Diego and I jsut returned from a self-guided trek. Our explorations were centered around the Rembrandt Square area, as that was the only place with a bank that would accept travellers checks in exchange for cash.
I think both the high and low points of the day were the result of our decision to rent bikes from the hotel ( we didnt ride ours for fear of bike thieves). Bikers in Amsterdam are AGGRESSIVE! A woman came up behind me, proceeded to sideswipe me and then curse me out for being a stupid Ameican tourist incapable of riding a bike. I'd like to see her bike 1200 miles in the next two months! Also, it seems that almost every possible pole or fence or rack with bike lock-up potential was taken. We ended up having to move someones bike away from a bench, lock ours to it and then lean the unlocked bike up against ours.
Despite the logistical hassles and ego (as well as arm) bruising associated with biking in Amsterdam, it was quite exhilirating to fly down the streets in a flock of other bikers while being flanked by trams, motorcycles, cars and drunk/stoned tourists. The bikes we rented were big and yellow wtih handlebars about as upright as handlebars can be. I had excellent posture. Diego reminded me not to get too used to the luxury of a crusing bike, we do after all start living on our drop bars tomorrow! (we managed to finish putting together my bike and visited a bike shop to purchase heavy duty kickstands hopefully capable of holding up our gear-laden bikes.
After finally finding the bank, we ate some lunch at a little cafe down a side street (Diego learned that there are in fact burgers in Europe, good ones as I understand it) and meandedered our way through the red light district. Diego asked me after about an hour where the red light distract was and I had to break the news that we were already in it...guess the prostitutes dont really flaunt what they got til the sun sets) Unfortunately, because of our rather late start to the sightseeing (bike assembly and bank seaching took til around four) we never made it into any culturally enriching museums (at least culturally enriching in the strictest sense of the phrase). We did however check out the sex museum (caters to crowd who stays out later). Diego was technically robbed by two old women who insisted that he had grabbed two euro of their change at the ticket counter. A completely false acusation, but as they were yelling at us in Dutch- disconcerting- we just gave them the two euro. The museum was large, but slightly repetitive. Genitalia only really comes in two forms after all. 5 floors of the same was too much.
All in all I really enjoyed the day in Amsterdam. It was very relaxed and much more fun to stumble across diffrent attractions rather than having the stress of trying to specifically find a place, or be holed up inside rather that strolling around taking in the sites.
Tonight should be an early night. Checkout is at 11am and then we will be off. Now that I have experienced the craziness of the Amsterdam biking scene I am a little concerned about maneuvering our fully loaded bikes through thh streets on the way out of the city. Hopefully neither of us gets run over (and lets be honest, if either of us did, it would be me).
Off to dinner and then bed.
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