Amsterdam Day

September 4th was our full day in Amsterdam. Our plan was primarily museums. Starting with the Van Gogh museum. The lineup was very long. And then it turned out that was the lineup for those with reservations for entry at specific times. Another line offered on the spot purchases, and a third line offered entry to those with vouchers. Pavan cleverly identified that we could buy a voucher just down the street, popped over and did so, and we were thus able to enter through the shortest queue.

The modern museum: a sea of people taking pictures.

After a quick lunch it was time for the Rijksmuseum. It has model ships!

And Shiva!

And this dude! A lohan, which apparently is a Budhist who has found spiritual perfection. Not to be confused with a lorax, which doesn't have spiritual perfection and never will.

And temple guardians!

And possibly the most ridiculous stirrup ever made alongside a perfectly reasonable helmet.

And blue goats!

And quite a lot of Rembrandt.

And of course various other painters. So very many paintings. Even of windmills.

Angry animals are fun.

After the Rijksmuseum we dropped by the grocery store to pick up some odds and ends. Leffe comes in impressive bottles.

Next it was time for dinner. Personal sized pizzas!

Night offerings in Amsterdam are pretty specific about what is available. Eliminates confusion presumably.

We felt the need to verify the red light district really has red lit windows full of women. It sounds like the kind of thing that might be a bit exaggerated. Turns out not. There are lots and lots of vending windows. Along with numerous sex show facilities, etc. The women tend to look Russian; you have to wonder if the "get out of Russia in return for indentured service" thing goes on. Apparently Amsterdam closed a lot of the seedier dens of iniquity recently so presumably only the "classy" ones are left. It wasn't really our scene so we left too, heading for the hotel.

Along the way we observed that "cafe" means "cafe" whereas "coffeeshop" appears to mean marijuana den. Both appear to be very popular.

Once more past the Rijksmuseum.