It’s 2050 (that’s 8:50pm) in Amsterdam, and it almost feels like it too! 🙂 We arrived this morning, and caught a shuttle bus to the hotel. A little walk along the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal and down to Dam Square, then some lunch and back to the hotel for a nap was the extent of today’s activities, but this will change for tomorrow!
Before you ask, yes it’s cold! I phoned home this morning while waiting for the hotel shuttle and dialling the phone was a definite adventure in fine-motor dexterity. I’m beginning to realise why voice-activated dialling came about — these phones are all designed in Europe, aren’t they! 🙂
I really like the feel of Amsterdam Centraal — the narrow cobbled streets, the canals, the bicycles parked at every possible spot a bicycle can be parked, happy-looking people strolling down the streets (just don’t think about exactly why they might be looking so happy!), a general feeling of “all is right with the world”.
The room here at the hotel is very well equipped (well, for the price we’re paying it should be). I have access to a Club Room, which provides a breakfast as well as free refreshments at all hours, and has a balcony with unique views of Amsterdam; free wireless Internet; and free mini-bar — yes, free mini-bar. There’s a bunch of other benefits but I stopped reading after “free mini-bar” :). The good thing is that by booking direct on the Priority Club website I got this room at a comparable rate to what our travel agents could get for a standard room. Anyone who wants a hotel recommendation for Amsterdam, let me know. 🙂
Back to Amsterdam… I’m certain that my Dutch friend Rob could tell me about any number of places in Holland that have the same feel without the slightly grubby tarnish of Amsterdam (he would probably challenge “slightly” as well), but that doesn’t matter to me right now — I’ve got room service pizza and two free cans of Carlsberg to help me get over the jet lag (as far as I’m concerned, a half-litre can labelled “probably the best beer in the world” is a challenge, and is just screaming “drink me” to any red-blooded Aussie like me).
Crossed Wires 