Friday, May 1, 2009

Friday, May 1, 2009  [Link to this | Blog home]

Set off for Museumplein, but were discouraged by the sheer number of tourists (probably to do with the first of May holiday in many countries) - the lines for both Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh museum were endless. We strolled home through some of Amsterdam's less charming areas (Leidseplein looked like a deliberate attempt to create the ultimate tourist trap) and more canals.
In the evening we met with Susanne again, found a very nice restaurant in Jordaan and ended the evening at a classic "brown" café. Over a lovely Zatte from the IJ brewery and a cold genever - while smokers climbed the stairs to the smoking room upstairs - Susanne told us the wonderful story of how the Dutch got around that pesky smoking ban...