5-1-2007 Tuesday off on May Day in Amsterdam    

A short drive gets us to our second eTap and the room is exactly the same as the one in Hamburg. Today is our first "off day" and we take a shuttle bus to the train. The thirty minute train ride costs seven Euros round trip to Amsterdam. Once on the train I am surprised at how smooth it rides. Then "The Matrix" style train station gives way to a city of wonders. Old churches and canals like something out of a painting are dotted with coffee shops, yeah coffee, and restaurants of excellent quality. We had the best meal of the tour outside at the tables of a fine Amsterdam eatery. Then we walked the curving streets shopping, eating and drinking coffee. The pace here is slow and everyone seems to ride a bicycle, even men in business suits. I can describe this place to you one thousand different ways, but you just can’t understand unless you come here and see for yourself. It is an amazing city.

Beautiful Churches light up the night as they sit proudly in front of shimmering canals in this city teeming with classic World War Two era bicycles.