Day 3 in Paris, Day 1-2 in Amsterdam

On my last day in Paris, I spent the day in Montemart, the artist's district. Then, I had a leisurely lunch and stroll around Paris. After that, I had to pack up since I would have a late night. At night, I went out to a really nice restaurant and had a great French meal. After that, I went on a cruise down the Seine. The city is truly beautiful at night, and the river gives a unique perspective of it.

Sunday morning, we took the train to Amsterdam. Upon arrival, we first took a canal cruise. Then, we got on a bus and did some sightseeing around the city. Along the way, we stopped at a family farm that specializes in making Gouda cheese and the traditional Dutch clogs. They did a demonstration in the making of both, and then people were more than happy to pay lots of money to buy their goods. I'm pretty sure it's a tourist trap, but it was highly interesting to watch. The man making the clogs grabbed my hand and told me we were going to take a "party picture." This made me nervous since I am now in Amsterdam, and I'm pretty sure I have an idea of how they party (which I'm not planning to join in). But, I was relieved that he just wanted for me to hold a pair of his shoes. The people here seem really nice. Strange, maybe, but nice...

Today, after breakfast, I went to visit a diamond company (no, I didn't buy any). I took a tour of their facility, and they taught me all about the way diamonds are cut. While there are not really diamonds found here, Amsterdam is known for cutting diamonds. In fact, the giant diamond in the scepter of the British crown jewels was sent here to be cut/shaped. Also, the "brilliant" cut for diamonds (very popular) was invented here. Next, I went out to discover more of Amsterdam. I went to the Van Gogh museum, which was really good. Then, I went for a walk around the canals. They really are beautiful to walk around. I also went to a flower market. Amsterdam is known for it's flowers (tulips mainly). Tomorrow, I will visit the Anne Frank house.