AMSTERDAM-ON THE WAY TO DAM SQUARE was taken during our short visit to Amsterdam. On a recent trip to Italy, my husband and I decided to fly to Amsterdam for the day, then off to Milan. I was not keen on the idea, because I had this mental picture of Amsterdam in my mind. Boy was I surprised! The canals, the architecture, the history, all was overwhelming! Definitely on our list to go back and explore this lovely city in more depth! Amsterdam is the most populated city in the Netherlands. The official language is Dutch but of course everyone speaks English so there is no problem with communicating. Amsterdam is in the Providence of North Holland and is often referred to as the "Venice of the North" due to the number of canals, 165 ranging about 31 miles long. The four main canals are the Herengracht, Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht & Singel. Amsterdam has 1281 bridges. The Amstel River connects with some of the canals and ends in the center of the city. Because Amsterdam sits 6.6 feet below sea level, the city was prone to flooding. The canals were built to control the water flow.