Amsterdam

WHAT a damn fine city! I really consider myself a country person net-net, so the prospect of visiting an urban area for multiple days could be problematic -- not in Amsterdam. With the exception of our drive in -- where bikers are unfamiliar with the English verbs "to break" and "to yield" -- everything about the city was attractive. Our hotel was great. Though steep and cramped, the location was excellent and the general vibe uniquely Dutch. Below is the breakdown of our trip.

Day 1: RIJSTAFFEL AND RED LIGHT DISTRICT

We arrived in Amsterdam late, and after our requisite happy hour libations in the hotel, we sampled Indonesian "rijstaffel," literally rice table, which consists of a lot of small plates, mother f***ing spicy, dishes of meat, vegetables, and tofu with a big bowl of rice ... Really tasty and not Germanic, which is always a plus. Afterwards we went to the Red Light District ... I'm sure you can imagine ... Girls in windows, divided in allies by ethinicity and fetish, beckoning you. No pictures allowed, lest you have your camera stolen! Day

2: ANNE FRANK HUIS AND VAN GOGH MUSEUM

The following day, we hit the two primary Amsterdam sites -- the Anne Frank House in the morning, and the Van Gogh Museum in the afternoon. The Anne Frank House was really a moving exhibit. It's difficult at times to explore the house and information center, when one knows the ultimate fate of the entire family. I actually didn't realize the whole house would be empty. As Jews, I think we rightly have a responsibility to visit sites like this, but ultimately, the story is neither uplifting nor ends well, which is unfortunate and depressing. After a great meal at La Perla, we went to the Van Gogh Museum (pronounced "van chockkk" in Dutch). As I get I older, I'm better able to "get it" and appreciate sites like this. It goes without saying, the art was beautiful and moving .... He def had skills that kills!

Day 3: DELFT

After we came, saw, and conquered Amsterdam and her canals, we day tripped an hour outside of town by train and visited Delft, a small Dutch town world famous for glass wear. I have the least to report from Delft, other than the town was more developed than expected and the factory tour was really cool. We ended our Amsterdam visit with anther great meal at La Perla -- again -- and prepared to move on to Berlin!