Early start to the Eurostar Train today. From London, through Belgium to Amsterdam. 1.2 million bikes and 177 different nationalities reside here. It is the most diverse area in the world.

There is no childhood obesity here, children start learning at age 7, then take a test at the age of 8 and off they go! The biggest problem of owning a bike is theft. If you don’t have insurance you may have to buy your bike back at a local flea market. In Amsterdam they call this ‘re-cycling’……get it?!?!?

Oh baby! We walked and he told us stuff, we walked some more and he told us more stuff. The details were lost in his accent! I did manage to capture his favorite view of the canals:

and this:

A church, ha ha ha! No details!

When we arrived in Amsterdam we went directly to our canal cruise boat headed by this guy:

When it was time to board he says to us in his most piratey (word?) accent ‘only the short people may board!’ At this point I’m standing in front of him and he stands up, I came up to the middle of his chest! I burst out laughing! He says ‘we grow ‘em big here!’. He told great stories,  goofy jokes and just plain fun! He dropped us at our hotel. 

Fortunately the boat had a roof and windows that slide so pictures could be had. Yes, of course it was raining!

Some views:

 

Dinner!

Tulips, train, umbrellas and brooms(??), tiny coffee, and a ‘coffee shop’!

Off to the Rhine River and Heidelberg tomorrow, Goot evening!