Amsterdam

Second trip to the Netherlands, same airline Virgin Express and same hotel in Amsterdam, the Damhotel at Damrak 31, a few steps from the central station. Already on my way home the last time I had told myself I'd come back to this wonderful region, and here I am ready to discover new places; knowing Amsterdam already made everything easier, but this time I also wanted to see a few towns outside the city, having been charmed by the ones I'd seen before. After arriving and settling in it's already 4.00 pm, so it's too late to go too far; it's cloudy but not cold, so I decide to revisit the huge Dam Square, at the end of Damrak; the streets leading to it are already lit up with Christmas lights, and despite it not being the good season it's very crowded. I walk along the Nieuwendijk; at 6.00 pm the shops start closing; after buying something for dinner I go back to the hotel.

The second day at 8.00 am I turn up at the Damhotel restaurant for breakfast; as always I'm the first, the Dutch don't wake up very early... and I rush to the station; first destination UTRECHT, about 40 km south of Amsterdam, return ticket 11.30 €; many Dutch trains are double-decker, very clean, very quiet and with punctuality that's accurate to the minute! Everything works perfectly; since all the stations don't have many tracks they use the system of dividing them into several sections, each with a train stopping at it; for example track 1 will be divided into 1A, 1B, 1C and three trains with different destinations will stop there, so it's not enough to find your track, you have to walk along it to your letter. This means stations are narrow but very long.

In a little over half an hour I'm in Utrecht; without leaving the station I find myself in a shopping centre, very nice, but I decide to visit the HOOG CATHARIJNE department stores first, which I'd heard about; a few blocks on foot and there's the entrance, beautiful shops, I wander the aisles for an hour but I'm left speechless when I find myself back at the station! It's one huge single centre.... I then discover another entrance on another side of the city.... I then visit the CENTRAAL MUSEUM, not very big but beautiful, the OUDE GRACHT, the cathedral bell tower, and stroll through the centre's streets to browse the characteristic little shops.

Third day DELFT, the town known for its blue ceramic porcelain, bordering THE HAGUE, about 60 km west of Amsterdam, return ticket 18.90 €; in the morning everything is hidden by autumn fog, and only around midday do I manage to take a few photos. Classic Dutch village, small, with many little streets and bridges, centred around a large central square with the TOWN HALL and the NIEUWE KERK with a very tall bell tower; it seems there's a competition to have the tallest bell tower. Around the square there's an embarrassment of choice between bars and restaurants, all furnished beautifully and characteristically Dutch, souvenir shops, and shops selling blue ceramic objects both at tourist level and of value. Also in the surrounding streets there are endless little shops of every kind, a destination for tourists' curiosity.

At lunch, sitting on a bench along a canal, two beautiful white swans keep me company, especially with my sandwich.... On the way back I see in the distance THE HAGUE, LEIDEN and HAARLEM with its future tulip fields. Fourth day shopping at the MERCATO ALBERT CUYPMARKT in Amsterdam to buy a few gifts; the same items can be found at discounts of up to 30% compared with the centre's shops; if you have the chance to look around you'll definitely save. In the afternoon a walk along the canals PRINSENGRACHT, HERENGRACHT, KEIZERGRACHT, ROZENGRACHT and the squares REMBRANDTPLEIN, SPUI, LEIDSEPLEIN, MUNTPLEIN, which I enjoyed seeing again, always discovering hidden corners.

Fifth day, having failed to visit it last time, here I am at the MUSEUM VAN LOON, admission 5 €, home of the Van Loon family; on the raised ground floor the dining room with the table laid with 1800s porcelain, beside it the red drawing room (each room has walls of a different colour), the smoking room and the garden room, with a view of the beautiful garden outside; in the basement the kitchen in white and sky blue; a beautiful staircase leads to the first floor where the painted room, the sheep room, the master bedroom and the bird room are. It's also very nice to see Amsterdam at night; many buildings and bridges are lit up in various colours; naturally during the good season it's even more beautiful. I still have the immense tulip fields to admire; they're planned for next year, perhaps adding a few more little towns, which are the real Netherlands to see.

Paolo - for any information dunebuggy@inwind.it