When we were planning our first trip to Europe back in 2006, my wife had her mind set on Belgium. I thought that was an odd choice at the time, though looking back in hindsight, it was a stroke of brilliance and made for a wonderful first European adventure. I lobbied for Amsterdam to be a side trip of a few days from our base in Brussels and it too ended up being a memorable part of our first time overseas. The trip was a tale of two distinct approaches… in Brussels, thanks to points, we stayed at an ultra luxurious five star hotel… in Amsterdam, we stayed at a place that had a roof and indoor plumbing. What that place lacked in charm, it made up for with a location that led us to a number of memories we still hold dear.

For me, when I think back on Amsterdam, it is of a spectacularly beautiful city, where every bridge over every canal was a stunning scene the likes I hadn’t ever seen to that point in my life.

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