Many reasons to return

Paris Marathon Training: Week 9 of 18
Today’s target run: 48 min
Today’s target run: 48 min

Well, while the trip to Amsterdam was brief, it can be safely stated that I’ll return if for no other reason than the Budman wants to go. However, there are many other reasons to return as well:

* Now that I have the city’s “lay of the land”, I look forward to going back to explore in further detail. Those canals do wind just a bit so you can get turned around rather easily – next time, I’ll be a little more efficient (thanks, Cyn, for being the map gal, as I couldn’t have done it without you. As Joey on Friends say “step into the map”).

* This is the 400th year celebration of Rembrandt’s birth so there are tons of things going on all year connected to the painter. On trip #2, I hope to see The Nightwatchman (Rembrandt’s famous painting) as well as Rembrandt’s house museum.

* Museums galore! You can OD on museums if you want, with the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum just two of the more famous ones.

* Outdoor markets! Not as many in the winter but come spring, everything will be in full outdoor market mode.

* Shopping on Sundays…for those of us in Germany, access to stores on Sunday is a BIG deal.
Antique stores right and left – need I go on?

* Local food is pretty darn good. Cyn and I only tasted a bit of it, but the Dutch pancakes, split pea soup, and hot chocolate with slogrom (whipped sweetened cream).

* English speakers abound...degree is difficulty is low.

* Mostly, it is a very charming city that is easily walkable, very compact, and with great architecture. And then if you need, the tram or canal buses are a great way to move around.

I could go on but I suppose you get my drift…this one is a keeper!