Holiday Day 4

Today was the day for a bit of culture, so we took a trip on the Museum Boat (or should I say boot) that gave us a round trip of all of the major points of interest with a day ticket allowing unlimited travel. The first stop was the Rijksmuseum with its world renowned collection of masterpieces. Even though you may have seen prints and reproductions, there is nothing quite like seeing a great work of art in its original form.

The Night Watch was the one work I was really looking forward to and it didn't disappoint me. Rembrandt's Jewish Bride was a real revelation though, with its revolutionary use of layers of paint to create texture. Sword whores note that there was a great example of an early 17th century rapier on display too ...

A stroll in the Vondel Park for some lunch and then back on the boat for the conclusion of the round trip. It really is the best way to see Amsterdam as it is meant to be seen. We headed back to the hotel for yet another surreal conversation with Igor - "Just one more thing - next time you are in Amsterdam you can find much better hotels than this one"

Off out again, and to the Madam Tussauds exhibition for Alicia and me, whilst Jan went shopping. A bit pricey, but good fun, and it gave us the chance to rub shoulders with the likes of Rembrandt, Dali, James Bond, Johnny Rotten, Einstein and the Spice Girls to name but a few. We passed on the chance to eat at the V&D - Igor's recommended restaurant - which turned out to be a department store cafeteria, and went for an Italian meal instead, and rather good it was too. I ordered a large beer, which turned out to be a full litre - not that I was complaining or anything ...

Leaving the restaurant I walked past a cinema that was showing a premiere of 'The Wedding Crashers' complete with red carpet, adoring fans and paparazzi photographers. The surreal thing was that I didn't have a clue who any of these Dutch starlets were, and I think that I may even have appeared in the background of some random celebrity interview on Dutch tv somewhere.

Another beer on the way back at a canalside bar (a Palm Bolleke amber beer - yum) and then back to the hotel again to listen to the trams and bicycle bells outside ...