Stepping back into the 1920’s era of rich wood paneling where The Round Table met to discuss news of the day was a treat as we checked into The Algonquin hotel in NYC and were promptly greeted by the legendary house cat, Matilda. Fat and sassy, the current Matilda is one of many felines who have graced the lobby starting with the original anointed “Hamlet” (boy cats are named Hamlet and girl cats are Matilda) by legendary thespian John Barrymore back in the day. They even have a “chief cat officer” on staff to assist Matilda with her busy schedule and social media accounts. Yes, this lucky cat has a Facebook page: Matilda-The Algonquin Cat.
Aside from Matilda, this hotel reeks of history and luxury. Enjoying Day 1 of our NYC/Ireland vacation, we couldn’t wait to check in and hit the streets to see our favorite Manhattan haunts. While the rooms are small, they make up for it with top of the line furnishings from the backlit photographic headboard to the marble bathroom, this hotel experience is worth it. Grab a complimentary espresso and sit in the lobby where classic tunes play and snuggle into the leather chairs for a quiet reading experience that is a very worthwhile use of time.
Stepping outside on 44th Street right into the middle of the hectic Manhattan experience, it’s an easy walk to all the landmark attractions like Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Times Square and even, for those of you like me who have to get 10,000 steps a day, it’s a nice long walk to Central Park. We hit over 20,000 steps yesterday as we took it all in and walked through lush Central Park in the throes of an Indian Summer day with blue skies and temps in the 70’s.
After a long day of walking, we were still tired from the redeye flight from Hell where we fidgeted and twitched for 5 long hours but certainly didn’t sleep. The front desk of the Algonquin couldn’t have been nicer, checking us in early at 9 a.m. when we finally arrived after a long, traffic-congested Uber ride from JFK. Of course, Thom became best buddies with our driver, talking New York sports the whole way while I napped. So fun meeting and talking to new people. Our Uber guy in Seattle to the airport was from Vietnam and was so excited we had visited his country so we chatted all things Hanoi and Saigon. Enjoying the journey!
I realized this weekend that I am most definitely NOT the perfect host. Actually, far from it. As our hosts in LA anticipated and provided everything we could want and more, it became clear to me that, as I judged myself by comparison, I have been the host with the least in the past. So here is my public apology to all our past guests. Positive intent but bad execution. I’m a sort of “take care of yourself” person. I don’t expect anyone to take care of me, being fiercely independent and all. When we have guests visit us, I have always told them to make themselves at home and just assume they will. Who am I to hover when I’ve told them that what I have is theirs?
The Endeavor-an awesome sight and story to experience in person at California Science Center in LA
This self-revelation came when we visited Thom’s brother Jimmy and his wife, Shari, to attend a Bruce Springsteen concert at LA Sports Arena. Worried about that pesky LA traffic, I suggested we take public transportation vs. driving, even though we didn’t expect the concert to be over until very late. WHAT WAS I THINKING?? Finally, after much conversation and hearing Shari’s concerns about the walking involved and train service limitations, I accepted that we should drive and, boy, was I glad that we did. Not only do I need to be a better host but I need to be a better guest too. First lesson-listen to your hosts! With Bruce playing his heart out for nearly 4 hours, we were able to quickly exit and jump in the car to hit the highway and get home by midnight. Arriving earlier in the day we got to check out the space shuttle Endeavor prior to the concert. So fun! Thom declared it a perfect day-experiencing the space shuttle simulator and dancing to Bruce and the E Street Band. I may not be a good hostess but I do good at birthday presents for my hubby!
Four crazy kids at a rock conert
But back to being spoiled rotten. Not wanting to put anyone out, I think I was rude in denying Jimmy and Shari the right to take care of us at the level they wanted to. I don’t really eat breakfast so no need to cook, right? But here came a lovely fruit plate and breakfast wrap our first morning. Instead of being nice and eating it, I declined and that was probably rude. Shari is from Hong Kong and embodies the Chinese culture that we saw when we lived there. Food is important and when family comes together, sharing a meal is significant. Shame on me! Lesson learned.
I’m the one, who in the past for work events, did not order enough food when in charge of picking the menu because I didn’t want to waste food and liked to save money. I learned quickly from my boss in China that he expected that to never happen and I had better forget the budget and order the damn food and lots of it. To the point that I knew to also order takeaway boxes so everyone at the meeting could take home leftovers. Okay. Good reminder for family gatherings as well.
