Amsterdam, Netherlands: One Last Adventure

On Jamiann's last day, we woke up early to catch the train to Amsterdam...only to arrive at the station and find it had been delayed for an hour due to heavy thunderstorms.  No worries, though--with a lot of Euchre and a little nap, we made it to Amsterdam unscathed and in good spirits. 

After a mad dash to find our hotel upon arrival, our first stop in Amsterdam was the Heineken Brewery.  The self-guided tour was very interactive (there was even a ride!) and well-done; Grandma says they've made improvements since she was there thirty years ago.  Needless to say, this excursion ended on a high note.

 

Amsterdam is a city of canals.  Most of the city is 10 ft below see level, and it is comprised of 90 islands connected by over 1500 bridges and 160 canals, and all of this land has been reclaimed from the sea, which means all of the buildings are built on pilings.  The picture above is from one of the many bridges we crossed while wandering the city.

Jamiann and I on our way to the Red Light District after our meal of the day in Rembrandtplein.

This is Jamiann, Grandma, and Grandpa on one of the less risqué lanes in the Red Light District (pictures aren't allowed in certain areas, but, suffice to day, all the rumors are true).  After this little outing, we took a canal tour by sunset, but unfortunately, it started down-pouring right before we got on the boat.  It was still fun because the boat had a roof, but I didn't really get any great pictures...so this will be the last picture of Jamiann, as she flies home tomorrow.  Safe travels cousin!