Actually we left Amsterdam two days ago, but I am behind in posts.
We were actually not very impressed with the part of this city that we saw. Being a destination for many years for tourists, it seems the locals have abandoned the downtown as almost all the people walking the streets are tourists. And those people have very little regard for local traditions, local cleanliness, and local people. There is a lot of litter. There are disproportionally many stores selling cannabis and related products. Even the high end stores that you find in any capital city are relegated to side streets so souvenir shops can take over the major walkways. The locals are mostly irritated with the tourists not heeding the rules for bike paths and the rights of cyclists.
Having aired my negative impressions, I still want to say that the Rijksmuseum is well worth the visit even though The Night Watch is behind glass and being restored.
But we had much more fun in the Nemo Science museum with the interactive displays and activities.
The canal cruise we took started sour because the boat did not arrive on time, but worked out fine with a good guide and lots to see.
