"BIKES & BOATS & BITTERBOLLEN" Amsterdam by swissfondue

Apparently there are 600,000 bicycles in Amsterdam and during my week there I think I was nearly run over by half of them. Just joking, maybe it was only six but they seem to appear from nowhere and they are always going somewhere. From youngsters in school uniforms to rather elderly locals on equally elderly bikes, everyone cycles everywhere with a purpose and the majority without any head protection. You do see the odd accident. I remember seeing a cyclist run straight into the side of a moving tram but considering the amount of bicycles competing for space it is not surprising.

Amsterdam has 165 canals, 1281 bridges and 1 skinny bridge so boats play a massive role in the day to day life of the city. Houseboats are moored in every available space and 70 different cruise boats ply the various canals offering tourists a pleasant way of seeing the city from the water. Cruises range from one hour to dinner cruises and private cruises, but rug up in winter as it can be quite chilly in an open boat

I quite like Dutch food and Amsterdam offers lots of culinary options. Billerballen, a type of dutch meat kroket and olliebollen a scrumptious fried fruit and sweet dough connoction are particularly worthy of a mention.
Chips with mayonnaise are readily available from street stalls.
My absolute favorite is harder to find in the city. "Zoute haring" is raw herring served with chopped onions and eaten with a toothpick. Try it, if you can.

• Pros:The canals are so pictureseque and the Dutch architecture is so unique.
• Cons:Narrow footpaths make walking a challenge sometimes. Watch out for wayward bikes!