A WEEK IN REVIEW

I feel inspired to do a little blog on the weeks occurrences.  Nothing really notable but just what we did and what happened this week in Amsterdam.

Look who I ran into on the street, My lovely daughter-in- law!  By the way she is in the next few episodes of "Falling Skies " and her new series "The Intruders" starts on August 23 on BBC America.

Here we have some of the people waiting to get train tickets along with us.  When we got our number we were 373 and they were showing 112 on the board.  They had 14 or so ticket counters so in less than an hour we were purchasing our tickets for Paris and out the door.

That evening we went out for a drink on the canal. (Please note our new blouses. I don't believe you've seen them before.)

One day we did one of the walking tours on trip advisor called the Niine Little Streets.  It's advertised as a unique shopping experience.  It was fun and we found our now favorite chocolaterie called Pompadour.  The woodwork , which the owner transported from a 19th century Belgium buillding is beautiful.  The chocolates are made upstairs in the French stye.  We had a iatte and a piece of chocolate - devine!

Another day we decided to explore the museum area.  That part of town has a competely different feel to it.  They have their "Rodeo Drive".  Every designer you could name has stores along this street.  OOPS.  Forgot to get the name of it for all of you who want to shop there.  For us,it's the 5 euro shirt at the market.  It was fun to window shop.  We would of course bought many things but when you know you are probably going to have to throw things away when you move in a few months it's a real deterent from any serious buying.

We walked to the Van Gogh Museum - a must see in Amsterdam.  See that line.  That's why we're waiting until the tourists leave.  The line is the same for the Anne Frank House.

We walked over to the Rijksmuseum ranked as one of the great museums in Europe ...in the world.  We just walked around the exterior and will return on another day to view the inside.  The same architect who designed the Central Station here also designed thismusem

In front of the museum is this display...   (the logo is on brochures, advertisements, "I amsterdam"

I am in red....

And not to be outone by these young people climbing all over it I safely secured a spot on the low level.  Made just for me "T" for Terry.

This fountain turns off and you can run in and be in the center of it as it springs to life.  Guess who had to do that.  Got a little wet but it was fun.

Before...

During....

Sharon taking my picture....on the outside, looking in.

After leaving the museum we walked around and saw some lovely buildings along the canal,

We walked through a small portion of Vondel Park and I took this from a bridge which overlooks the park. Over 10 million people visit this park annually.  Here's an interesting tidbit.  In 2008 adults were legally allowed to have sex in the park as long as they"take their garbage with them and never have intercourse near the playground". The sex had to be limited to the evening hours and night.  However, Amsterdam Police announced that they would not in fact tolerate this as the law required them to prevent it.  We do plan on going back and sending more time in the park.  Oh, I should clarify - not in the evenings!  

This was in front of a bartenders school.  I looked for some guy to join me to complete the picture but the street was pretty deserted.  I'll try again next time I'm in the neighborhood and stick my entire head through the opening.

On Saturday we stopped to get a little glass of wine and were entertained by these nice young men who were having a bachelor's party.  The groom to be is in orange. He put the orange face mask on just for this picture.

Get a load of that table - a few drinks maybe.

At one point they ordered a drink that came in a cordial glass and they proceeded to set it a flame.

Once they were lit each person was given a straw. The straw was then quickly put into the glass and you slurped the drink and finished it in one gulp.  They had two left over and were nice enough to share with us.  I had no problem. Professional drinker that I am.  Sharon.....problems.  First her straw melted. Too slow getting it to the bottom (obviously she needs some training) the next thing she smelled hair burning.  Oh dear!  Was it eyelashes or hair.  No real damage done. Who need eyelashes anyway?

This was taken as we were walking home.  Lee, if your reading this bring your boat over.  

That was our week.  You can see why the blogging is no longer done on a daily basis. Would be pretty boring to read but we are enjoying just living and experiencing Europe. I just want to add how nice it is to get feedback from everyone.  I really appreciate your comments!!!!

ZAANSE SCHANS

The week started out to be wet and windy but ended up with beautiful days  and nights.  We did some planning for future trips during the rainy days and took a little outing on Thursday when the sun finally decided to shine.

During one of the rainy days I had to venture out to get my hair cut and colored.  I had just walked into a salon a week  before and made the appointment.  The receptionist had a cute short haircut and that was my deciding factor.  As good as any - right?  Again, I lucked  out.  I was a little scared as she kept cutting it shorter and shorter but I like it.  This was before Karl did my coloring.

