Amsterdam

What’s next? Rotterdam, gateway to Amsterdam.  Driving again, through interesting country side past fields, glasshouses, crops, to Amsterdam, but the trip in was a nightmare. They hadn’t cleaned the bus toilet out properly and did it smell, issuing through the air con!! It was also freezing cold. By the time we got out several of us were ready to vomit!! Yuk – nightmares!! So we drove around Amsterdam, not quite appreciating all the points of interest as we might. We glimpsed the red light district but unfortunately didn’t get back for a closer look. Finally we escaped to take a canal boat ride – and that was good. The promised toilets on the boat were only one and very compact at that – and there was fifty or so on the bus but…….. We had an interesting trip around in the boat; past the dancing gable houses of Amsterdam – houses that have subsided over the years and now lean at various angles into or out from each other, picturesque houseboats, Anne Frank’s house.  Back onshore in the middle of the city we had some time on our own to wander, get some lunch, admire the flower market (you wouldn’t believe the size of the likes the Amaryllis bulbs- as big as dessert plates!!) and do our best to avoid the speeding trams and onslaught of bikes. It was very interesting and enjoyable if not a bit scary until you got used to having a really good look before you moved across any pathways or roads. Bikes are the main form of transport and there were a few innovative ideas for instance – twelve or so guys sitting around a bench with glasses of beer, BUT peddling as they drank, to propel the vehicle around the town. There was someone up front steering – drink and drive!! Most of the bikes are community owned. You pick one up here and drop it off there for someone else to pick up. There's just a sea of bikes! It’s all very flat of course, and not one obese person in sight. Some don’t want to share their bikes and those ones are locked to the side of a bridge or tree or bike park. Actually managed to buy more fridge magnets and t-shirts. We’ve been wanting to buy but people just don’t seem to realise what we want, and that they can earn a few $$$$. Scotland was hopeless. France - EXPENSIVE - a nice t-shirt on sale at 70% off was still equivilent to $70!! Hey it wasn't that great!There was a café and stalls set up inside a great terminal building.  A chap was there carving clogs…and we bought a pair each….yeah!!!!!! The genuine, large and cumbersome article. We’re taking a taxi to Rodney’s in Auckland and hoping to leave a small pile of goodies there while we continue to Sydney and fly home from there.