Tuesday, April 26 we took the train to Amsterdam. It’s just under a 20 minute trip. We started off by walking to Dam Square, then walked through the flower market, along canals and small side streets, admiring the unique architecture and culture they have. Buildings lean in all different directions. I think they keep standing only because they are holding each other up. There are bikes everywhere!

We met a travel friend for lunch. She lives in a small town just north of Amsterdam. After lunch Jim and I went to the Dutch Resistance Museum. It’s very well done, with audio guides and most of the printed signs were in Dutch and English. The museum in Lyon focused on the resistance fighters, where this one focused on the citizens and what choices they made during the German occupation of Holland between 1940-1945. Did they resist and help the Jews and other people under threat of the German regime? Did they stay and ignore what was happening around them? Did they cooperate and aid the Nazi’s? Did they flee to other countries? What would you have done?

We decided to finish the day with a canal boat cruise. The captain was a real character and very funny. She might have offended some people with her language, but I got a kick out of her outspokenness. When we first talked to her before we got on the boat she asked if we were from England. We told her no, from California. Her reply was “What the f**k are you doing here?” Lol!

It was after 7:00 when we headed back to the train station. The city has become much more crowded as the day went on and now the King’s Day festivities have already begun. Tomorrow should be interesting.