting train in Brussels which thankfully waited for us!

The trip from there was super quick courtesy of the brilliant fast trains that run throughout Europe, thundering along at breakneck speeds. Mmm, any thoughts Australia?

Welcome to Amsterdam for the next three days…

Dope capital, and proud of it!

How convenient, 20 metres from our apartment is a bar!

We did the Heineken tour

and got a special bottle for Specks, who was always calling out for “UNE HEINEKEN” on the TMB!

The weather was diabolical, cold windy and pouring rain, but that didn’t deter the brave souls for experiencing the Heineken Experience.

On to the Rikjmuseum, the most famous museum in the Netherlands, and one of the finest in the world, cataloguing the history of Dutch art. The most famous piece, ‘the night watch’, by Rembrandt wasn’t hard to find!

For anyone who’s read Jessie Burton’s “The Miniaturist” (if you haven’t, do! It’s excellent) there’s an impressive miniature house.

A brilliant library room,

Yves Saint Laurent gets a gig,

Plus much, much more.

Out the front is the famous “I AmSterdam” sign packed with posture’s large and small.

Wet…time for a beer!

The next day was spent walking, and walking, and walking. The view down our canal, our apartment is on the right half way down.

Through the Jordaan region,

Amsterdam is one of the most bike friendly cities on earth. Look left, look right, look both ways again…they are the silent assassin’s!

back past the museum section,

And on to Albert Cuypmarkt in De Pijp, the largest open air market in the Netherlands.

Past more canals, they are everywhere, unsurprisingly! It being a canal city, and all…

Fabulous barges,

The morning view from our room.

Amsterdams favourite son, Rembrandt, and his famous ‘night watch’ in three D.

Wonderful canal houses.

Salty sailors in the red light district,

Over 18’s coffee shops everywhere, and all of them packed.

The red light district is pretty sad and seedy, but very tame during the day

Mind you, there were still plenty of ladies by their red doors, some were off duty!

Not everything was tacky!

We did a canal tour for an hour,

Past more beautiful canal houses

And a final walk, which surprisingly ended up at a brewery!

And one last beer to celebrate another fabulous trip.

Till the next one…