DAY 2: Monday, March 10, Arrival in Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM

Arrive at Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, at 7:55 a.m.

Check-in at Mr. Jordaan Hotel
Bloemgracht 102, Amsterdam
+31 20 626 5801
https://mrjordaan.nl/

Even splurging on Business Class did not save me from jet lag. I tumbled (figuratively, almost literally) out of the plane, weirdly disoriented. Mercifully, everything after that was magical. My phone worked.  Passport control took no time at all. I found a taxi immediately and arrived at my hotel within an hour of arrival. And, miracle of miracles, my room was ready. I love this hotel.

After a nap, I took a walk. Pro tip: Watch your step in Amsterdam. It may not be hilly, but its streets are mighty uneven. I was too busy staying upright to take many pictures, but below are a few. There should be plenty more in tomorrow's blog. In the meantime, I'm struggling with the software, so the pictures arrange themselves in ways I can't control yet. Bear with me.

      

The first two pictures are at PDX. The new airport design exceeded my expectations. It is so beautiful. However, I was led to believe there would be emotional support llamas there. I saw no llamas. Instead, there was this guy. He played very well. I promised to let my friends know about him.

Delta switched my flight to KLM. The flight attendants never stopped feeding us. I've never had airline fare like this. The food dropped like a bomb in my stomach. I need to read up on Dutch cuisine. If this is any indication, it involves a lot of frying and a lot of pickling.

The view from my window.