Amster- Amster- -dam -dam -damn!

Whew! Just got in from my whirlwind trip to Europe. Spotty wi-fi coverage (sans laptop anyway), next-to-no TV, didn't look at a paper. Did I miss anything interesting here?

We stayed in six cities, travelling well over 10,000 miles in 16 days—not counting taxis, subways, side-trips, walking tours, runs, etc.—comprising some seven planes, two rental cars, five trains, one bus, and one boat. In the spirit of my favorite blogger/librarians', BDR's and Randal Graves's, travelogue posts, here's a brief recap.

One thing you learn quickly about Amsterdam: if you want a cup of coffee and a pastry, you don't go to a "coffee shop." 'Nuff said.

The Dutch seem to have a real live-and-let-live attitude. You can see it in the traffic patterns: trucks, buses, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, skateboarders and roller-skaters, and pedestrians all jam the streets. But the flow is polite and orderly and respectful in a way no U.S. city I know could ever be.

First things first: Grolsch upon arrival. Exhausted, outdoor cafe, cool breeze in the square. Best beer ever!

I have no idea what this means. Some fox had the crabs maybe?

Ditto this. But I'd watch out for him, maybe he's some sort of Edward Scissorhands red lion guy or something.

And in case you might have forgotten what happened last century, there's art:

Shouldn't every town be a Smurf-free zone? I freakin' love this city:

Like I said:

Lady, Look Out!

Skulls and babies, oh my:

Wall art:

More of the same, this time a Space Invader graffito:

Coffee shop, Jamaican-style. Didn't know the Dutch were that big on Haile Selassie and Bob Marley and all that stuff. Smells nice, though. Cool reggae beats flowing. Maybe I'll just pop in. Think they might have some jerk chicken or red beans and rice? Some Red Stripe, perhaps?

Oh.