Amsterdam!

We traveled by train from Frankfurt, Germany to Amsterdam today. Ruben had to say goodby to his BMW, we really enjoyed the freedom and fun of zooming around Germany in our car! But our train ride today was much better than our last trip. We had a much faster train and it was very comfortable. And I do love the massive train stations in Europe. They are enormous and beautiful, and bustling with activity. And speaking of activity, Amsterdam is packed with people all running in different directions. I had read that London was like that, that it made you feel very small, but I feel more that way here. But everyone has been very friendly and helpful. A nice man on the tram volunteered information on how to use our transportation cards. And our hotel innkeeper is wonderful! She's an adorable little old lady who turned her home into a hotel, with help from her daughter. She lives in an addition in the rear. There are only 6 rooms in the hotel, because the homes are so narrow they are basically 2 rooms wide! But most buildings, including ours, have are 5 stores. We are on the 4th floor, and must travel up this beautiful, narrow and steep spiral staircase. Another reason we needed to pack light!

Our room overlooks a canal. It is quaint and lined with trees and ancient-looking little boats. We will do a canal tour tomorrow, as well as visit the Anne Frank Museum and an open air museum just outside of town showcasing Dutch traditional life. 

Out trip has been amazing but we really miss the kids, and are definitely looking forward to seeing them soon! One more day of adventurers and we'll head on home!