Amsterdam - Part II

This is one of the only two full timber houses left in Amsterdam.  We got here  through a secret courtyard. 

Houses surrounding the courtyard.  This is a sanctuary for the "Beguines" sisterhood, they were single women who did charity work similar to nuns without taking the vows.  Now the houses are still occupied by single women chosen by a number of interviews. 

Windows from the Beguines chapel...

The older houses have very narrow windows.  Wonder how they get furniture and supplies into the house?  Well noticed the hook on top...they throw a rope on it and pulley the items through the windows!

I was super excited to walk to the flower market and stupidly even in August I expected to see bundles and bundles of tulips!  I sort of did, they just have to be planted and wait till spring to bloom!  If I was heading right home I totally would have bought some of these...

This is as close as I came to seeing tulips...though fake...I have to come back some spring not only to see the tulip fields but also windmills.

I did see these beautiful flowers in another shop...

Besides flowers, the cheese in this city was amazing!!!  Aman and I walked through couple of stores and went sample crazy!!  Their cumin cheese was my absolute favourite.

The market was full of these magnets...designed after real houses in the city.