THANKS for your interest in our Grand European Tour.  We hope the following photos will make you feel you have taken it with us!

We went to AMSTERDAM prior to meeting Joan and Jeff.  We stayed at the Citizen M Hotel. They are a chain found elsewhere in the world.

 If you are ever going to a city in which they are located, we highly recommend you stay there.  As you can tell by their lawn sculpture, they have a great sense of humor and style.

Moreover, they are very HIGH TECH.  The lights in this series of photos were throughout our room. One was above our shower...which was in the shape of a cyclinder

 The color could be changed at the drop of a hat, by pushing a simple button.  In fact, everything was remote controlled, e.g. the window treatment

The oversize bed was wall to wall, and walls in the hallways were decorated with clever sayings.

At either end of the hallway on each floor was modern art that makes you smile.  Just a great place...for a great price, too!

Grand Central Station, Amsterdam. 

This next series of photos shows the sites we enjoyed on our Canal ride

A famous Hotel for the rich and famous (we didn't qualify...)

One of the many churches we will see in every city on our Grand Tour

Eventually the Grand Canal with its public buildings gave way to those of the neighborhoods...

...and their charming bridges. Look how close to the canal the car on the upper right is parked.  That's typical!

Grand Central Station is in the background

We enjoyed our first canal ride so much, we took another, just of the neighborhoods

Just a photo op while docked (thanks to a kind boat captain)

 

We also took a dinner cruise on the Grand Canal, wearing the hat purchased earlier that day.

Bicycles are EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cars take a distant 3rd place to boats and bicycles!

 

This parking garage for bicycles holds 40,000 commuter bikes

Amsterdam is obviously a big City, bustling with locals and tourists

We visit the first (of many) historic synagogues of our trip

Most have had to be lovingly restored following WWII

This beautiful Church is actually in the heart of The Red Light District

 

 

    Grand Tour pg. 2