We arrived at Gard Du Nord (Paris' Central Station) at 10am, in time to meet our train bound for Amsterdam. We were really looking forward to our first train leg of the trip. Thalys Trains are exceptional. Not only are they on time (cop that Melbourne Metro) but they are clean, spacious, and even serve food and beverages to your seat in First Class. We did not expect to be sipping on a nice Bordeaux whilst watching the countryside of France, Belgium and The Netherlands pass us by. The country side is so serene, we passed so many lovely little farmhouses and many traditional windmills, as well as a number of tall, sleek modern windmills gently turning in the breeze.

We arrived at Amsterdam Centraal after 3 hours 20 minutes having travelled 510 km. The time went very quickly, as did the train with speed that peak up to 300+ km per hour!

We caught a taxi to our hotel, about a 5 minute ride. We are staying at the Hotel Estheria which faces onto one of the many canals here in Amsterdam. The building appears to be a traditional 3 story home, however the outside is deceiving. Our hotel is large and immaculate. The decor is best described as opulent with a plush interior decor of rich reds, deep pinks and gold.

Amsterdam's canals are very pretty and picturesque and the canals are lined with house barges that are lovingly decorated with colourful flowerpots and plants on their upper decks. The city however is less pristine than we expected, this could be due to the time of the year and the onslaught of British, American and European backpackers who spill out of every pub and bar in the district.

We found a quaint little restaurant on the canal for dinner. Bistro Bij Ons was delightful. Owned and run by the most vibrant Wife and Wife who serve only food from their families traditional dutch recipes. They play traditional dutch folk songs (and sing them whilst they work) and they have lined the walls of their little slice of heaven with family photos and memorabilia from their lives. They make you feel at home, like you're with family. And the food is spectacular! After dinner we found a little coffeeshop to finish the evening in.

We're looking forward to what tomorrow brings in Amsterdam.