It's our last full day in Amsterdam. We are getting much more comfortable with the flow of things and the routine of the commute into the city center.

We made our way to the flea market as recommended by the tour guide yesterday. It took us some time to find it but we finally did. Neither of us bought anything but there were a lot of interfering nick-nacks.

We sat for a bit and had a drink because the weather was just so hot and humid. We were told that this type of weather is not common here. Tons of people were out and about. I don't know if it's just a normal crowd or because of the weather, more people were out.

Next, we made our way to a small place for traditional Stroopwafel. It was a very small place but definitely well worth a visit (Amsterdam Stroopwafel). They make them right on the premises and also have a museum upstairs detailing it's history. When it was being prepared, She placed a small puck shaped piece of dough on the waffle iron and pressed it down. After about 3 minutes she lifted it off the press and started slicing it in half carefully. It looks like it definitely takes skill to do it! Next, she spread hot creamy caramel inside and placed the top back on. She served it in a parchment sleeve, warm and ready to be devoured. And devour I did. I could have easily eaten three. The were really incredible. When I get home I will be making them. I purchased a waffle iron years ago to make waffle cones but I can easily use it to make the Stoopwafel! This is definitely a must try for any visitor. They were 2€ each and a true Dutch food.

We walked through more of the city and made a new discover called 9 streets. (De Negen Straatjes) a cute little neighbourhood with shops and cafes. We just walked around and took in the sights of this quaint area.

Next, we made our way to the English Reform Church. It's the oldest church in Amsterdam. There's a beautiful courtyard but tucked away from the streets and you'll need to go they a door and archway to access it. It was a hidden gem.

We were starving and in our search for a bite to eat discovered Entrepans. This wasn't your typical restaurant. They had whole prescuitto (dried salted pork) legs hanging on the walls and several on the counter being carved. It truly was a sight to see. Growing up my dad made his own prescuitto and it was a long process. They were quite pricy but rightly so. They tasted so delicious. The menu was simple and from what I could tell it was a Brazilian food. They basically take a crunchy ciabatta bun, coat it lightly with olive oil and rubbed with Roma tomatoes. That's right. The tomatoes aren't placed on just rubbed on so the flavour is coated into the bread. The shaved prescuitto was placed inside the bun. All the walking makes you hungry so food tends to taste better when your hungry (for the most part). I could never get sick of eating these sandwiches. Yum!!!

The food adventure continued. Just down the street from Entrapans we found an ice cream shop that made home made ice cream. They make it on the premise. I love my ice cream treats so I felt I deserve it because of all the walking I did. I don't need to justify it but sometimes it makes the treat all the more worth while.

Amsterdam is EXPENSIVE! We kept comparing things to the prices back home. When you're on vacation, you can't always be worried about what things cost. You do need to splurge a little. I don't mean spend money frivolously but just be wise. Main tourist areas will be more expensive. The same things can be found in smaller parts of the city and side streets. A one way ticket on the train was 5.10€. You need coins for the machines. If you pay with your credit card it's .50€ extra. Who carries cash and in particular, change. Some washrooms cost 1€. These tactics are sneaky in my opinion and are a cash grab from tourists. Be wise.

For dinner we went to a Thai restaurant called Thai & Co. It was delicious but the prices were outrageous. I can typically get a Thai curry dish for about $10 back home. A curry dish here ranged from 17€ to 25€. That's $25 to $38. That is unreal! The portion size was a bit smaller than what you could get in Canada.

Overall today we ate, drank and joked around often. Now I know what to expect I'd love to come back in the future but I will definitely be better prepared when I do!