Today we had an early breakfast, then worked on recuperating from yesterday’s 11.5 mile hike all over the city. For lunch, we opted for strawberry crepes and lattes at a little cafe across the street from our hotel at a table overlooking a canal.
After lunch, we dodged bicycles, scooters, trucks and cars, avoided falling off curbs or down stairwells and made our way to the Electric Ladyland museum of fluorescent art run by a 60’s burnout who has found a way to finance his lifestyle. For $5 euros a person, he convinced around 14 of us to climb down a vertical ladder-like stairway with no handrail into an airless basement equipped with psychedelic posters and black lights to show off various examples of artwork. It reminded me of my bedroom walls in 1967. In any event, it was a total hoot.
After our time travel experience back to the Summer of Love, we wandered Amsterdam in search of rehydration and ice cream with a side trip to view the Houseboat Museum.
After a light dinner, we embarked on a canal cruise and learned more about the history of Amsterdam and its various neighborhoods. We topped off our night with a final walk around the neighborhood. Tomorrow we meet the ship to began our eight day Rhine River cruise.
