Upon arriving in Amsterdam, the first thing we had to do was find the hotel. As it turned out, our hotel, the Novotel, was within a block of the train line from the Airport and one block away from the Central Amsterdam tram.

By the way, the best way to travel in Amsterdam is by tram. They are frequent, fast and dependable. You can buy a ticket from the driver, the conductor at the back of the tram, or a machine in the middle of the tram, depending on the sort of tram it is.

Central Amsterdam is constructed in a spiral fashion radiating outward from the center. What makes much of central Amsterdam unique is the each spiral is separated by a similiarly spiraling canal system. Due to the limited space, all the housing in this area are apartments or condos.

One of the amazing things about the buildings in Amsterdam is that the upper floors actually lean out away from the building. This allows for more floor space in the upper levels of a building. Look again at the building fronts.

Once you pass the outer residental portions, you enter the more touristy part of Central Amsterdam.

One of the "cool" things to do in Amsterdam is to sit in these large outdoor cafes drinking cuppicino or beer watching the tourists stroll by. In the afternoon and early evening, it's almost impossible to find a seat as this is when all the wild and crazy tourists come out to play.

Below you will find other interesting pictures of central Amsterdam

Links of Interest:
• Van Gogh Museum
• The Vincent van Gogh Gallery
• Amsterdam City Portrait