Amazing Amsterdam

Here's Amsterdam!

Eurogames tennis gets under way, canal-side. In all-white is a British friend John Grayson with his Dutch doubles partner.

I wonder if this movie poster will be seen on the streets of San Diego.

Even Copenhagen didn't have bike lanes as nice as these in Holland.

Amazing Amsterdam.

Dutch grafiti.

In Amsterdam, pornography is sold right on the street!

MLK is honored in a Dutch city.

In Holland they put mayo on their fries!

Dutch canal living.

This was a little odd to see on a car on the other side of the Atlantic, but it was spotted on the streets of Holland.

Eurogames opening ceremonies.

Wit my double's partner in the Eurogames tennis tournament before the opening ceremonies in the Dutch town Utrecht. His name is Peter and is a Dutchman living in Belgium who works for the European Union.

Marcus, my host in Amsterdam, strolls along one of the city's numerous gorgeous canals.

This pink triangle jutting out over an Amsterdam canal near Anne Franke's house is Holland's 'Homo Monument,' honoring homosexuals the world over. Amsterdam is one of the few cities in the world to have such a prominent tribute to this segment of the human family.

Can't get enough of those charming Amsterdam canals.

Dutch woman relishing some early summer sun in Amsterdam after a long European winter.

Arriving at Amsterdam central train station from the airport.

Farewell to Hungary

With the pictures below, let me bid a fond farewell to Hungary -- the newest European land for me to discover and certainly among the most compelling.

Danube panorama -- double-click photo to see it better. Hungary is in the foreground; Slovakia is on the far side of the river.

This picure was everywhere during my time in Budapest -- on billboards, posters, phone booths, bus stops, trolleys, etc. The young man's smile somehow let me know that there would be nothing to fear in this land that was so new to me.

Ancient Roman ruins in Budapest.

Budapest shopping mall.

Csaba's girlfriend Sofie enjoys a slice of pizza -- Hungarian style -- with ketchup on top!

With Csaba overlooking the Danube River, north of Budapest.