I feel a little on the vertically challenged side here. People are very tall including this bloke…

Luckily I am in good company- with the girls anyway.

None of us girls are tall.

But as we all know, good things come in small packages.

We arrived at our destination after taking a quick and very easy train ride from the airport.

This city is pretty cool.

Bikes, bikes everywhere.

All ages ride, sitting very upright on what appears to be mostly single speed. They have these cool little round locks that lock the wheel into place, clicking in very quickly; you can essentially just leave your bike anywhere. Although the cyclists here are very organised. Even if they don’t wear helmets or any safety gear whatsoever.

Apparently bikes have right of way. You have to constantly watch for them. And if you get in their way they will somewhat slow down, rarely deviate from their own path and usually provide their disapproval, which they clearly don’t try to hide, in the form of a raised eyebrow or scowl. The stairs from the underground have bike lanes so that you can wheel your bike up.

Our first day, post an 8 hour and then 15 hour flight, we were very excited to meet Julie and Gary at our hotel.

But not before we stopped at the local Starbucks for my morning coffee. ‘Twas a little bleak and gloomy but we knew the weather wasn’t going to be spectacular and we are all well prepared.

Our hotel is lovely, central, with nice rooms and very friendly staff.

A few doors down is one of many, many shops selling rather interesting looking cookies. Or gummy bears. Or brownies.

I have threatened the group we shall try one.

It’s on the bucket list you know.

The smell of weed is very strong. And everywhere. In fact people smoke in the streets even though there are signs that they aren’t allowed to.

After our greet, meet and check in for some of the group (except us, our room wasn’t ready), we decided we should stay awake as long as possible, so a wander round the Koninklijk Paleis Amsterdam (the Palace) would be in order.

The Palace is in the square, right near our hotel.

The square and surrounding area also houses Madame Tussaud’s, where we found Ed,

A memorial to Alexi Nalvany,

And Ripley’s Believe it or Not.

The palace itself is Dutch Head of State, King Wilhem-Alexander’s official reception place.

‘The Palace plays a major role during state visits, but also other royal occasions, such as New Year’s receptions, gala dinners and award ceremonies’.

I can neither confirm or deny that I may have had my audio tour set to the 5-7 year olds and may have been repeatedly told to put stickers on a book I didn’t seem to have. Eventually I may have realised and finally listened to a more adult tour.

Opulent was probably the adjective here.

We followed the Palace up with a short two stop subway ride from Roskin to the Albert Cuyp market, established in 1905 and named after Dutch painter Albert Cuyp. A number of the retail shops bring their wares out to the street under the market tents to become part of an authentic market. It was all pretty cool.

Eventually of course we had to find somewhere to sit and eat – we had consumed 6 meals in 24 hours since we left Melbourne but it’s a hungry life being a tourist.

We hit the jackpot with a quaint little cafe on the market street and managed to get some healthy and delicious food. And maybe some of us had a beer. Not moi. Hate the stuff.

Our ‘chef’, noticing we liked beer, told us to check out the Heineken Brewery. The tours have a theme where you morphed into a Heineken bottle running through the assembly line.

Well that’s definitely a must. Until we arrived and decided we were too tired to spend 46 euros per couple emulating a bottle which could be easily replicated right there on the street.

Back to our ‘otel for a rest before drinks and an early meal at the hotel restaurant. As we are all Accor members each couple received a welcome drinks card entitling us to a free drink each. Some received a card with the whole group’s welcome drinks – that would be 8 – and I’m not saying who may have tried to redeem those 8, Ann and Brian – but it wasn’t successful. The bartender was onto us.

There are however, benefits to that $399AUD we spent to get the Accor membership. So far this trip we have saved nearly $1000AUD in accommodation. And evry time we stay somewhere we get a free drink. Not too shabby.

And then it was time for an early night.

I believe MoD may have been asleep by 7.30pm, I wasn’t far behind.

Full day tomorrow.

Night folks.