Central Railway Station - Amsterdam
Arriving for the first time in Schiphol airport I was immediately struck by a panic reaction in the form of the following thought: "I don't speak Dutch! What am I going to do NOW?"
The moment that I went to the tourist information desk, my fears were alleviated. Not only did I not have to speak Dutch, but the people there spoke not only English but French and German equally well. I did not ask about any other languages since these represented my major linguistic skills. Subsequent trips have revealed that it would be a very rare tourist indeed who could not make him or herself understood in this very large and well frequented airport.
Leaving Schiphol to go into Amsterdam is one of the easiest journeys in the world. There are trains which take you to the very heart of Amsterdam - the central railway station.
There is a lesson here for any intrepid traveller in Europe.
When the train systems were being built in Europe they were connecting existing cities and it was considered good form to build the main railway stations in the very heart of the bog cities. So if you want a lovely starting point for your journey in any European city it is a good idea to go to the Central railway station, with a map of the city in your hand and then sitting on the front steps of the station orientate yourself.
Then, having got your bearings take off to see the sights that you have planned to see.
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