GOOD BYE AMSTERDAM

SO MANY GOOD MEMORIES!

Wonderful People!

Tom and Aletta.  We met them at the gym and they helped us find a dentist so we could get our teeth cleaned before departing Amsterdam.  They were helpful in so many ways.  Tom is from the US but has lived 40 years here in Amsterdam.  Aletta is from the Netherlands.  

Oh dear, a selfie.  Jill took this picture with my Samsung phone which I'm not so good at using.  Jill was my massage therapist here in Amsterdam.  Had five wonderful treatments with her.  She kept  me going!

Every Saturday we were at this stall in the market getting our meat supply for the updoming week.  He was able to convert pounds to grams.  

Jon, the bartender at our neighborhood brown bar - Cafe 't Papeneiland.  A wonderful place to enjoy a drink or apple pie.  (Prinsengract 2 ).

Our "cashmere lady".  We discovered her shop and got into all sorts of trouble.  In fact one story I didn't tell.  I purchased a rather expensive sweater from her.  In my defense, I needed a black sweater with a zipper and pockets.  I debated but decided to purchase it.  Well of all things I left it in a restaurant in Berlin after owning it for all of a few weeks. The concierge at the hotel called the restaurant that night and again the next day but no sweater.  I have filed a claim but can't communicate with USAA on my ipad so who knows what will come of that claim.  I've called but ....  Anyway, this lovely lady talked me into purchasing another one.  I'm sure she talked me into it.  I would never have purchased another one on my own.  

Our language professor.  This lovely young girl taught us to say "thank you,a nd  goodbye" , (two different ways) in Dutch.  Armed with those two phrases we felt we really fit in here in Amsterdam.

Now as we get ready to leave - less than 24 hours I thought I'd just savor some of the memories.  Most of these shots are from our neighborhood and are places we frequented a lot while living here.  

The market right up the street which we visited almost daily.

The wonderful canals.

Another grocery store we frequented.

Saturdays the music would fill the air on Haarlemmerdijk as well as at the market or on the bridges on the canals - accordians, flutes, strings.  

Our neighborhood bread and cheese store.

This is the oldest functioning cinema in Amsterdam and is an institution in the city.  It was just right up the block and around the corner from us.

With the history dating as far back as 1912, the cinema boasts a warming art-deco ambiance of yesteryear.  "The Movies also houses a bar and restaurant, the perfect place to dine and drink whilst absorbing the silver-screen atmosphere."  Perfect entertainment for us on many an afternoon.  The movies don't change often but there were 4 theaters and generally there was something new showing if we decided to go.  

Inside one of the theaters - pretty Art Deco as you can see. 

The coffee company where we stopped  when

ever we were in the area to have a medium decaf cappuccino and than struggle to get their machine to accept our "chip" credit cards.

"Our canal" in the fall.

Chocolates from our favorite chocolate shop

The Chocolaterie Pompadour on Huidenstraat.

We did stop and have our last coffee there on Sunday.  They had the best little pound cakes to go with it!  That is one of the things in Europe - you order a coffee and you almost always get a little cookie or treat to go with it.  So civilized!

                                                

Passed these many a time before I realized these are convenient urinals for men located on many a street corner.  Lucky men!  

And of course bikes and bridges.

 A little family grocery store around the corner from our home on Brouwersgracht.  Beautiful produce, great meatballs, and good salads.  

Tomorrow we leave this wonderful city and head to Rouen, France area until the 3 of November when we will settle into our new home in Avignon, France for 2 months.  It's been a very memorable 4 months.  We were so lucky to have been able to reside in the Jordaan neighborhood.  We will be forever grateful to Theo who allowed us to llve  in his home.  Thank you ,my dear son, for making the connection.  

And now our bags are packed and I hate to report boxes sent ( yes, we did accumulate a few new things and we wanted to keep our suitcases on the light side as we travel around France before arriving in Avignon).  

Who knows what adventures are awaiting us in France where language will be more of an issue.  We're looking forward to it.