Stranger in a strange land.

Having spent 13 of my formative years as a local in Vail, Colorado I thought I had a clear definition of the term "tourist". Upon my arrival in Amsterdam it was apparent that I was clearly the tourist. Fortunately, most Dutch speak English and there were never any language roadblocks to overcome. I tried to avoid pulling my city map out when I was obviously lost. I now have a new found appreciation for the locals who have to deal with myself and the throngs of tourists who invade their space each day.
For the Dutch as well as most Europeans, cycling is just another facet of life. In Amsterdam the crappier the bike the better. Nobody is comparing components here. I was fine with it and enjoyed watching the locals take to the streets on their bikes versus driving. Belgium was pretty cool too.
Since this is a cycling blog I will avoid boring you with all of the dorky tourist shots and focus primarily on the the dorky tourist cycling shots.