One tower at Centraal Station showed wind direction. As there were gusts on this day, it would swing back and forth. Especially with different letters representing the Dutch compass points (Southeast being "OZ") it struck me as fanciful.
Closer to home base was an upscale market. As we walked by, I asked Mark to get a shot of the veggies out front. I like how he also captured the reflection of the buildings across the street.
We couldn't get over the tiny vehicles. This car was even smaller than a SmartCar.
And these trucks were common.
Some things just explain themselves.
There are many architectural styles in Amsterdam. One common feature is the hijsbalk, the hook protruding from the gables. It is used with a rope and pulley for hauling large, heavy items into and out of homes with steep, narrow staircases.
A typical canal view:
Along one beautiful canal was the Anne Frankhuis (Anne Frank House.) In this house, Anne Frank and her family and some family friends hid from the Nazi occupation in Amsterdam for nearly two years. It was very moving, as expected, but also very interesting to see how the parts of the house connected, to allow the family to hide although some workers in the business below didn't know they were there.
Near the Anne Frank House was Westerkerk. We didn't learn much abut the history or architecture of this church, but did think it amazing that we got pictures of the tower in snow, rain, and sun, all in the space of about an hour. The weather was that variable all day.

In the nearby Jordaan, we slowed our pace a little to stroll the quiet streets. (Mark might argue this point, since I'm always plowing impatiently ahead while he snaps pictures. ) Some pretty canal boats:



and a not-so-pretty one:
Everyone tells you when you're going to Holland that you won't believe the bicycles. I figured, how many can there really be? Now I know. They have their own lanes on the streets, and are usually moving at lightning speed. These lanes have their own traffic lights. Many bikes are brightly painted or adorned with silk flowers to make them easy to find on the racks brimming with bikes in every corner of the city. Many are adapted for carting groceries or have child seats, but nobody thinks twice about hauling home big, bulky objects even without a cargo area.

All of the following pictures were taken at the train station in Delft. Delft has a population of 95,000 people. And at least that many bikes.


