Beautiful day with snow and sun. Lil Red Bag goes for a walk in Amsterdam. This is the Westerkerk with Westertoren. Slippery pavements, careful!

Very long queue... What are all these people waiting for so early on a sunny morning?

Aha... Anne Frank's House. Anne could hear the bells of the Westerkerk while she was hiding in the tiny room behind the bookcase.

Anne Frank, a friendly tourist from Lisboa, Portugal and... Lil Red Bag.

From the tourists to a peaceful and quiet spot: the Begijnenhofje. A place with beautiful houses and a big lawn (covered with snow now). No dogs or cats nor men allowed. This used to be a hofje (court yard?) for kind of nuns = begijnen = nuns that do not live in a convent. Only (grumpy) old women (who don't like tourists) are allowed to live here. The waitinglist is longer than 25 years.

Next to the Begijnhof is the Amsterdam Museum. Johan Cruyff (the football player) celebrated his 65th birthday last year and now there is an exhibition called "Johan & I". Cruyff poses with Lil Red Bag especially for... Val, the MailArtist in Sigean.

Dean Marks from France made a special request "Lil Red Bag show us the Red Light Area". So that's where she went. The Wallen (= Red Light Area) is the oldest part of Amsterdam. This is the Oude Kerk (Old Church). The architecture is beautiful here.

Around the corner of the Oude Kerk red curtains... It's early sunday morning, no business yet. It took some courage for Lil Red Bag to pose here. Fortunately no one to chase her away!

Lil Red Bag and red lights in the Red Light District.

What a convenient coincidence! The big I AMSTERDAM letters are now on the cosy Nieuwmarkt. Lot's of nice restaurants here... kind of Little China Town. This is still the Red Light District, yes. People/families live here. Lil Red Bag and the letters go well together.

Lil Red Bag wants to have her picture taken with these friendly Italians but there is a bit of a language problem. "What is bursa?".

Ahaaaa! Picture with letters and bursa! Hang on... just a moment, we will climb on top of the letters...

Lil Red Bag with I AMSTERDAM letters and cool Italian who shouts "I am the king of the world!"

Right! Time for culture and some knowledge. Lil Red Bag passes the 'Hash, Marihuana and Hemp Museum' and does some window-culturing.

In the Warmoesstraat (also Red Light District) a friendly postman with German accent poses with Lil Red Bag. What would all the MailArts be without the heroes of the post! Hurray Hurray Hurray.

Also in the Warmoesstraat, in front of the Condomerie, Lil Red Bag bumps into these jolly young guys from England.  Picture? Of course!

That was enough Red Light District for today! The walk goes on and Lil Red Bag goes further along the canals that celebrate their jubilee of 400 years this year. Lil Red Bag is getting closer and closer to that very special spot in Amsterdam she absolutely has to see with her own eyes uh handles uh... Hey, that really is some good advice in the window.

Lil Red Bag in front of het Koninklijk Paleis (Royal Palace) and (right corner) the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church). On april 30st 2013 Queen Beatrix will retire and her son will become King Willem IV. On that day Lil Red Bag can say "Hey! I was there".

Bicycles! In the guide it says their are more bicyles than inhabitants in Amsterdam. Well, not many moving bicylces today. But Lil Red Bag insists on having her picture taken with this immobile lot.

Lil Red Bag is getting tired now. "Are we nearly there?" These canals really are endless...

Yeeeeeeeees! Made it, at last! The Museum of Bags and Purses (Tassenmuseum Hendrikje) on the Herengracht. Lil Red Bag wants to see the manager and will apply for a pride of place-place here. Does the manager realize he/she does not have the famous, fabulous Lil Red Bag in his/her collection?! Unheard of!

What a shame... no manager in today. Well, time for a coffee. Lil Red Bag will return to Vizma Bruns in Australia now as the goody box is full. Hopefully more adventures of Lil Red Bag soon!

Suus in Mokum xxx

Views: 422

Tags: Amsterdam, LilRedBag, SuusinMokum

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Comment by Claire (aka Cleo) on February 11, 2013 at 5:33pm

What a great blog Suus! My Father used to live in Amsterdam for 6 months out of the year, I know why! I must visit someday, it's really beautiful!

Comment by carl baker on February 11, 2013 at 4:13pm

fantastic suus, great collection, beautiful city.

don't eat the yellow snow is from an old frank zappa song,

i love the one at the pot museum.

thanks for sharing>

Comment by Suus in Mokum on February 11, 2013 at 10:41am

Lil Red Bag is really tired and yesterday she also had to stand in the cold and wet snow... didn't do her good, I'm afraid ;((

Comment by Stephen Boyling on February 11, 2013 at 9:32am

Great series ... find a sponsor and do Europe!!

Comment by vizma bruns on February 11, 2013 at 9:25am

She really looks very tired in that last photo! This last year has aged her!!

Comment by Suus in Mokum on February 11, 2013 at 8:40am

Thank you all. It was so much fun and it reminded me of my own blog of Suus in Mokum, hihi. What a beautiful day, yesterday.

Comment by Ruud Janssen on February 11, 2013 at 7:29am

Wonderful photos from a wonderful city. Very well done Suus!

Comment by Carina on February 11, 2013 at 7:15am

Wow, Suus, amazing and funny blog! Sorry you didn't meet the manager of The Museum of Bags and Pursers.

So much to see in Amsterdam, thank you Suus!

Comment by vizma bruns on February 11, 2013 at 2:48am

Exceptional blog, Suus!! The photos and comments had me laughing and smiling all the way through! Sooo interesting!!

Comment by Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat) on February 10, 2013 at 9:27pm

What an adventure in I AMsterdam! Great photos, Lil' Red Bag really

got around the town! And what a town! After all that snow, i bet Lil' Red

will really like getting back to Vizma and WARM Oz! 

Thanks for the great blog,Suus, 'love seeing Amsterdam!

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