Dutch street names have so many letters in them, you can’t pronounce them or remember them when you’re trying to follow directions. Check it out.

I would love to see Amsterdam in the spring, when all the tulips are in bloom. But in October, one has to settle for all the bulbs and other plants (including cannabis!) at the Flower Market. It’s definitely meant for tourists, as all the markets are stocked with packages of bulbs that can be taken to other countries, as well as all the hideous cheesy souvenirs you could ever want. I bought some tulip bulbs for my grandma.

I’ve never seen a black tulip before!

Dam Square is the town square, or the center of the city. It’s where the city got its start, when a dam was built around the Amstel River in the 13th century. On the west side is the Royal Palace, which was the Town Hall until the early 1800s, when the royal family took residence. Next to it is Nieuwe Kerk, or New Church. And across the square is the National Monument, which was erected in 1956 in memory of victims of WWII.

The Royal Palace, formerly Town Hall

Nieuwe Kerk (New Church)

Madame Tussaud’s

National Monument

Dam Square and the Royal Palace at night