We decided to take a one hour canal cruise on our first day, to help us find our way around. This was a great idea, although the boat was nearly full and very warm inside. Nevertheless we got to see lots of the sights, several canals, and The IJ, Amsterdam’s busy waterfront. (The IJ, pronounced eye, simply means water in English). Amsterdam has over 100 canals, and over 1,000 bridges, so we only got to see a small percentage, but many more than we would have done on foot! An absolute must.