Amsterdam: Part 2

Our second day in Amsterdam was beautiful, but HOT! 
We started with a quiet, morning walk along the smooth as glass canals to the Anne Frank Museum.
Even though we love a trip with no set itinerary, this was one thing we had to plan ahead for.  Tickets go on sale two months before, so if you are planning a trip to Amsterdam and want to visit the Anne Frank House, you'll have to do some planning. (You can buy yours here.)  It is a sad piece of history, but I recommend a visit. (No photos were allowed inside).
After the tour, we needed a pick-me-up and some breakfast.  We decided to try a local specialty - pancakes!  We sat in the courtyard of Pancakes Amsterdam for our breakfast while we planned the rest of our day.
We made a point not to walk 13 miles that day.  We still walked a lot, but we also took breaks!  
As always, it was so much fun to walk through the shopping areas and see the shops we haven't shopped in since living in the UAE and even Japan (Zara!  Uniqlo!).

We also took a stroll though the floating Flower Markt. Yes, it is floating! You've never seen so many tulips, bulbs, and other plants!  Some were exotic, others not so much.  Seeing the variety made me a little jealous...why can't Alabama have such a nice selection of flowers?!?  Of course, there were also souvenirs and clogs!
We popped into a fancy mall to have lunch in the food hall.  In Japan, the fancy food halls were always in the basement of department stores.  This food hall was on the top floor.  We opted for asian, and had beers while we enjoyed views over the busy Dam square.  
After lunch our wandering led us through the infamous Red Light District...photos are discouraged, but it was definitely an eye-opening experience!  
Later that evening, we stocked up on snacks and cold drinks, and went back to relax in our hotel.  There was more sight-seeing to be had tomorrow!

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