We woke early in Amsterdam, eager to soak up more of it in the brief time we had there. Choosing the Lima Cafe at the left in this pic, we talked over breakfast about where to walk next.
164300 Morning Stroll
Then we wandered some streets we’d not explored with Richele, taking in the architecture and of course I snapped some building ornamentations like this historic one.
5906 Symbolic Emblem
This modern building also evokes a ship, along with a hint of ecological balance in its sod roof.
5907 Green Roof
Grand old buildings testify to the power and importance of the Netherlands (Holland) in past centuries, and to the science and engineering that drained the land and enabled massive structures to stand amid canals.
5942 Grand Buildings
We detoured past the central train station, where a sea of bikes begs the question of how anyone could find their own.
5950 Land of Bikes
The station is where people on bikes and on foot, in trams and buses, and a few in cars all come to ride fast trains to other towns and cities. The building itself is also intriguing, and today we were taking more time to check it out.
5951 Ornate Station
The building above the main entrance has a wind direction indicator on the left and a clock on the right, with lots of ornamentation in between.
5972 Above Main Entrance
Sculptures adorn the walls and lintels, each telling different stories that unaided observers like us could only guess at and be inspired to return.
5977 Diversity
The cathedral stands straight and tall among a herd of buildings each leaning slightly shoulder to shoulder as if holding one another up.
5982 Shepherd and Flock
I liked how this building ornament complements mementos on the windowsill above.
6004 Spanning 385 Years
Eventually we reached the Vondelpark recommended by several Dutch friends, and relished entering this gateway to an urban paradise.
6056 Island of Nature
As with all great urban parks, it has many sanctuaries along winding footpaths.
6063 Quiet Water
Countless spots beckon, and different people are each drawn to their own relaxing place.
6071 Choices
Here the people of Amsterdam mingle with their neighbors and visitors from around the world, in hushed harmony.
6075 Gentle Mingling
After this all too brief breath of silence, we made our way back to the station for a quick trip to the magical 10th century city of Haarlem.
John & Anne Wiley 
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