Hester and I after the haircut.

Next I went downstairs where the coloring was done and met "Karl, the killer, the dreaded dresser".

His statement, not mine.  Karl was an interesting  person.  It took about 1 hour and 15 minuts to do the color and highlights and Karl never left my side nor did he stop talking.  I was thoroughy entertained.  Karl has a PhD in Ancient history. He ended up working for the Royal Shakespearian Company as a backstage dresser for 7 years.  What had started as a request by a friend to help out one night ended up becoming a short career.  He of course had met many famous actors and actresses and shared some great stories about them. He remembered meeting Mira, my daughter-in-law,when she went backstage to meet one of the actors whomshe had appeared with  "The Quiz Show" .  He also is a singer and would do the singing parts when asked.  He still does some singing for charity events and clients, I guess, because he did some for me.  He does have a great voice.  He  ended up doing hair on a bet and I guess at one time was a very famous hairdresser giving classes all over the world, ,etc.  He was head of the Red Door  Salon  in New York City.  He had a four year contract with them but after two he had decided it wasn't for him and when he met with the head of the Red Door to inform him they insisted he had a four year contract so must stay.  He informed them he had two tickets - one a ticket home and one to the top of the Empire State Building.  Their decision would determiine which one he used.  He was let out of his contract due to mental instabiity and for two years when clients called wanting to get an appointment with the famous stylist, they were told he was fully booked.  Enough about Karl except to say I liked what he did. I think I'm set here in Amsterdam with a stylist and colorist.  So glad to have that out of the way.  My advise if your coming to Europe, treat yourself to a haircut.  They do head massages and take an hour to cut your hair.  

Thursday was again forecasted to be rainy but when we woke up the sun was shining and we decided to head out of town and visit Zaanse Schans about an hour outside of Amsterdam.  We had the research all done - bus 319, platform C.  Just as we walked up to the bus platform we saw bus 319 but not on the right platorm so we let it take off without us.  We waited and many buses with different numbers all going to the same place came and went.  We couldn't figure out why no bus numbered 319 was showing up where we were but instead going to anyother platform.  We assumed ( not good) that those buses did not go to Zaanse Schans but only went to Zaandam.  Finally we realized the error of our ways.  Platform C included all 4 bus lanes and bus number 19 was indeed the correct bus to hop on and get us to Zaanse Schans.  I guess were not as smart as we look.  OH! maybe we are.

The Zaanse Schans was named after the site of a fortificaqtion entrentrenchment, built there in 1574.

Most of the period houses, buildings and windmills were re-located here during the second half of the 20th century.  The houses are lived in and a variety of traditional Dutch crafts and trades are on display in old workshops, barns and houses.  The town is situated on the River Zaan.  The first windmills were built around 1600.  Initially they were used to keep their feet dry but later on they used them to   develope an entire industrial area. Barley, rice, paper, wood, cooking oil, mustard, tobacco, hemp and many other products were processed in 1000 windmills in the area.  From 1850 on  the work was taken over by the soot-spewing steam engines.  Only 13 windmills survived,as a monuments of industry and technology.  

We started our little day adventure by going through the museum.

My kind of museum!

The museum houses a unique colection that includes working chocolate and biscuit machines.

A hundred or more women were employed at the company and were called "The Verkade Girls". They had good hours, and were fed good meals,and the company even provided day care (1951) long  before it was popular.  The meals were served on china and included forks and knives and spoons.  Many of the girl's did have these luxuries at home.  They had a park to play in and all in all it was a very good life for these employees.  The owner of the company even lobbied for shorter work weeks and many called him a socialist  - to have such ideas at that time was unheard of.

As you finished your tour of the machines that are used to make the biscuits and chocoate there is someone there to present you with one of their biscuits.  Not the chocolate however.  Darn!  So we determined we would ppick some up on our way home - we have- and it's soooooooo good!

After the tour of the museum we walked arouond the little town.  It was so lovely - sitting on the Zaan River, lovely gardens and quaint homes and buiding.  

There were three operational windmills that could be toured.  We elected to see "De Kat" (The Cat).  In 1959 the millwright G. Husslage placed the top an the interior machinery of the dye mill De Duinjager ("The Dune Hunter") on the base of the old mill De Kat.  The remnants of the two old windmills dating from about the 1780 started out a new life as a dye mill called De Kat.

