Amsterdam is not for "sissies"!

31 August 2015
The second day of navigating streets, where different rules apply for cars, trams, trains, pedestrians and bicycles, was less challenging. We managed to remain unscathed, while keeping in mind that the traffic comes from the wrong side of the road. We really did well in this city that is so different to our South African cities with much hustle and bustle and agreed that using and adapting to so many  different modes of transport within 24 hours of arriving, deserves a medal - we'll done to us all.
We were suitably impressed with our first stop of the day, the Amsterdam ArenA,  home of the Dutch football club, Ajax Amsterdam. We enjoyed the guided tour through the many areas of the stadium and learnt that the roof can close in 14 minutes, but that this closure impacts negatively on the growth of the grass. The Dutch solved this problem through the introduction of artificial light to overcome the lack of sunlight, while gigantic fans aid oxygen supply with irrigation coming from below the field's surface. In addition to sporting events, music concerts and exhibitions are also held here regularly. What was particulalry interesting was that it takes only 14 hours after a concert to replace  the entire grass surface and to have a surface suitable to play a soccer match on. Soccer, however is not the only sport played here. Sports such as American football and basketball have also been played here. All too soon it was time to head back to the centre of the city for lunch.
At the Van Gogh Museum we went on a journey and stood eye-to-eye with the artist and found his constant efforts to improve his skills admirable. He was an intelligent man with a passion for art and literature. We discovered that even today his life and work inspire artists all over the world.
We were grateful for a well-timed cruise on the canals which took us through the unique UNESCO World Heritage canal district. We were able to admire the majestic facades and gables, beautiful churches, the iconic Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge) and many more highlights.
All in all, our day had something for everybody, from sports to culture, to the outdoors, resulting in a somewhat weary group of travellers boarding the bus for our return to home base in Belgium