As part of my 60th Birthday celebrations in May, Carol organised a weekend trip to Amsterdam. Despite being familiar with the city from many years ago, and having visited it on numerous excursions, I was grateful to Chris for pointing out some attractions that were not previously on my visitor list. Even the coffee in the coffee shops was good. I still have not figured out how they have got around the European law banning smoking in a public place though? The first photograph shows an interesting variation on interpreting this law. We stayed at the wonderful Dorint Hotel, near Schipol, which we will undoubtedly be visiting again – a really first class hotel, great staff, superb facilities, and an amazing choice at breakfast! Anyway, they got around the smoking ban with a booth in the foyer. Why haven’t more places adopted this?

Once the early morning business customers went on their way, we had the pool , steam rooms, etc, to ourselves.

Inevitably, photographers take photographs of canals when in Amsterdam, so I make no apologies for this one at Kolkswaterkering

Cows on House Boats are a bit unusual though?

Transport is varied….

To a more traditional form of transport,

Sights vary from the harbour, which I could sit and watch all day

….to the characters

And finally, an opportunity to photograph Marilyn Monroe – well a model of her in the Sex Museum (which is not worth visiting!)

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