Amsterdam arrived and analysed

We actually made up the time after being given an earlier than anticipated slot. Schipol airport is a confusing, crowded place as you have to get past the flows of passengers making their way to departure gates.

After clearing border control and customs there was no driver as arranged at the entrance hall. We were directed to a meeting point in the station but again no driver presented himself. At this point Bob had had enough and said he was taking a taxi and the travel agency could reimburse him.

We had a slow journey into the centre till we reached our hotel the Pulitzer, a Boutique-style example on the Prinzengraacht canal. I

n strolling to orientate ourselves we got hopelessly lost as firstly the canals all look the same and secondly the Hotel occupied a block between two canals and different locations were given on our various maps.

Lunch was taken in the hotel’s esteemed Jancz restaurant. I will let Daffers do the reviewing.

We made a better job of finding our dinner venue the Lion Noir.

Half a day is perhaps too early to make but the most superficial of impressions.

One thing I have noticed is the fluency of English almost everyone speaks. This is helpful but might lead to loss of identity as few shop names are in Dutch.

The other impression is that my charge that the city lacks elegance is justified.

It is a water city like Venice but in the latter the canals are the arteries of the city, here by each of them are roads, tramways and the ever present bicycle whilst the waterways seem to contain little life.