Amsterdam Day 1

We are well into our second day in Amsterdam so I want to record a few things about our first day. After enjoying our beer at the outdoor cafe near the Dam, we walked to the Amsterdam Historical Museum. It offered a glimpse into life in Amsterdam from the 1300s to the present. Next, we took a ride on the canal, which was more relaxing than it was interesting. It's much more useful to look at Amaterdam from the streets rather than canals, I think. Still, if recommend a boat trip simply for the pleasure of it. The red light district is about a block from our hotel and we've been through it a few times as a result. It is disconcerting to see the prostitutes standing inside the rooms with glass doors, silently advertising themselves. I want to look closely at them but feel like I'm exploiting them just for doing that. Mick, of course, has no such reservations. The streets, especially in the red light district, are full of groups of young men. As my friend Zach put it, it's a sausage factory. After an evening of debauchery (relatively speaking, of course) we retired to our room. I recommend the space cakes, but share one with a friend if you are inexperienced!