Welcome to another installment of the blog about our Viking Rhine River Cruise. Today's blog is about some of our experiences in Amsterdam- Bikes and Food. After arriving at the ship very early and taking a nap, we were semi-conscious for the walking tour at 1:30pm. This blog will give some of those highlights and explain how bicycle-crazy this city really is, and other things it's well-known for... hint: you can eat them.
(Photo: Rob and Tom trying to stay awake in Amsterdam with 1,000 bikes parked behind them)
BIKES EVERYWHERE - The primary mode of transportation in Amsterdam are bicycles. Everyone seems to have one, and there are lots of bike racks everywhere. In fact, we saw an entire parking garage for Bicycles Only! - and it was full.
(Photo: Parked bikes line an entire block on this Amsterdam street)
CHEESE !! Amsterdam is famous for Gouda Cheese. Gouda, is a yellow to orange, creamy, and sweet cow's milk cheese. Cheese shops were plentiful as we walked around the city. Gouda is the most popular cheese there. There are actually many different kinds of Dutch cheese, including Edam, Limburger, and Beemster. 
BAKERIES! Amsterdam is famous for 2 pastries that we knew of - Apple pie and a gooey, tasty cookie called a "Stroopwafel." 
How it's Made: A stroopwafel's wafer layers are made from a stiff dough of flour, butter, brown sugar, yeast, milk, and eggs that has been pressed in a hot waffle iron until crisp. While still warm, the waffles have their edges removed with a cookie cutter, which allows the remaining disc to be easily separated into top and bottom wafers. A caramel filling made from syrup, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon—also warm—is spread between the wafers before the waffle is reassembled. The caramel sets as it cools, thereby binding the waffle halves together. (Info and photo credit: Wikipedia)
NEXT: The Leaning Buildings and Royal Waiting Chamber
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