A WEEK IN AMSTERDAM

If you are following this blog at all you know that we arrived in Amsterdam last Friday after a rather harrowing journey.  Well not really, just not uneventful.  

We have spent this first week getting to know our neighborhood, and a little of the city as well as getting travel tools and communication set up.  

We have now been to the Saturday organic market twice.  What a treat.  Of course not  everything is organic.  There's just a whole lot of everything.  From toothpaste to tools.

The variety is so great.  The Dutch people are so nice if you strike up a conversation with them.  We're trying to hit a few places regularly so they will get to know us. It's so nice for us because they do speak English and very willlingly.  We are trying to learn a few Dutch phrases but I've really only mastered thank you and hello.  I am not a linguist and the Duth language has some difficult words, 

vruchtenviaai, worstjes, or gevaarlijk.  Even our street. The Gracht at the end of the street name means canal.  I know that much.

The produce, which is organic, is just beautiful.   There are a variety of bread, meat, and fish stalls, cheese stalls, herbs, mushrooms, oils, and wonderful sweets.  

I just noticed I didn't take one picture of a sweet.  I'll be sure to do that next Saturday.  Everyone should drool over the delectable goodies , not just me.

Markets are everywhere in the city on different days.  We just don't have them all down yet. 

Of course what would Amsterddam be without houseboats and bicycles.  A pedestrian has a difficult time crossing streets in Amsterdam.  I think bicycles must have the right of way and next cars and those of us on foot hold our breath, and run for a sidewalk.  I have been successful in my maneuvering and have avoided any collisions thus far.  Someday I may just attempt to ride a bike but not for a few more weeks.  I think  Sharon should try it first!  

Those are all bicycles you are looking at - two decks full

I think you've probably gotten the idea.

The houseboats line the canals.  Some are absolutely beautiful.  Flowers adorn them and even statues.

Every day and particularily around 5:00 we stand at our window and watch boaters go up and down the canal.  There are big boats and small boats and sometimes it looks like they are spilling over with the number of people onboard.  We are going to have to find a boat owner who would love to have two of the four lovely ladies from Iona to keep him or her company.

So we have explored.  Now we have to get serious about somethings like getting a travel card which in Amsterdam is known as the OV-chipkaart.  We set out to find out all the details and had a lovely young girl assist us.  We told her what we wanted and she told us all the info and than asked if we knew someone in Amsterdam who had a Dutch bank account.  If so we could save so much money beause we qualify for the " older" people's chip but to get a discount you need a personalized card and that requires you to apply, upload a picture, and funds are deducted from your bank account.  We tried to explain that we really weren't comfortable asking the two people we know who are Dutch citizens.  She said,"We must it is such a significant savings".  ( That's why I'm trying to make friends  at the market.  Maybe the bread man will let us use his bank account.  Seriouosly, I think it's asking a lot of anyone although we would certainly give them the money.)  Anyway we left there without a card but lots of good tips - a market we must  go see, the location of a locksmith, and three food choices we must try at a FEBO as well as some little towns right outside of Amsterdam that we must visit. 

Armed with directions we proceeded to get lost and ended up at the market almost at the end of the day.  We started at say noon and got there abut 4:00.  (But just think how many steps we got!)  We never did find the locksmith.  So, being weary travelers we hopped on a tram  and headed up to our little section of the world.

I'm going to publish this and continue on another blog as I am having         troube with my keyboard - it's skipping as you see above and it sometimes just keeps repeating a letter or I delete one it deletes a whole sentence or more.  Also the WIFI is not able to publish at times and I think that is due to the large file ( pictures).  Technical difficulties.