To my utmost glee, I found quite possibly the world's best collection of stuffed animals in a posh Amsterdam version of Meijers. The selection was incredible -- there were happy faces of every species imaginable.

Amsterdam is really a very nice city -- lots of good restaurants, cafes, and all the drugs and prostitutes you can handle (and no, I did not partake of any of the city's seedier pleasures). One cafe, located just off one of the many canals is the Grand Cafe, a hip cafeteria-style restaurant with a great view.

In what claims to the smallest restaurant in Amsterdam (a claim that is fully warranted, in my experience), I enjoyed the breakfast of champions: chocolate-covered banana pancakes with extra whipped cream. Mm.