European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 9, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Travelling alone allows time to explore dutch capital other highlights by Michael Abrams staff photographer Amsterdam capital of the Netherlands. City of canals and of museums. Rich in history culture and counterculture. Four Days alone photographing Amsterdam no reporter to follow around no discussions on what to do next where to eat Etc. Too Good to be True. It was. Quot a reporter is taking a bus tour Quot the editor said Quot and wherever the tour goes you go by car and when you both get Back Well see who got the most bang for their  my dreams of a splendid time exploring Amsterdam went crashing Down around me and off i went making notes of jut where the bus tour was going. So on a thursday evening with a tank Fuli of Gas in the stripes Fleet vow coif i headed from Central Germany Northwest toward the capital of the Netherlands. Leaving at 5 15 p.m., it was an uneventful 4 i hour 297-mile trip. After getting on autobahn a3 it was straight to the dutch German Border at Emmerich. In Holland a3 became a12, and just past utrecht i turned onto a2 which leads right into the heart of the capital. The hotel i was to stay at upon recommendation of a Friend was the hotel Wiechmann on the Prinzen Graach canal. It s not right downtown but within walking distance of practically everything. Finding the hotel with no problems took a Little Luck. The plan was to follow the signs to the City Center crossing the canals and when i hit Prinzen Graach take a left or a right Hope i went the right Way and look for the hotel. I turned left and it worked after driving a couple of minutes i spied the hotel Wiechmann across the canal. After finding a parking garage my Friend said there was one nearby was checking into the hotel my Home for the next couple of Days. Right Here a word to the Wise. Don t Park illegally in Amsterdam. They will put a wheel Daw on your car and in addition to having to pay to have it removed you will also pay a hefty Fine. Parking in the garages can spare you a lot of headaches. Day one woke up to the sound of rain on Friday morning but by the tithe i showered., dressed and went to breakfast the Sun was peeking through the Clouds. The dome of the Royal Palace on the dam. Enjoyed a Hearty breakfast and a morning cup of Coffee. Watched out the dining room windows As delivery vans brought the Day s Staple to the shops. Bicycles definitely an Amsterdam trademark Swo shed around Corners across Bridges dodging pedestrians vans and bikes alike on their Way to work or to do their morning chores. Amsterdam alive on an autumn morning. The Sun was still shining As i left the hotel so i opted for a morning canal cruise. There Are Many places to catch the boat. The first one i came to is at the Mamrak Harbor along the Street of the same name that leads from the dam Amsterdam s main Square to Central station a handful of companies offer Tours Here so i took the one that was leaving soonest paying my 11 guilders about $6 for the 60-minute cruise. I shared the boat with seven other tourists and one dog. The ride was smooth and enjoyable the sights were pointed out to us by the boat s multilingual sound system in dutch French English and German. The boat slipped through a Maze of canals and stretches of the amstel River which gave Amsterdam its name. Past the typical gabled houses and past the famous Magere Brug Bridge and Blau Brug and of course under some of the Many Bridges that Span the canals. As we pulled into the Harbor an hour later the boats starting out now were Fuller than ours and so was the sky a with rain Clouds. After being chauffeured on the City s Waterways for an hour it was time to explore Amsterdam on foot. I decided i would use the tour described in ear Steinbicker s Book Day trips in Holland Belgium and Luxembourg As a guide and improvise from there following whatever grabbed my fancy. I walked Down Mamrak Back to the dam. On one Side of the dam stands the Royal Palace Konin Slijk palais residence of the Queen when she is i continued on Page 12 december % 1993 stripes naga line