We arrived and hit the ground stumbling. The first day of international travel is always the most difficult. With minimal sleep on the 7 hour plane ride, and a 7 hour time change, the school of thought seems to be, don’t sleep, just go. So we met our guide for the next two weeks, John, whom we have actually had on previous trips. He is very laid back and well informed,a perfect combination for our group.

  

We wandered the area our hotel is located, right in the center of everything! Rested a bit and then took a boat ride through the canals of the city. Rested a bit more and then dined out. Because I am typing on minimal hours of sleep, I am going to keep this short. Tomorrow I will fill you in on my first impression of the city, coffee shops and red light district. Until then here are some pictures from today.