by Monday 4 June
Much of today was spent on the train travelling from Hanover to Amsterdam a journey of about four and a half hours, and because the train departed a 10.40am and then had signal trouble it was after 4pm before we got to our Amsterdam hotel. I really enjoyed the train trip, the views were great, it gave us a break from constant sightseeing and we broke the journey by having lunch in the buffet car.
Our hotel is typical of Amsterdam, to get to our room you climb a flight of very steep stairs from the street entrance to the reception, then another very steep flight before meandering round several corners, often with a few steps before going outside into a light well between buildings and into another hall with our room immediately on the left.
After settling in we headed out around the canals and out to Leidseplein where I sketched the theatre building while we had a beer and bitten ballen. Next we headed to Vondelpark (a green space with ponds popular with the locals and a main route for cyclists) then round to the Rijksmuseum for the mandatory photo of the iamsterdam sign then back in to our hotel. Of course all the way I was taking photos with the thought of making paintings later.
We dined nearby at an Italian restaurant.
