We were again up at 7:00 a.m., breakfast at 8:00, then off to the Anne Frank house at 8:45 to beat the crowds. Didn't work. When we arrived, there was already a lineup down the street and around the corner but as this was a must-see, we tucked in behind a busload of Japanese tourists. Darn tourists! But even though there were a hundred or so in front of us, when the line started moving at 9:00 it moved quickly and we were inside by 9:15.

  

The museum consisted of several rooms containing video presentations, artifacts and photos of the Frank family tragedy. Then it was into the actual house and the secret annex where the family and others hid for three years. The experience was quite heart wrenching and disturbing but well worth the visit.

    

We finished our tour of the Anne Frank House by 10:15, after which we wandered over to the Homo Monument that juts out into the canal that was adjacent to our hotel. This is a gray and pink granite memorial to those gays and lesbians persecuted during World War II by Nazi Germany. Only in Amsterdam you say? There's also one in Montevideo Uruguay, Berlin Germany, Sydney Austrailia and surprise, surprise, San Francisco USA. Laverne thought it would be great fun for Bert and I to pose on the monument so we obliged.

From the monument, we went to the Jennifer Tearoom Croissantiere across the street from our hotel for pastry and coffee's. Spent a pleasant hour at a sidewalk table enjoying the people watching and the fine weather. With an hour to kill before meeting Carole and LeVerne, we decided to take a walk over to the Johnny Jordaan park. Evidently he was a renowned Dutch Lawrence Welk type. From there we strolled through some quiet neighborhoods, popping into the odd shop and just generally enjoying the day.

    

Eventually we ended up back at the Di-Ann Hotel at 1:00 p.m. where we had agreed to meet our expected new arrivals and which just happened to be in the same building as our hotel, but on the opposite end. Had a beer or two while waiting for the Connexxion Shuttle to arrive. Sure enough, at two o'clock sharp, a shuttle pulled up just down from us and out popped Carole and Laverne. Happy day! They made it in on time and in one piece from their detour to Bergen, Norway where LeVerne was retracing his Viking ancestry (LeVerne a Viking?). Traded a few stories, finished our beers, then walked them and their luggage over to the Times Hotel.

  

Settled Carole and LeVerne in and struck off towards the downtown area with them in tow. We all stopped in at the 420 Café on Nieuwezijds Kolk for sausages, fries and another beer, then it was down to the canal boat piers by Centraal Station to book a canal dinner cruise for the evening.

  

With that task done, it was back up to the monument at Dam Square down the Damrak (the main street between Centraal Station and Dam Square), then over to the Red Light District for another look-see. There was a bit more action than the day before, but it was now later in the day. We wound through the narrow streets over to the De Waag (Amsterdam Gate), then back to a small square off of main street for a final beer before our dinner cruise at 8:00 p.m.

    

There were eighteen of us in total for a three-hour cruise (actually, 2 ½ hrs) with Holland International. Dinner consisted of a five-course meal, champagne, wine and Amaretto. We finished off with pastries for dessert and coffee. The cruise took us out into the harbor, through the main canals and back to the pier by 10:30. It was off the boat, the short stroll back to the hotel, then off to bed.