So we started the day off so very innocently and it just all seemed destined to go down hill from there!! Haha! This morning we finally mastered the public transit system and made our way to the Ann Frank House. A note to anyone visiting Amsterdam, if you want to see this historic site, get there very early (like 8 am when they open) or by a skip the line ticket. We did neither and the line went down the block and around the corner. More time than we could spare to wait in line, so we opted for seeing just the outside of the house that she hid out in during World War II and the building next door was the factory her father owned. Next time, I'll definitely make time for an actual visit to this amazing historic site!

After visiting something so humbling and rich with history, it was time for the debauchery to begin!!!! We started with XtraCold, the bar made completely of ice. We figured today was a good day to visit so we could pretend like we were at home in the "blizzard" along with the rest of you! However, I think that kind of backfired on us. I'm pretty sure it was warmer in Fargo today than it was in the ice bar! They maintain the bar at -10 Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) to keep everything, including the glasses from melting. Our first order of business was to enjoy a cocktail while waiting for our tour to start. When in Amsterdam, you must have, what else? A drink called the Amsterdammed! I'm not sure exactly what was in it beyond the cranberry juice, but it was good! Next it's off to let your inner Eskimo out! They dress you in a lovely poncho (shimmery ice blue no less!!) and mittens that have been in a warmer. I'm thinking this would be most amazing next time I have to shovel or blow snow.....it was warmer than anything I wear on a regular basis in the middle of the winter! While in the ice bar, we were offered beer (Heineken of course) or shots of vodka, Jaegermeister or something else (they lost me after Jag was mentioned!). The trick was to order correctly because if you started with a shot, that's the glass your next drink came in.....so if you want a beer, it's going to be a very small one!  

We survived the ice bar and headed on to the Heineken Experience where we learned all about the process of making Heineken Beer. At one point on the tour, we were even turned into beer as we did a simulator that took us through the entire process of making and bottling beer from start to finish. Very interesting! We also had beer tasting where we learned that the reason that you should keep a head of foam on your beer is to keep the carbon dioxide in the beer so the flavor lasts longer. Hmmmmm, who knew?? After a little shopping and dinner at the Hard Rock, it was time to take our last tour of the day.....The Red Light District.

See what I meant when I said it just went down hill from this morning? LOL! This was actually a very interesting tour as we learned how the industry works in The Netherlands, where prostitution is legal. While in the area, we weren't allowed to take pictures of most of it, so sorry, no pictures of the girls in the windows!! One thing that was very interesting is that in the heart of all this is a church and a day care center.......and the people living there don't think anything of the windows with the red lights. It's also interesting to know that the areas where the girls in the windows work are some of the most expensive pieces of real estate in the city of Amsterdam. We also learned that The Bulldog Coffee shop isn't really a coffee shop. If you want to smoke marijuana, this is where you need to go!!! Good information to know before you get here I guess! This was an awesome walking tour with lots of great information about this area of the city. I must say, well worth taking this tour if you're in the area!

After walking almost 7 miles today, my feet and the rest of me are saying "go to bed!!!", so off I go! Tomorrow is another big day as we're going to head out into the Dutch countryside for some windmills, cheese, wooden shoes and tulips! Welterusten everyone!! :)