Buildings, canals and bikes

A wet day in Amsterdam. On average there are 217 days per year.

Reference : Amsterdam weather

Our last day in Amsterdam was one of those days. As always we were not deterred. We headed out knowing that we wanted pancakes firstly and then after that it was anyone’s guess.

Our pancakes were, as last time, first class, we found our little dutch cafe on our first day. I think the main reason I like this cafe is not the pancakes which as I said are fantastic but the cool cat! I’m sure it is the boss, it certainly behaves as if it owns the place.

After carbo loading we hit the streets, and as we progress along the streets, canals, lanes I begin to notice some details in the buildings that look odd. facades that are not at perpendicular to the ground, and really do not look structurally sound, windows and doors that seem at a strange angles to the building they are fitted into, windows on the sides of buildings that appear at the top but there is no space for a window lower down on the same wall. Amsterdam has interesting architecture.

Oddly, the whole effect is overwhelmingly positive, the canals, tree lines streets and quirky buildings all make the whole of the old city very appealing. I note also the lack of car noise made the city noises less annoying.

My last observation is the bikes, they lined the streets when not being ridden, all shapes and sizes, colours and designs. I fell in love with bikes in this city; swapfiets with their interesting blue front tyres; cowboys looking sleek; gazelles in the loveliest of colours, to the good old black dutchies that look like they just keep going.

All in all we have had a lovely time in the damming of the Amstel.

Fun fact : Swapfiets is composed of the English word "swap" and the Dutch word for bike, "fiets"

Reference : Swapfiels