The inside of the windmill with it's large gears, slowly grinding.

We climbed to the top and had a fabulous view of the countryside as welll as the blades of the windmill.They are BIG!

Next we went to the "Wooden Shoe Factory".  What used to take hours to make they can now do in 5 minutes with the help of two machines that were invented over 75 years ago,  The shoes are made of Canadian Poplar.  The machine from Germany carves the outside of the shoe using  the same technology  as making a duplicate of a key.  The French machine shapes the inside of the shoe.

After the shoes are completed they have to be dried since the popular retains so much water and that takes 4 to 5 weeks.

Inside the factory are hundred of wooden shoes on display. They have shoes for work, weddings, Sundays, play, extraordinary shoes, children. sports, etc.  

Who needs a pedicure when you can buy some of these.

And these are made for me!  Diamonds on my feet.  Who could ask for more.

Here I am - flirting with the baker, on top of the world, and finally finding a pair of shoes that fit!

We ended our day with a cup of coffee and a Dutch treat. See the bird in the tree?  Right over our table...or I should say Sharon. Yup!  Turned out to be a "shity" fay for Sharon!  

She cleaned herself up and we caught the bus home.  It was a fun day.  

AND MORE- AT LAST

I guess it's good that I'm behind in my blogging because that means I'm out doiing stuff to blog about. Makes me a little crazy though because I also can forget what I did - I know you all are having a hard time believing that - but I can.

Last Saturday after the market I went to "Koan Float" for a massage and a "float".  I wasn't sure what to expect but had read  about it on Trip Advisor and it's the only item I've ever read about that had nothing but excellents acoss the board.  They recommended the massage before the float.  It was a very nice massage which left me feeling very relaxed.  Next came the float.  You are brought into a room with a shower and a large capsule which is filed with salt water and minerals.  You literally just float in the water.  You close the lid and there are lights and music which you leave on or turn off.  They recommend to get the ultimate experience you should be in complete silence and darkness.  I'm a little clastrophic so I put a towel between the lid and the base to let some light in and I did have the music play softly.  The feeling one is supposed to get is similar to being in the womb.  I can only say if it was, I don't remember.  See, again I forgot.  The jury is out whether I will go do this again although they say the 2nd time is much better because you know what to expect. Anyway I don't have to float in the Dead Sea now because this is supposed to emulate that.

 After two hours of relaxation I returned to the flat and recieved an email from Sue Seminario, a friend from Davidson.  She and her husband  Carlos had arrived iin Amsterdam and were on their way for a visit.  It was so great to see them.  They were on their way to a conference in Denmark and had one day in Amsterdam.  They originally had two days planned but because of the weather on the Eat coast they were unable to get out on their orignal departure date.  I was so excited to see them I completely forgot to take pictures for my blog.  We talked about the blog, Carlos was taking pictures and I just sat here.  Another instance of forgetfulness.  Sue has said she'd have Carlos send the picture of Sue, Sharon and me when they get back.  I'll post the picture then!

Last Sunday, Sharon and I went to Veert to meet Doug and Nancy Young's "Dutch son".  He was an American Field Service student and spent one year with Nancy and Doug while attending high school.  Now Erwin is married and has two children- Tonja, Jennifer and Melvin.  We were up early and caught the train to Weert.

Erwin and Melvin met us at the station.  Took just a minute for us to connect as we passed each other on the steps but it wasn't long before we connected and began what I would call "a great day",  Melvin and Erwin showed us around Weert.  Erwin grew up in the town, the city boy and Tonja grew up in  Thorn, the country girl.  We would go see the beautiful village she grew up in at the end of our day. 

We started by walking down the Main Street of Weert.  It was Sunday so the streets were quiet and we walked down the center of town with Erwin telling us about the city and Melvin age 3 running ahead

It was nice to be on a street free of traffic of any kind.  Different from the business of Amsterdam.  

This is a replica of what the old city gate looked like.

Here is the old City Hall.  At Christmas time they transform it into St Nicholas's house and it is all decorated for the children.  He arrives in town and then lives in this decorated house during the holiday season. 

It is also the building where young couples are married.  Here Erwin and I are demonstating how a young married couple might look  - OK! so we don't have the appropriate attire and I'm not young.  Use your imagination!

