Amsterdam, Day 2

I started the day at around 8 AM local time, with a great mushroom and cheese omelette and toast at a local cafe. It was better than the one I'm used to at the Silvertone (sorry, but true.) I got up pretty easily when my alarm went off at 7 AM local time, which my body was sure was 1 AM. Nonetheless, I've fared the day with no I'll effects and I think I'm over any jet lag I had.

I wandered around a bit, just taking in the views and the people racing off to work (the cyclists were in rare form, let me tell you). Finally, after 9 AM, I decided to go over to Centraal Station to activate my Eurail pass and make sure I was right about the train I intend to take tomorrow. That is not Centraal Station above; just a place I saw on my meanderings. I waited until 9AM to avoid any rush hour.

I'm glad I went this morning instead of doing it before my train tomorrow morning - it leaves at 7:05. It took an hour and a half of waiting in line (well, we all kind of milled about the hall with deli-style numbered chits in our hands) to get my pass stamped. Good news is that I only have to do that once. Now I'm good to hop on any train I please. And I was right about reading the schedule.

I decided to take a chance and visit the Rijksmuseum despite what Pip had said. I made my way there by tram. The trams are much like the Green Line Trollies, except cleaner and newer and they go many more places. Many of the museums are located just outside the central part of Amsterdam.

Here I am in front of it. The Rijksmuseum was largely closed, by my Iamsterdam tourist card got me in for "free." (I bought a two-day Citycard which gave me free or discounted admission to many places, and unlimited travel on the trams and buses. I think I've almost broken even on the deal). They did have a 15-room exhibit open, which ranged from Dutch colonial treasures and spoils, the wealth of the burghers before the switch back from republic (after the 80 Years War with Spain) to a constitutional monarchy with William and Mary, and several works on canvas and paper by Rembrandt and Degas. As with all great art, its beauty is subjective. I really grooved on some of the paintings, but some of the more famous ones didn't do much for me.

After a while at the museum, I decided to get a late lunch at a nearby cafe - a ham and cheese sandwich with mustard and mayo - why the two together, I don't know. From there it was off to the Heineken Experience. Heineken translates from the Dutch as Ken's butt. Get it, Heine--Ken.... I slay myself.

Normally costing about €15, I got in for free and got 2 and a half beers, to boot! It was a multimedia, slick self-guided tour which was designed to promote the brand, obviously, but also to gently group people together to manage the flow into the tasting room (where you get a live tasting lesson and get your 1/2 beer) and then into the tap room for your free beer. Heineken does taste better in Holland.

Here's me at a convenient photo-op.

The Experience took a little over 2 hours, and did I mention that it took me almost a half hour to walk there? I made a dumb choice to walk, instead of taking a tram or bus, from the Rijksmuseum.

It was now well into the dinner hour, so I stopped at a British-style pub with an outdoor seating area and had roast beef and Yorkshire pudding - and it was yummy. I also had a pint or two while watching with curiosity the cricket match on the TV while simultaneously watching the passing city. As near as I can make it, you win at cricket by solving some sort of mathematical equation. The commentators kept talking about needing 24 in 18 and kept adding and subtracting digits and making math jokes. Well, these ARE the same guys who came up with Cribbage scoring.

After dinner did some strolling down a shopping boulevard and checked out the displays. No, not in the red light district. Went into a supermarket and I bought two fresh croissants, some cheese (I don't even know what kind - the label is Dutch-only, but it's kind of soft and I thought it might be spreadable. This is my intended breakfast on the first of my two trains tomorrow. The first train is an ICE (Inter-City Express) - meaning a high speed train. That will take about 90 minutes, after which I should be deposited in Duisberg, Germany for a 45 minute layover until my InterCity train (slower than high speed, but still fast) takes me to Hamburg. I hope to report next from one of the trains, except for a bonus post on Amsterdam that I've been assembling in pieces throughout the day.

Location:Binnen Wieringerstraat,Amsterdam,The Netherlands