On Friday I did the standard walking tour of Amsterdam from the Centraal Station and shopping streets through the red light district. Thank you Rick Steves. It was good to get my bearings from the north center of the town. 

That said, the Rick Steves’ walking tours have several small detours to little courtyards — one for women only in Jordaan (St Andrew’s Hof) and another off the main area that includes churches ( Begijnhof) … photos below.

It’s nice to have little oases off the more crowded shop filled streets. Overall, Amsterdam is what I remembered but more crowded (I had several very nice days) though fewer prostitutes in the red light district doorways – I went down one street where all the former rented rooms were small stores and people were sweeping the street in front. Definitely changing. (Also their outfits that used to be more bustier-style are now more strappy!? But that’s another thing.) Though it was also 3ish so hardly high traffic time.

I’m really combining where I’ve been over a few days in AMS. As usual I walked in the wrong direction several times but eventually made it to a few cool places like Spui where they had a weekly book market and the infamous street flower market. Sorry no photos!

Later I walked to an area I think is called Marken (and there’s a zoo I didn’t go to) for a diamond tour (hey if you’re in the land of de Beers why not?) and was meeting Luca nearby for cocktails at 6. The diamond tour was ok. They mostly demonstrated the polishing process — and later showed a few unset stones (one was worth $200K — highest possible clarity, cut, color — and 2.17 carats. Not that I’m shopping for diamonds but it was pretty!). Of course in my small tour group were two Italians (father and son) — the dad was looking for a Rolex despite their stating that they’re literally being stolen off people’s wrists in Milan (they’re from Udine). Though they were happy to hear I’m heading to Camogli for a wedding!  

I sat in a small park (photo taken from there above) before I met Luca for a fancy cocktail or two and then a few beers (!) since our dinner reservation was late. Dinner was at a Michelin bib gourmand place (Rijsel – Dutch for Lille so French influenced). Everything was VERY good.  Though with wine at dinner I think I had quite a bit of alcohol and Luca proceeded to ride me back to his apartment, about a 20 minute ride. My not-well-padded hiney sat on the back rack meant for stuff not butts; I sat side-saddle and I’m not sure how I held on but we repeated it the next day to get to the train station to head out to Keukenhof. I found it harder sober! Luca calls it his drunk riding because he’s apparently biked men his size that way when they’ve had too much and need to be dropped off somewhere. 

Keukenhof was, as it is known to be, very flowery. It was a beautiful Saturday, almost 70, and everyone thought this was the right time to go. So it was more crowded than I would’ve liked. And when we started biking it got really windy (like 18 mph, gusts over 30). The bike rental guy told us not to go some ways because it was just too hard even though I said I’m from Chicago and Luca lives in AMS. And he was right. It was wickedly windy. But I’ll share some beautiful flowers …

A word on the bikes. We rented one here in AMS Sunday and also the two in Keukenhof. They had no problems fitting a bike for Luca but in both places I think they gave me the smallest they had and they were a bit large for me. (Notice the photo with Luca in it — they gave us the same bike frame, just lowered my seat! I mean the handlebars were at my chest height?!) Even worse was the one in AMS. Handlebars lower but seat higher. I mean I’m not THAT short!? I honestly think it would be unmanageable for my sister, nieces, or Francoise … these are big and heavy and if your feet barely hit the pedals (or the ground when you’re in the seat), it can be a tad treacherous.

Today I had to go back to the boat canal tour of yesterday (oh more on that later)…. I biked back alone and even with Google maps in my ear of course made MANY wrong turns. It should’ve been a 20 min ride but I took almost 35?! Lots of stopping to reread map and get oriented. And I only got beeped (it’s really just a cute friendly little bell) once. It was rainy and windy and interesting to try to navigate while simultaneously avoiding crashes into pedestrians, other bikes, cars or trams. Or just falling into a rut (tram tracks are treacherous on tires) or on/off sidewalks and bike lanes. With a hood up that hurt my peripheral vision. Kids here pass a test in 5th grade on bike rules — a rite of passage (so I am told) — might be nice to share those rules with tourists. I definitely made mistakes!??

Anyway I really need to get out today despite the rain. Here’s a photo of my trusty “steed” that I just returned. I’ll write more about the canal tour later.