Hotel Duif Lisse

... is like taking your life into your own hands - complete unorganzied chaos. Our first stop this morning was Anne Frank's house which was just around the corner from our hotel. Jackpot! No line. We first tour the museum that has on display her original diary, letters from Otto Frank's employees and official documents from the the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam listing the persons arrested and taken to concentration camps. We slowly made our way in to the actual house all the while in ...

... tulips, lilies, hyacinth, amaryllis, fresia, you name it - pretty much any kind of bulb you can think of were there. There were also lots of bulbs in planters spread throughout the park. Keukenhof is only open from mid March to mid May. I think we'll try to go back again for another visit in late April and have a better chance of seeing the bulb fields in full glory. We also saw our first windmill today!

... which is in middle of the red light district) quite a contrast, walked back to hostel to prep for clubbing, got dinner at (kabap place for their cheap 3.50€ sandwich) walked over to Leidspleinstraat on the way looked inside a few clubs and finally settled for the Amsterdamned Cafe, which was completely packed and also free, figured out that this is not where I want to find my wife. Went to another which was empty except for us, walked around a little more and headed back.

... a street named Oosthoutlaan which takes me to Rijksstraatweg in Sassenheim. Still more and more tulips and hyacinths. Sassenheim is a very cute town. I go into the town center and park. I get out and again, can not quite figure out if I need to pay for parking. I take a few pictures and get back in my car to drive some more. Still not even thinking about my GPS, I just keep driving. I actually end up in Keukenhofmolen, which is where I want to go ...

... exchanged e-mail addresses and will be corresponding with our new friends in the future. Much free-flowing wine was enjoyed by all. The men were off to the Red Light District - the women were invited but we decided to adjourn to our room as we have an early wake up call for our train departure to Brugge. We are really looking forward to the beauty of Brugge.

... into the Canal House (Lisa - it looks just the same) and took off to explore the city for several hours. It was very crowded (probably everyone celebrating the sunshine) with "tulip tourists" but once again very few Americans. We stopped at an outdoor cafe and had a beer - DeKoninck - which was very tasty. Had to wait until 7:30 pm to go to the Anne ...

... I enjoy, made possible by the sacrifices of the young men defending our democracy during what is considered to be the most defining moment of the 20th century and certainly the greatest single military achievement in the history of the world considering the vastness of the operation, the significance of its success or failure and the conditions under which it was implemented.

(Amsterdam, Wednesday, May 16)-Not much new to report here: Back in Amsterdam, making the rounds of the coffeeshops where I like to hang out-420 Café, The Dolphins, Sensi Museum Coffeeshop, Basjoe, the Rock-It on the Nieuwmarkt, Katsu and Atlantis in the Pijp, and in my neighborhood the Spirit on the Westerstraat, the Softland 2 on the Marnixstraat and, across the road, First Aid, where I ...

I was finally in Holland during the spring. One of my goals was to head out and see the tulip fields. All roads (brochures and tours) seemed to lead to the Keukenhof. I'd never heard of it before, but was advertised to be the best place to see the spring flowers in and around Amsterdam, so I decided to give it a shot. My hostel had a shuttle leaving each morning at 11:00 and dropping you off at the entrance gate, and picking you up at 4:00 at the same spot. It ...

... and many redecorating triumphs (just ask Mike as he was enthralled by every new trinket and bauble that arrived.) My mom and I shopped, ate long lunches, drank lots of wine and walked the entire city. She came with me to Mah Jongg one day, and while she would not say she is a master at Mah Jongg, she enjoyed the socializing part of the day. She met several of my close friends and was finally able to put many faces to names she ...