July 20: Amsterdam arrival 2
There was a good chunk of time in the morning after I arrived before the class was to meet up at our hostel, so I kept walking around like mad, soaking in the cityscapes.
0771
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0771.jpg)
Just past De Bazel along Vijzelstraat, a particularly orderly view over the Keizersgracht (Emperor's Canal), another of the concentric canals.
0779
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0779.jpg)
A rather elegant separator of townhouse entries, along the Prinsengracht (Prince's Canal, yet another concentric one) west of Vijzelstraat.
0783
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0783.jpg)
Looking northeast on Nieuwe Spiegelstraat from the Prinsengracht. It's interesting from a street design point of view how the bollards divide it in three narrow lanes of nearly equal width.
0787
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0787.jpg)
This appears to be a quite Early Modern building, along Kerkstraat northwest of Nieuwe Spiegelstraat. I often find such buildings' materials to have a more human feel than later higher-tech modernist buildings.
0791
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0791.jpg)
The canal bridges of Leidsestraat, here over the Prinsengracht, are bookended by what appear to be lurking-crocodile stones.
0792
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0792.jpg)
An unsuspecting victim standing right next to the crocodile. Prinsengracht pidgie. Pidgiegracht.
0796
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0796.jpg)
A chiaroscuro parking garage, along Lange Leidsedwarsstraat between Leidsekruisstraat and the Spiegelgracht.
0802
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0802.jpg)
A look northwest along the Prinsengracht where the Spiegelgracht (Mirror Canal) joins it at left.
0806
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0806.jpg)
Further east on the Prinsengracht, I took a little break from the walk and sat down at the canal's edge. This is a seated view east to the Vijzelstraat bridge.
0807
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0807.jpg)
And one to the west, back past the Spiegelgracht/Spiegelstraat bridge.
0810
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0810.jpg)
The coots became curious.
0824
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0824.jpg)
A few minutes later, an airplane bilocated above itself as it crossed overhead. —What? Bilocation isn't real? Well then you tell ME why there's only ONE contrail!!
0836
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0836.jpg)
Cute coot.
0842
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0842.jpg)
A charming speed bump (how oxymoronic) further along the Prinsengracht, east of Vijzelstraat.
0843
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0843.jpg)
Right nearby, a couple of beefy posts helping out a troubled lintel. I assume this was temporary, but it's actually a pretty cool-looking structure.
0850
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0850.jpg)
At the intersection of the Prinsengracht and the Reguliersgracht, a delicate operation unfolded. First, in under the north bridge...
0852
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0852.jpg)
...now swing 'er around just so...
0853
![](pix/amsterdam-arrival-2/0853.jpg)
...and voom!