Thursday, August 25, 2011

Journey to Amsterdam

Alas, Tuesday it was time to bid adeiu to Reykjavik and move on to Amsterdam. Both Maggie and I woke up earlier than we needed to (before 4am), because, for one, we didn't want to miss our flight, and for another, it was freaking light outside. Believe it or not, we were ready 20 minutes early for our 5:30 shuttle.

Check-in and security at the airport went smoothly, we got our VAT refund, had breakfast, found Kent the smoking lounge, and boarded the plane. This particular plane was older and not renovated. American airlines would tell you to suck it up. Icelandair, however, apologized, gave us a free snack and personal Sony PSPs loaded with games, TV shows and movies for our flight. Not too shabby, eh?

We land in Amsterdam, figure out we can't use all ATMs because Americans don't have "chip & PIN" cards, hunt down a bank, get cash, buy our tickets to Centraal Station and make our way to the train...or should I say the wrong platform. Of course, being us, we JUST miss the train after we figure out which platform to be on. We wait for the next train, make our way to Centraal Station, figure out which tram we need to be on, and find the office to check in.

After check-in, guess what time it is?!? That's right kids, another round of Chris, Kent & Maggie lugging their luggage through the cobblestone streets of a European city. We wander down the wrong canal, but eventually found our digs for the next three nights...a houseboat! Yes, you read that right. We rented a houseboat on the Keizergracht canal, which is HUGE. Don't worry, I have pictures.

We rest up, find a cafe for lunch, where we people watch for a bit, went grocery shopping, etc. and generally rest up. So far, Amsterdam has been nice, and there are two days of stories to share. One thing I've learned is that, for me, Amsterdam is a lot like Rome, in that you could spend hours or days just wandering the city, finding a bench, and people watching. I'm definitely going to have to return for a less structured trip. Coming up next post: our shenanigans in Amsterdam!

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