Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Home again, home again, jiggity, jig.


We had a grand last day with Kristine.  Had friends over to her apartment for dinner and wine Monday night.  Kris has Fabulous friends and are a great support network for her.  I made 2 kinds of soup and we had fresh veggies, dip, cheese ball, and soup.
  Friend Suzanne and daughter Sara
     


Kris, Inga, and Jean with soup.  Can you tell we have had some wine?



Tuesday morning was traveling day. Gorgeous 40 degrees! Sun, sun, sun!!!  Got the apartment cleaned up, we got packed, Kris and I planted the pansies that we had bought in her window boxes on her deck, and cleaned up and set the deck up for summer.  It was fun working with Kris because she is so darn creative, so we made the deck look like it was in a magazine (Well, not really, but the best we could)






Hanging candle jars on a wire.

Kris getting ready. Rosie the Riveter 



Then Josime picked us up at 1;00 and drove us to Shippol airport.  Our flight was not until 4:40 but Jerry wanted to be early, and it was fine with the girls.  Kris had a doctor appt. at 4:00 so we just decided to humor him and get there early.  Good thing!

We walk in and look at the departure board.  Our flight is there:  Non-Stop Amsterdam to Minneapolis.  CANCELLED!!! OMG.  Jerry freaks (not really, but it makes a better story).  I go to KLM desk and she says, "Well now, let's get you home".  She was so nice, booked us Amsterdam to Montreal, Montreal to Chicago, Chicago to C.R.  Leaving.......just about NOW! But we are flying "Standby".  She says, "Don't worry, you'll get on".
Kris and Josime waiting for KLM to come up with a solution.


Josime had made a lemon chocolate cake (we would call them bars)
for Lola & Bob that we bring home


 So we get to the gate and they are waiting for us, go through customs, bag is too heavy because of the cake, pay the fine, get on the plane and we have been upgraded to Economy comfort! It gives you 4-5 more inches of leg room, and let me tell you that 5 inches feels like the difference between a Volkswagen and a Cadillac back seat in a 7 hour flight. So, all's well that ends well.


People have asked, best part....favorite part....best food....favorite place?  Really, there aren't any or we couldn't choose.  We love Europe and how they live.  We think the European people really have priorities in the right place.  Family is top.  Fun is too.  Money is not that important, or clothes, but beauty (art, architecture,  color...) is really important.  Quality is huge and I watched women find the best bunch of broccoli at a market, tasting cheese before they buy it, finding the vendor that they thought had the best stuff.  The people that we met were so nice to us, never cross or impatient with our poor Italian, French, or Dutch, or stupidity.  Jerry had a man spend 10 minutes helping him buy stamps at the post office while the other people waited patiently.  That just wouldn't happen here. Or when I got lost in the museum, the guards were so nice to me.  They are polite to each other ALWAYS.  They greet you when you walk in and when you walk out of a store, and not because some marketing guru says that's how to get more customers, but because they are polite. They say thank you over and over and over.  We found more easy smiles, more patient demeanor, more willingness to tease and kid than you find here.  And, we have made life long friends with some.

So, my favorite part?  Going and living like a local for a while, even though we were FAR from locals, it is a good life.  We will definitely go again, see different things, but go again for sure.  And that is the day after I got home, and I am exhausted.  Imagine what I will say when I find the money for the next trip?  Thanks for sharing this experience with us.  It was fun writing to you each day.  Ciao!




Monday, April 1, 2013

Last day of this fabulous trip

Hello again from Amsterdam.  Our last full day of our wonderful trip and it was sunny and mild.  Everyone here is complaining on how cold and late the spring is, but the beautiful sunshine was more than enough to make up for it.



We are off to an Indonesian place for dinner.
 Never eaten this type of food, but I am game for anything.  


Indonesian food and ordered a "rice table" which was about 9 different dishes that we shared.
Yum, some spicy, some not, all good!





Then, of course, no trip to Amsterdam would be complete without a walk through the "red light" district.

water balloons


red light district



cowboy boots!






Easter Sunday we left for the Scheepvaart museum, which is the maritime museum of the VOC. (Dutch East India Company.)  It was a fabulous museum, showing all kinds of navigation instruments, etc.

Central Station



Trolley (Tram) lines



The crying tower where women went to mourn their men at sea




water taxi

Sea Palace, floating Chinese restaurant



Looks good for Easter brunch?


Dim Sum for Easter! Beats ham!



We were really the only Caucasians there without Asians.  


So cute girls!



Am I sure I want to eat this?


EWWWWW!


I don't think so


Jerry ordered this, disgusting!


Coconut balls filled with Lotus goo


If you say so


The food was actually very good, considering we just pointed and hoped.









to here







Maritime museum and the ship we got to tour


This place was so cool!  We really had fun and the ship was amazing!!!!  It was like being on a pirate ship, although it was a replica of a 17th century trading ship from the East Indian Company.

Ship Prow Mastheads


The big dipper



Astroglobe - instruments to measure where you are
.




Lots of ship art




The VOC East Indian



Friendly ship mascot, a big RAT!




Ready, aim, fire!



This is a BIG rope



In the captain's cabin



The potty




Upper deck



The hold



Cafe at the Amrath Hotel - Beautiful




Having fun!



Walked through the Red light district - again!


Inside the trolley


Walked through the Oosterpark







Crocus and Daffodils



Back on the Tram


First a trip to the English Hatters for a hat for Jerry




Kristine looks good in anything, but this hat is great!


Gotta have it!


Monday we met Kris's friend Josime for lunch at a typical
Dutch place that was built in 1400's.
Really, and it hadn't had much done to it since.  But great food.



Kris and Josime


My sandwich ---huge


Jerry's BLTA - Bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado


Kris' goat cheese and pine nuts


Josime got Pumpkin Soup





Then off to the Van Gogh museum






Coffee, beer, and tea with the peeps


2 good lookin' hats!


Palm beer!



We didn't have this, but it is apple pie!!!!!!


Came back and made h'ors douvers and soup and had friends in.  Lots of fun.  Kris and Jerry are sleeping, and I should be.  Big day tomorrow.  We have had such fun here.  Great way to end our trip. I will try to post from the airport tomorrow with impressions of the trip, but right now, I need to sleep.  Good night.  Fly home tomorrow.  Home late tomorrow night.  Donkey don (They say that is Dutch, but I think they are making it up!)  Ciao!