Amsterdam

We've just got back from a lovely (and quite rainy) few days in Amsterdam.  I really liked the city; it has a lot of character.  The train from Duisburg only takes 2 hours, so it's really quick and easy, or at least it would be if the train on the way there wasn't rammed and we had to stand up for the first half of the journey!

We stayed in the Ramada Apollo hotel, which was very nice, and had a rooftop bar (there are a few photos below) with the best view of the city for miles.  It was actually nice enough weather on our last evening to go up there for the spectacular view.

We spent our days eating like pigs - Thai, pancakes, Mexican, Italian, American - and visiting museums.  We went to the lovely, very tiny and cute Tulip Museum.  See below for the most fascinating thing I learnt this week...

I bought a lovely Christmas decoration in the shop there too.  I love to have a decoration from the places I visit if I can find one.

This is Matt, pretending to sort Tulip bulbs... with attitude!

We also went to the flower market, which was more of a bulb market.  Some of the plants you could buy there were certainly interesting...

We visited the van Gogh museum, which was a definite highlight of the trip.  He was such an interesting man, and I really like his art, especially the sunflowers and blossom paintings.  The queue for the museum was a good few hours long.  We decided to have a look at the timed tickets online, and managed to book a slot for a different day, so when we went yesterday we skipped to the front of the queue.  A good move!

We also visited the Museum of Prostitution (as you do; when in Rome and all that), which was interesting.  It's in the middle of the Red Light District, which is the busiest place in the whole city that we visited!  It's all rather seedy, and makes my inner feminist come out rather strongly.

It was a lovely trip, despite the questionable weather.  I'd definitely go back to see some of the other museums whose queues were just too extreme (3 hours for Anne Frank's House).

Now we're back in Duisburg, and packing up the last of our flat for the big move tomorrow.  We're having some friends over for pizza tonight, and they are helping us move tomorrow.  Andy goes back to the UK on Friday, so we will see him on his last 2 nights.  So sad he is leaving, but I can't wait to move into his flat!!!