Amsterdam, Netherlands

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Houses on a canal street in Amsterdam

A canal in the middle of Amsterdam.

My first trip to Europe was a business trip that included stops in Amsterdam and Tokyo. I took one day of vacation and left for the trip one day early so I could enjoy the weekend in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam houses on a canal street

It was a long flight from San Francisco to my first stop in London. As the plane was approaching London, we were put into a holding pattern over the city for five minutes. As a result, for the first time I could see the city of London; including the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, etc. from the air.

On the ground at London Heathrow, I caught a bus to go from one terminal to another. It was my first time to ride in one of the famous London buses and to ride in a vehicle on the left side of the road. Even though I was tired from the long flight, I still enjoyed this short trip between terminals for my first time in Europe.

My next flight was on a British Air flight to Amsterdam. I sat next to an Australian gentleman who was originally from the Netherlands and had an interesting conversation with him.  

Amsterdam houses on a canal

Another canal in Amsterdam.

When I arrived at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, security was tight with security guards with automatic weapons. All the signs were in Dutch and English and I easily navigated the process to pick up my luggage and proceed through customs. I immediately went to an ATM in the airport and picked up some Euros. So far things were very easy.

Businesses on an Amsterdam street

House boats on an Amsterdam canal

Bike rush hour in Amsterdam.

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