This was the gate to a castle which is no longer in existence and than the carriage house which is still present and is someone's home today.  

You can also see the moat.

After touring the town and seeing where Erwin had lived before he wa married amd where his mom resides we headed out to meet the females of the family- Tonja and Jennifer.  We had lunch at their home and than headed out to Grevenbieht to attend the Oud Limburgs Schuttersfeest (OLS) which is an annual event where a 148 militia units from Holland and Belgium compete against each other.  The winner organizes the event for the following year and takes home "De Um ", the highest prize.  It was a fabulous display of pagentry.  Each unit in their traditional attire.  These militia were formed in the 1500's to protect the town or city from atttak and act in case of revolt or fire.  Each unit was generally lead by a young boy or girl who held a plague with the name of the unit,followed by the Emperor and his lady if that unit had won three consecutive years, than came the king and queen, the ax men if they had them, the drum major, the musicians, the militia (men and women) and the women who provided nurishment for the militia ( bread women).  The uniforms were similar to band unifoms to lavish period uniforms.  It was fabulous to watch.  The queens wore exquisite gowns and the king or emperor wore silver medals that represented the awards that the unit had achieved. I have to admit, I was contantly looking at the feet of the queens to see what they were wearig on their feet.  The parade was four miles long and I saw quite a few heels being worn. I can't imagine what their feet felt like at the end of the walk.  We arrived for the beginning of the parade around 1:00 and left after viewing around 50 of the units.  That was arund 3:00.  I was informed that some units would not be beginning their march until 6:00.  Each unit is judged on appearance, how well they stay in step. the grooming of the beard for the ax men, the freshnss of the food in the basket that the bread women are carrying.  That's just a few of the things the units are judge on.   Besides the parade the units have to shoot at a target which consist of little balls in side a frame.  The gun they shoot with is a large rifle that they place on a stand.  After each round the size of the ball in the targets is decreased.  

The emperor and Empress and King and Queen.

An Ax man. Their job was to clear the forest.

The bread women.

Watching a parade can make a person thirsty so we headed over to the refeshment area and met up with Tonja's Dad who has been participating in this event for many years.  

We left Grevenbicht and drove to the White Village of Thorn where Tonja grew up.  Thorn was once a miniature principality led by an abbes and a convent of 20 noble ladies.  Today it is a historical site that attracts many visitors.  Thorn dates back to the late 10th century.  In 1794, the aristocrats fled with the arrival of the French.  The French claimed a tax based on the size of the windows,which the poor population, often living in large homes formerly belonging to the wealthy people, could not afford.  To avoid paying taxes they bricked up many windows and tried to hide their proverty by whitewashing their homes.  

Here we are with the kids.  It was hard to catch them for a picture.  Full of energy!

Here you can see the window and how it has been bricked up.  Oh that it were so easy to avoid paying taxes.

Melvin and Jennifer having so much fun playing on  this beautiful sculptor.

Notice the wonderful stone street.

We ended our day by stopping at the local pancake house.  This is not Perkins.  They have every kind of pancake imagineable - sweet or savory.  I think there were two page of different kinds of pancakes .I had a ham, leek, mushroom, and cheese pancake.  It was delicious.  Sharon had this decadent, apple, raisin and cinnamon pancake.  

We made a quick stop by Tonja's parent's home and had an opportunity to meet her mother and then we headed to the train station.  By this time our phone batteries were dead so no pictures. We had had a fabulous day.  Erwin and Tonja were the perfect hosts.  Melvin and Jennifer got over their shyness with us and although we didn't speak the same language, I think we became friends.  We are definitely hoping that we wil be able to get together again before we leave this wonderful area.  Erwin has been nice enough to give us a schedule of event that are taking place in Holland.  As with the Oud Limburgs Schuttersfeest they are not your typical tourist events.  As Erwin pointed out we were probably the only tourists to be at the event.  

I have to point out that three times this past week we've run into people we've met here in Amsterdam.

One person called out our name at the train station, one just passed us on the street, and another walked by the house as we were leaving.  Feels good to get to know some people.

We went to see "The Fault in our Stars"  tonight and little did we know that some of it was filmed in Amsterdam.  It was fun to see the places that are now so familiar to us.  The only thing I really missed about going to a movie here is that the decibel level of the previews is not turned up.  What are they thinking?

It's time to say " Goedenacht!"