I was in Amsterdam last week attending XML Europe 2004.

I took the 6am flight from Luton:

Which got me to the conference centre in good enough time to catch the opening keynote, Amazon Web services:

I stayed in a cool hotel the Hotel V, good value and near to the conference. This is the breakfast bar from the outside:

Hired a trendy bike from the trendy hotel complete with three locks:

Which was great for hacking around Amsterdam on the evening:

Klokken!

I guess the centre is gearing up for Koninginnedag with a ferris wheel in Dam square:

Centraal Station brings back memories (good and bad):

Make sure you switch off your engine when the bridge opens:

No trip to Holland is complete without a haring broodje:

Or a visit to a cheese shop:

The cycle from the Hotel to the conference was nice:

Beware of drempels!

Took this by accident:

Wait at the bike-lights:

Though you can press a button:

Aptly enough the trams here run on grass:

Follow the signs:

Into the conference:

The RAI is big and nice enough, just two quibbles: useless wireless LAN and the big queues for coffee.

Tulips were nice, though: