Early on 12/27, we took off from Dortmund, Germany and headed for The Netherlands. Christine once again planned our excursion perfectly: knowing that Amsterdam is a nightmare for cars, we left our car outside the city at a P+R (park and ride) facility, and took the train into town. We spent our first night at the Nh Tropen hotel, taking advantage of a last-minute discount rate. Alas, the next day we had to move, landing in a lovely little pension which had the steepest staircase we had ever seen (and, of course, climbed, as our room just had to be on the third floor). We enjoyed plenty of walks around town and along the canals (including the Red Light district), yummy Indonesian food, excellent museums (Van Gogh and Anne Frank), cat-related sights (Kattenkabinet and De Poezenboot (the cat boat)), as well as Bloemenmarkt (flower market) and the Albert Cuyp Markt (which Toli had a lot of trouble locating until the hotel receptionist pointed out that it is to be found right behind the hotel, on the street named Albert Cuyp... doh!)

12/27
Grachtengordel (canal belt)
The canals at night: Waag.


12/27
Grachtengordel
The canals at night: Waag.


12/27
Grachtengordel
The canals at night.


12/28
Nh Tropen
South-side view from our hotel window: oosterpark (panorama).


12/28
Nh Tropen
South-side view from our hotel window: oosterpark (panorama).


12/28
Nh Tropen
South-side view from our hotel window: oosterpark (panorama).


12/28
Nh Tropen
South-side view from our hotel window: oosterpark (panorama).


12/28
Kattenkabinet
Christine finds a willing victim.


12/28
Kattenkabinet
Christine admires the Steinlen posters.


12/28
Kattenkabinet
Christine and her new friend.


12/28
Kattenkabinet
Alone at last, the cat gets some rest.


12/28
Kattenkabinet
A nude resembling Christine and Perl (although Perl would never sit in Christine's lap like that, nor would she let Toli take nudie photos of her).


12/28
Kattenkabinet
Note the scary cat image in the top of the painting.


12/28
Kattenkabinet
Original sketches and drawings by Steinlen.


12/28
Kattenkabinet
The way things should be - money imprinted with feline images.


12/28
Kattenkabinet
Toli finds a new friend too.


12/28
Kattenkabinet
A giddy Christine poses in front of the Kattenkabinet sign.


12/28
Grachtengordel
The canal as the weather clears. We are on our way back from the De Poezenboot shelter, which unfortunately was closed.


12/28
Downtown
Christine.


12/28
Downtown
The "Upstairs" Pannekoekenhuis (pancake house), which was unfortunately closed both times we came by.


12/28
De Blonde Hollander
Christine comforts herself with Dutch peasoup.


12/28
Downtown
The menu of De Blonde Hollander.


12/28
Downtown
De Blonde Hollander.


12/29
Albert Cuyp Markt
Chocolate penises for sale: you pick the size you want!


12/29
Albert Cuyp Markt
Christine holds up her newest prize, standing next to a handmade cat house. She picked the small size as Toli could not bear seeing her biting onto her treat for too long...


12/29
Albert Cuyp Markt
The market.


12/29
Albert Cuyp Markt
Christine devours an appelflappen fried pastry; Toli's favorite was the Berliner (yet he didn't find one in Berlin!).


12/29
Downtown
The leaning houses of Amsterdam.


12/29
De Poezenboot
A cat naps at the famous floating animal sanctuary.


12/29
De Poezenboot
Meow!


12/29
De Poezenboot
More moew!


12/29
De Poezenboot
A chirping black cat catches Christine's attention, after Toli woke it up.


12/29
De Poezenboot
Christine and the black cat getting friendlier.


12/29
De Poezenboot
Christine and the black cat getting friendlier.


12/29
De Poezenboot
The black cat climbs up into Christine's arms.


12/29
De Poezenboot
Christine and the black cat, shamelessly hugging each other.


12/29
De Poezenboot
Christine and the black cat.


12/29
De Poezenboot
Christine and the black cat.


12/29
De Poezenboot
Christine and the black cat.


12/29
De Poezenboot
Gordon, the nice old man who volunteers there, surveys the cat room.


12/29
Singel canal, in front of De Poezenboot
Meow! Christine wants De Poezenboot to adopt her too.


12/29
Downtown
The leaning houses of Amsterdam.


12/29
Downtown
A street.


12/29
Downtown
The sign of the Christine le Duc erotic shop: how could we not buy something from this store?!


12/29
Downtown
The Christine le Duc erotic shop.


12/29
Kantjil en de Tijger
Toli enjoys an Indonesian rijstafel (rice table).


12/29
Downtown
Customers who do not support the Iraq war got locked in at an Amsterdam McDonald's.


12/30
Albert Cuyp Markt
Tulips, the signature flower.


12/30
Albert Cuyp Markt
Meat seller.


12/30
Albert Cuyp Markt
Cheese seller.


12/30
Bloemenmarkt
Tulips.


12/30
Bloemenmarkt
Tulips.


12/30
Bloemenmarkt
Tulips.