It rained the next weekend. Most building in Amsterdam have steam heat, including the resteraunt we ate in Friday night. The radiator next to the table was the perfect place to dry my coat.
I stayed with Eric on Friday and Saturday, and school footed the
bill. Since this was the weekend of the once-a-decade flower festival
and the weekend before Queen's Day, only a few expensive hotels where
available. I was afraid the Renaissance would be an overpriced steel
and glass box, but we stayed in a room that was once part of a 300
year old house.
This house, and 11 others, have since been incoporated into the
design of the hotel. Note the different kinds of brick. This hotel,
unlike the Rokin, has elevators.
The view from the room. The Renaissance is located on the new
square. I can't imagine what the old square lookes like.
Amsterdam is full of tiny billboards advertising hotels, fast
food restaurants, and occassionally, escort services. I wasn't able
to figure out why escort services choose to advertise where they do
until I looked out a hall window at the the Renaissance. How long did
it take them to find that particular streetlight?
wget -rp to finish.