Driving to and walking in Amsterdam - Watch out for BIKES!

We made it to our last destination city and found our Hotel (on the outskirts of downtown).  Getting off the highway the first thing I noticed is bike-paths and bikes everywhere any attempt to turn requires you look for cars, bikes and pedestrians.  We got to the hotel about 1pm and they gave us an early checkin, so we bought a 24 hour transport pass (metro, tram & bus) and headed into town.  We made it near the Anne Frank house where the line was around the building and walked into town.  Bikes and people do not interact well here, the bikes seem to have right-of-way even at red lights (or they think so).  The city is split into 4 sets of "roads":  Tram/bus, cars, bikes and pedestrians.  Bikes don't seem to follow that so much and ride everywhere.  While walking across a street with a green "walk" light two bikes ran into the crowed, someone gabbed one of he bikers and stopped them, the other ran into someone and was yelled at. I'm all for bikers rights, but in Amsterdam they may have run amok.

We walked into Dam Square and saw thousands of people walking, talking, smoking (pot and tobacco) and had seen enough and walked on.  We made it through the red-light district and then decided to head out to the Van Gogh museum, after waiting in line for 20 minutes and about $20 per head to get in and well worth the effort and it was the first "public" bathroom we found (not that I mind buying coffee, but it's self defeating).  The museum was very crowded and pushy (one guy in front of me seemed more interested in the texts on his phone than the art).  The museum is 4 floors (0-3) and only has a few hundred paintings in it, but after 2 hours of lines and pushing, I'm glad Van Gogh died when he did, I don't think I could have handled another floor.  I would not recommend the "Small Plates" restaurant around the corner from the museum.  We headed back to our hotel and called it a night.

Day two we started with the Anne Frank museum, we arrived at 8:30 (it opens at 9) and stood in line for 90 minutes to get it (I really can't complain, it's not like I had to hide in an attic and then was sent to a Nazi death-camp).  Again a big crowed, but much more subdued and far less pushy (although there are always a few).  Reading her writings and walking the house is a very sobering experience that more people should have.  In so many ways I have truly lived a charmed and blessed life.

Our last experience was the boat tour of the canals, very worthwhile and relaxing, a very good overview of the city and it's history.  Then off to the hotel to make reservations for Thursday and a nice relaxing walk outside of the hustle of the city,