Bob Marley cover band buildings.

The four most important things my first 48 hours in Amsterdam have taught me:

Smile: (Almost) Everyone here is friendly. So when an aryan prince or princess is gawking at you with a toothy grin, smile back.

Go green: Everything is created for stoners. Yesterday we ate at a restaurant that offered two pages of specialized pancakes. We chose Indonesian: chicken, sprouts and peanut sauce... on pancakes. Today we're heading to the fluorescent light museum and then going to a boat filled with kittens to play with. While these activities are evidently created by someone who was herbally intoxicated, they are not without merit.

Dockers are necessary: I'm sleeping on a bunk bed in a small sea-liner. Almost everything in the city works with a nautical theme (or a Breaker High reference).

Everything is old: The museums, churches, art galleries, apartments, department stores and schools are all in buildings that look ancient in comparison to the modern-silver sky scrapers that line the Toronto horizon. But the best old thing in Amsterdam is the clothing. Affordable, eclectic vintage is an easy find. Finally.

More from Paris, over the next few days.