Play "Follow the Leader" this Summer

Amsterdam – April 8/9-April 13

This trip overseas was another in my regular series of visits to Amsterdam, where the Unaira team is located. I was slated to attend management meetings with Rik Mulder, Managing Director of Unaira, and Michiel Vos, Unaira's Financial Manager, and to meet new additions to the technical team.

I had the good fortune to stay at the InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam, which is located right on the Amstel River and is considered the number one hotel in Amsterdam. It's a fantastic place, and even though it's not in the center of Amsterdam – which means that it's much quieter – it's only a 10-minute walk from Dam Square and the Unaira offices. The hotel is very cool; not only does it boast a Michelin-starred restaurant (La Rive), but it also offers a clubby bar (Amstel Bar & Brasserie) on the river level. Wood-paneled and offering views of river traffic, Amstel is a perfect representation of a hotel bar. This place definitely gets it right.

The hotel's guest accommodations are fabulous – gracious and elegantly furnished – and I was given a huge room on the top floor, complete with a marble bath. It's easily one of the nicest hotels I've stayed in, and I'll make a point of staying here again.

Aside from meeting with the Unaira team, I flew to Luton in the UK (north of London) to catch up with clients.

Back in Amsterdam, with the work taken care of, I saw the Black Crowes perform at Heineken Music Hall. We were able to score tickets through the friends of a friend, and the concert was terrific, an unexpected treat.

I also took the opportunity to go mountain biking with Rik on the moors around Hilversum and Laren, towns that are about 20 minutes out from Amsterdam. In their vicinity are lots of protected forestlands that attract folks intent on being outdoors. You can bring your own bike or rent one in the area (I borrowed mine from a friend of Rik's) and tackle the terrain as you wish.

One of the most interesting things I saw on our ride was a viaduct made expressly for animals. When the railroad was built nearby, it bisected two natural areas and initially cut off accessibility for creatures in the area. The viaduct took care of that and was dressed with rocks and vegetation to make it place-appropriate. We could tell that it was a success from the amount of wildlife that we encountered. Although there are no mountains in the area, the bike-riding was still really good.