When I arrived in Amsterdam, I found that there are more museums than I could possibly visit in the time I had. However, even if you don't consider yourself to be an art fan, I STRONGLY SUGGEST that you make a trip to the Rijksmuseum. The Rijkmuseum is the national musuem of Holland, and was taken over during WWII by the invading Nazi forces

Speaking of WWII, The Dutch resisted until the city of Rotterdam was destroyed by German bombers. If this had not happened then Amsterdam may never have reached it's stature as the Non-Political Capital of Holland.

Rotterdam was more historically significant than Amsterdam, but since the Germans destroyed it, it was rebuilt as a modern city. It was only natural that Amsterdam would take top billing as a tourist destination because it was not touched (much) during the war, which left all the historical buildings intact. By the way, after Rotterdam was bombed, the Allies bombed Munich in return. While Rotterdam was rebuilt as a modern city, Munich was rebuilt to more historical standards.

The reasons I suggest the Rijksmuseum are numerous. First, it is in the musuem district of A'dam, so the Vincent van Gogh and Stedlijk museums are around the corner. Second, in my opinion, the Rijksmuseum is the most impressive and formidably huge building in A'dam. If you have never been to Europe then this is one of the first things you should see. Third, though not comparable to the Louvre in Paris, the Rijksmuseum collection is varied and fantastic. You must look at the 16th and 17th century furniture, as well as the collections of famous painting by well known Dutch Masters like Jan Steen, van Gogh, Rembrandt.

The biggest reason to see the Rijksmuseum is that it houses Rembrandt's Nightwatch. I had never heard of this until I saw it, and I swear it was a religio-artistic experience. This painting is about 12 feet high by 20 feet wide, and the use of colors and lighting effects makes it seem as if there are some Dutch people in costumes standing in front of a darker painting. I cannot descibe this well enough to convey the impression, but as long as you take your time and don't push yourself, you will find viewing this painting an experience.

Hopefully by the time I publish this book they will reopen the Dutch History section, which shows how the Dutch were forerunners in trading, slavery, and conquest of foreign lands under the guise of "doing business." Holland may seem like a quaint little country, but let's not forget that for centuries the Dutch were world leaders, as America is today. The Dutch divested themselves of most of their colonial lands in the middle of this century. You may recognize the Dutch East Indies, now known as Indonesia.

Once you are done in the Rijksmuseum (maybe after 5 full days I would still not be done), go see the other museums in Museumplein: the van Gogh is incredible, but you might want to miss the Stedlijk unless you really like modern art, which I don't.

Another interesting museum is the Amsterdam Historical Museum. It is located about halfway between Amsterdam CS and Museumplein. I would only recommend a couple hours just to get a feeling for the city's history.

If you are a plant-lover, or are there during a cold time, you will especially want to see the Hortus. It is Amsterdam's botanical garden. Aside from the nice outdoor displays, my favorite part is the 3-climate greenhouses. This greenhouse is a 2-3 story affair, with paths on the ground and catwalks in the air. The desert section reminds me of Nevada, and is plush with cactii. The other two sections are the humid, hot section and the REALLY HOT AND HUMID section. Look for the bamboo with the 6 inch diameter shoots.

Holland is famous for Delft Blue. These are the plates and plaques you may have seen that look like pocelain with blue-stained artwork on them. Although these items can be found at any street vendor, I really recommend you take a trip to Delft and see the real thing.