Amsterdam….the trip begins

 So who wants to begin a trip with the man who decides to call his eldest child and give him the code to our home safe “in case the plane goes down”.  Really, Dom???? 😳

After about 15 hours in travel time we arrive at the Pulitzer Hotel and I really wanted to brush my teeth.  While I could fill a cabinet with the United Airlines vanity kits, you know I would never ‘freshen up’ in a airplane bathroom!  At 12:30pm we did not expect our room to be ready but here’s a new amenity on me… the Pulitzer has ‘Refresher Rooms’ for the likes of us.  They booked it for 1-1/2 hours, enough time for a shower and a tiny nap before our 2 hour walking tour and 2 hour canal cruise; just enough time to get the lay of the land (and water) of Amsterdam. 

The architecture of these homes built in the 1600’s are so well preserved and tell the stories of those who founded Amsterdam.  Most could not read,  so ornate carvings and rooftops were their homes’ distinguishing features.  The staircases are so narrow, no furniture could fit through so giant pulleys were added to the facades to hoist up either wood to construct the furniture on site or, in-later times, to haul up your sofa or sewing machine.

Oh, by the way, Coffee Shops are not your neighborhood Starbucks.  It’s more about smoking than drinking coffee.

Of course, there’s the obligatory walk thru of the Red Light District.  But be forewarned, taking photos of the ladies will get you a fine of 95 euros.  And condoms and STD tests are required.  I guess they keep a file on their regulars 🤷🏻‍♀️

After the never ending day, a beer and a burger at the hotel and off to a comfy bed.

Alas, the bed was so comfy we awoke like Kevin in Home Alone!  Van Gogh tickets were in one hour about a  20 min walk away.  How fast can we shower and breakfast? Ah, we’ve still got it! The exhibit was, as you would expect, enthralling.  What a tortured talent he was. Of course, any in depth exhibit reveals so much about an artist.  Besides his famous paintings and many self portraits, I learned how close he was to his brother; that his brother named his son after him and that Vincent’s namesake founded this museum to honor his uncle.

Now the Vermeer exhibit held at the  Rijksmuseum is there until June 4th and tickets have been sold out for like forever.  A little birdie told me to inquire when there if tickets might be available.  Lo and behold, we got on a very short queue and waited a half hour until they opened up day of tickets.  Score!  Such a special exhibit.  Note to self, The Girl with the Pearl Earring is hanging in The Hague, one of our scheduled stops in a couple of days.

Our museum day concluded with a 9pm tour of the Anne Frank museum.  One cannot come to Amsterdam without going there and remembering….