Amsterdam is such a short hop from London that I often just take the morning flight out, conduct my meetings and head back.  I always find the city so charming and wish I had time to enjoy it, so I finally decided to extend a work trip and spend the weekend doing just that.

Given that I have been a tourist in Amsterdam more than once, the trip was less about the must-do sites, and more about spending time with friends and enjoying the city.

We started off with drinks and some local nibbles (warning: everything is fried!) with Irena, we met up with Samrin and Erwin for an evening boat ride along the canals. The Amsterdam Lights Festival was taking place, so it was a perfect way to get to see the various light installations around the city.

The next day started with lunch at the Doubletree – it may seem like a strange choice but the view is a different one for Amsterdam. Their restaurant/roof bar overlooks all of the city, versus the typical views looking up from a boat on the canal.

We then walked around town, and made our way to Begijnhof to view the gardens, and ended the afternoon with a visit to the Hermitage to soak in some art.

Later that evening, I ended the trip with a great dinner with Randy and Michelle at 5 and 33.