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“Stunning” Amsterdam – Day 2

the train station

More than any other city Amsterdam is the city of bridges and canals. Transport is excellent until someone causes an accident blocking traffic, tourists are PLENTIFUL and it is expensive. There are hundreds of museums that are not cheap. Remember the story about the Scots (known for being tight with money)? Well, Europeans say the Scots went to Holland to learn from the Dutch how to be good with money and they failed the course. But almost everything can be paid contactless with your phone with most payment systems including getting on and off the trams.

Look at the station clock. It doesn’t have numbers.
quite a few of these little electric cars around. they take up very little space.
there are electric charging stations on many residential streets
this is a Russian tank destroyed by Ukranians recently. The sign in front says “NATO propaganda”. In the back you can see “Burger King”. Interesting!
this is the Foodhallen food stands. it is a little between street fast food and restaurant food. they are like hot dog stands
the Rijksmuseum. we didn’t go in but were told it is impressive
in the halls of the museum entryway a wannabe opera singer
the other side of the museum
book this one at least a few weeks in advance
My favorite
close to the red light district
Basilica of Saint Nicholas
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“Arrival” Amsterdam

Cheese in Amsterdam?
A Cheese museum/shop (expensive)
My new friend
trams run everywhere
Amsterdam has more bridges/canals than Venice
watch out for cars? NO! watch out for aggressive bicycle riders!
Ann Frank museum. people lining up for boat rides at 22 Euro/person
beautiful, relaxing weather
at Ann Frank’s house. have to book visits more than a month in advance
the home of Atlas?
the hooks at the top of the buildings are for hoisting things up or down, out or in the buildings? also convenient ways to just “hang around” outside. stairways inside these old buildings are too narrow to manage most furniture.
finally some delicious and spicy Thai food (Laab and Yam)
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Antwerp (what a name!)

Antwerp station is beautiful
down by the river
Het Steen
they are proud of their Stella beer (not my cup of tea)
Cathedral of Our Lady Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal
nice public transport system
Australian ice cream imperialists; probably contains beer
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Mechelen, Belgium

Old city entrance
Platz
stagnant….beautiful green
Belgians love word play
a building set for renovation
St. Rumbold’s tower
Holocaust Museum. Jacqueline might have been one of my relatives
Maurice might have been one of my relatives
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Brussles was Sprouting!

the world’s largest atom
just strange!
surveying my domain
does the statue on top get dizzy?
Cicero never looked better at the supreme court
the halls of justice
the park in front of the palace
the palace
watching a UFO
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Leuven Part Ii

St. Peter’s cathedral is worth a visit
carved from one log
the station
obviously he is pouring knowledge (water) into his brain. open access is efficient
so many “Asian” restaurants. Most are really Vietnamese or Turkish run. there are no Japanese here in the restaurant business that I can see
one of the interesting bike creations. so many people have these unusual bikes to take care of family and business
haven’t heard of the drink on the bottom
being a Californian at birth my DNA is fixed to wine. so I am happy wine is inexpensive here
at 22:00. still light
this is a new shop but seems this gelato is pretty popular
had to try the peanut mix with a scoop of chocolate
city hall at night
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Leuven, Belgium I

the Leuven beetle

Leuven is very close to Brussles and worth at least a day visit. there is more to the town than the stuck beetle

city hall…soooo famous
Platz
didn’t note his name but must be famous
these types of facades seem so common in Belgium
famous people who patronized this restaurant/bar
Hawaii in Belgium
Beer and wine in the hotel vending machines
naais is a dutch word meaning “sew”. this is a seamstress shop
In Germany people Blow the dirt away. In Belgium the Suck it in.
looking like a secret agent with a backpack
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Koblenz, Germany

some famous general at Deutsches Eck

Koblenz is on the Rhine so of great importance in transport history. There are many Rhine river tours starting here. It is a beautiful town, one some of my ancestors lived in several hundred years ago.

on the hill, Festung Eherenbreitstein
would you pay 75 Euro for an alcoholic cat?
that’s a big guitar
named after me, of course, young and handsome
police obviously feel safe here
these are bus stop signs