Amsterdam

So now, a post is long overdue. First order of business is Amsterdam.

Mittwoch:

- Arrived at Schipol, took the train into Amsterdam Centraal Station
- Walked around and explored Old Centre
- Had a capuccino and scone at a delightful café
- Went to the Anne Frank Huis... cried
- Had tapas at a Spanish restaurant
- Roamed the Red Light District
- Saw Slumdog Millionaire in English, Dutch and Hindi in the famous Tschunski Theatre (beautiful and art deco).

Donnerstag

- Flowermarket, Dutch pancakes and mint tea
- Exploring from Old Centre to Museum Quarter
- Van Gogh Museum, "Colors of the Night" exhibit
- Coffee & ridiculously over-priced triangle of a sandwich, then an organic market
- Art bookstore! Hours of reading, walking, people-watching
- Brownie and such at a Coffee Shop
- Thai food!!

Nice memories:

- German conversation in bookstore with clerk/owner, whose mother was a German teacher.
- Colors of the Night audio tour - heard van Gogh's correspondence and comments on paintings... was that Ralph Feinnes speaking?

Birthday:

- JORDAAN
- Exhorbant amount of galeries
- Book store
- Exploring of Jordaan area
- Indian food!

Samstag:

- Bike Tour
- through city, along Amstel River, into country, windmill, cheese & clog farm/makers,
Hilton where Yoko and John stayed and had peace conference, random sights.
- Albert Cup Market
- colors, beauty, food, people-watching, noise and potent smells
- walking around, getting another view of Amsterdam (how minorities and poor live)
- Reading in a café, writing

Good mental image: small children sitting in a bakfiet filling their cheeks with air.

One day I shall live in Amsterdam.