A Day in Amsterdam
Page 3
Continued from page 2

ABOVE: Houses along an Amsterdam canal.

My daughter wanted to visit Anne Frank House on Prinsengracht near the Westerkerk. One glance at the line of people outside quickly changed her mind, however--especially when she overheard someone remark that the waiting time was at least 30 minutes. (I couldn't help wondering how long the lines were in summer, during the main tourist season.)

Leaving Anne Frank to the mob of patient British and Dutch tourists, we wandered through the retail district and reflected on how busy it was compared to the typical American city on a Saturday afternoon.

We couldn't resist stopping at Magna Plaza (right), on the Dam Square opposite the Royal Palace. This handsome structure was built in 1899 as Amsterdam's central post office. Today, its arcaded interior has been converted into a shopping center. (See photo below.)

The entire basement of the building is given over to a Virgin Megastore, which sells a large array of CDs, movies, video games, computer software. (We resisted the temptation to buy a horror exploitation flick called Blood Camp Thatcher for Thatcher, our 16-year-old son, figuring that the main character--"the evil Commandant Thatcher"--would be a less than stellar role model.)

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TIP: Public restrooms are located upstairs in Magna Plaza. My wife tells me that the ladies' room offers a nice view from the sinks, which are located in a corner bay window. There's a small charge for using the facilities.

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