Sep 25 -- Amsterdam day 2

Pancakes – how many varieties do you think there are ? I lost count. Here the pancakes are almost like pizza – you choose the toppings. There were sweet toppings such as berries and syrups as well as pizza-like – pepperoni, peppers, cheese, etc. I decided on a “Hungarian Pancake” which had tomatoes, salami, cheese, sweet peppers and jalapenos. Sandy decided that she was not in the mood for pancakes after all and had an English-type breakfast – sausage, bacon, eggs, toast.

Very interesting – the pancake is about 1” wider than the large dinner plate that it comes on. The cooking process seems to be to saute the ingredients then pour the pancake batter on top … no flipping. The cheese blends with the batter so that the batter and cheese create a background taste and each bite tastes different. The pieces are large, not chopped fine like an omelet. Believe it or not, even though I had not had breakfast and it was 11:30 at this point, I could not finish this pancake. The cheese made it quite filling. I ate all the jalapenos though.

Next we walked and walked and walked some more. Up and down canals taking pictures and looking in the multitude of shops. Then we decided to go to the Anne Frank house – we had been advised by Kasper to go early but decided to go mid-afternoon anyway (3pm by this point) – we lucked out, I guess, because the queue to get in was not long. It took about 1 hour to go through the exhibit – this is the real house and you move from room to room reading the notes on the exhibits in each room, watching the short video clips in each … shuffling slowly because you are essentially in a queue of people that started outside and ends outside – you know what I mean. The exhibit is not for the squeemish, nor is it for the climbing-challenged. The staircases are like ladders, but not quite. I find these things hard to take because my mind revolts against the very nature of what occurred. It’s hard to believe that some people challenge the very fact of the holocaust in the face of pictures, videos, piles of bones, laws issued by Hitler …

I’m tired, my stomach aches from the experience – we walk some more along the canal and find a little bar – a local pub, not a tourist venue, a patron translates for the bartendress and we have a glass of wine and an amstel. As with all bars, restaurants and the street – it’s smoky. We understand from Kasper that the laws will change shortly and make internal areas smoke-free – that will be a tough change for these people. I’ll come back then and enjoy it all the more !!

Back to the hotel … it’s around 5:30 … we rest for ½ hour and then set out again … we’ll be hungry soon and want to take in the red light district. We walk and walk and walk … you get the idea … the plan was to find a restaurant close to the district, eat, then see it after dark. Sandy changes her mind and wants to see it in daylight, then eat, then see it in the dark. I’m easy either way so we keep going. We wander down the wide street (12 feet ?) laughing at the sex shops on both sides – videos, private booths, playthings – then turn down a small alley / street that is only 6-8’ wide and encounter the real thing. There, 3” away on either side are people-high windows – just enough room for the girl to stand or sit – side by side in their separate compartments are the girls. All shapes and sizes … cafeteria style. Purportedly, for 50 euros, you get 15 minutes. They all look clean … they are licensed, they have regular health checks, the rule is strictly protected sex … and each window has its own red light. There are blue lights too – those are the transsexuals.

Sandy wants to leave, after half a block she has had enough. She did not think that it would bother her, but it does. I somehow thought that you would see the girls at more of a distance …. I didn’t realize either that you could reach out and touch them … except for the glass display cases. So … we continue down to Centraal Station, not far at this point, continue on, seeing more display cases but on wider streets, then walk through areas without the displays looking for a restaurant. Finally, slightly outside the district we find a menu that appeals to us – Argentinian food.

This has been an amazing trip. We have eaten – Indian, English, Polish, Italian, Argentinian, Amsterdam-ian – we have not had any disapointing meals. Last night I had salmon and Sandy had tuna … after all, Argentina is on the ocean, right ? Anyway – excellent roast veggies, carpaccio, olive tapenade, bread, garlic spinach and perfectly cooked … or not cooked … fish.

It’s late and Sandy does not want to go back to see the heightened action in the red light district in the dark. She finds it creepy. I’m ok either way so we start walking to the hotel. I’ve finally gotten my bearings in this city – it you pay attention to the way the canal is curving you can always know where the center of town is. Sandy has been the map reader -- gets turned around and we argue about direction and we walk a few extra blocks – more sightseeing ! We laugh about it later.

It’s almost midnight at that point and the day is done. We have one more day and lots still to do. This is definitely a city to which we will return.. This is definitely a city to which we will return.