Walked to train station, caught train to Utrecht, the primary city until the rise of Amsterdam.  Climbed the Dom Tower (guide required), about 300 feet, 467 steps (not to code).  There were four intermediate landings, making it easier than otherwise.  View was handicapped by poor weather, lots of chain-linked fencing, and renovating scaffolding.  But impressive anyway.

Lunch of Bouillabaisse.  Excellent.  (Three times today people mistook us as Dutch.  Two for directions, waiter for menus.)  Found an excellent cheese shop that’s also in Amsterdam.  Samples galore.  Also entered a bunch of chocolate shops.  Will-power ended with the last one.  Delicious.  Saw the famous (for Japanese) “Miffy cross-walk” signal.  Oldest building (a castle) is now a brew-hall.  Very crowded town.  This week is the Autumn school holiday.

Train back was in the “Silent Car”.  A women shushed us before we realized it.  Amsterdam Centraal is what Tokyo modeled their train station after.  It needs a serious cleaning.  Not as impressive as Tokyo’s.  Took a meandering walk back to the apartment.  Meandered our way (unintentionally) into the red light district.  Was not on my list.  Several “shops” are across from the oldest church in Amsterdam.  Didn’t check if one of them was the oldest of its kind in Amsterdam.  Big crowds continued.  There were a couple of soccer groupies drinking too much and singing to loudly.  Many police, all smiling and helpful to tourists.  Many of them women, which, in the red light district, seemed very appropriate in our new-age culture.

Had a simple dinner made up of food from the local supermarket.  They don’t take Visa or Mastercard(?).  Evening spent planning the next two days.  Lots to do.  It was a good day, though very tiring.  9 miles of walking, largely on cobblestones.

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