As we drove to dinner Friday night in LA traffic, I was thinking to myself, aren’t there restaurants closer to home? But no, on we went until we reached an adorably charming town where an old lemon factory had been converted into shops and restaurants and I bought some handmade jewelry from a friendly artist. We ended up eating outside under the stars and, with Jimmy ordering LOTS of delicious food, we had a night to remember. Had I been in charge, we would have schlepped to the closest place and probably gone home hungry.
Dinner under the stars with an old fashioned to sip and awesome family time.
Today, we had barely gotten back from a huge dim sum feast today after our foot massages (heaven!) when Jimmy was pre-ordering pizzas for dinner and concerned that he get everyone their favorite toppings. This morning when the power was out at the house, he was up early to run to Starbucks because he knew we loved our caffeine fix. By the time he got back with venti Americanos for all, the power was already back on but, just in case it wasn’t, his guests were prepared to start the day right. Jimmy and Shari ARE the perfect hosts. Me, not so much. The first step is admitting it.
2013 Times Square-2014 Shanghai-2015 Seattle-2016 Boise…it was never my intent to celebrate New Year’s Eve in different cities/countries but that’s just how my life rolled and I enjoyed every second of it. So what’s ahead in 2016? No idea but I’m excited to find out. Reflecting today on 2015, I am so thankful for all the experiences I’ve been so blessed to enjoy. Life is truly wonderful and amazing in so many ways.
Cheers! Here’s to 2016!
2015 for us was all about transition and travel. We moved back from China in late 2014 and settled into our new place in lower Queen Anne. Oh, how I love that water view and our urban neighborhood. Being able to walk everywhere you need to be is liberating and so healthy if you don’t count being a convenient block away from the greasy bliss that is Dick’s. Having decorated our apartment last year to make it cozy, we can now enjoy entertaining more in 2016. Bring on the cocktail cart and amazing sunsets! Having James move back in with us while he attends Seattle U. Law is an added bonus as well. I appreciate being closer to family but we do miss living in China so much-a unique adventure I will never forget.
Last year was also a travelling time with my old job taking me to exotic locations like Detroit in February, San Antonio during the torrential rain storms, Durham, Orlando in the brutal summer heat, Vancouver and NYC-my favorite that never disappoints. I may not travel with my new job for awhile but then it will become a global odyssey. Cannot wait. Oh the places we will go!
Amsterdam/Bruges/The Hague dazzled us on our autumn trip and was a highlight for sure and just as charming as I thought it would be. We definitely need to explore more of Europe SOON. Nothing beats a family vacation, though, and we got to all be together on the lovely Big Island as Baby Mia was learning to walk while on the beaches in Hawaii! That was priceless and appreciated so much. That Mia makes me smile.
Zip lining on Big Island with the kids was a joy!Enjoying the dive diner experience with Patti & Larry in Vancouver
Flying through the trees and across the valleys in Hawaii on the zip line with the kids was breathtaking. Travelling with friends is also fun so when Patti and Larry drove across America on their road trip, we joined them to enjoy an Amtrak trip up to Vancouver where we took walking tours and found the best dive restaurant in town, serving milk shakes AND martinis right next to the triple XXX shop. Yummy and crazy at the same time!
I was lucky enough to enjoy lots of great musical moments in 2015 and got to experience the great artistic stylings of Glen Hansard, Florence & The Machine, Allen Stone x2, Eilen Jewell, Griffin House, Elvis Costello, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, Dave Brumbeck plus interesting talks by David Sedaris, John Oliver, Jesse Eisenberg, David Axelrod, Ira Glass and Joe Klein. Such smart and talented people! Looking forward to seeing Lewis Black soon in Seattle. He always brings me to tears of laughter with his passionate rants. Need to seek out some women speakers this year. Here’s to diversity and hoping Hillary comes to town! Best concert of 2015-Glen Hansard with Allen Stone as a close second. I would go see them anytime, anywhere. GO SEE THEM!
Allen Stone and I hanging out at his private concert for my company. Cool dude!
We also got to go to many Seattle Storm basketball games at nearby Key Arena and see Jewell Lloyd win Rookie of the Year. It was a rebuilding year so they should win more in 2016. The Sounders were inconsistently frustrating but always a fun game to go to with awesome fan support. Throw in a few Mariners games and the Seattle Reign too and we have begun to truly immerse ourselves in the Seattle sports scene. Of course, Thom and Mike got to see their beloved Mets play in NYC in the World Series. Epic moment for those two-here’s hoping the Mets come back swinging again this year so I don’t have to listen to Thom cry and whine.
2015 WTF Moments
Trump-if by some horrible chance he wins, we would have to leave. Are you with me? Belize perhaps? That he is even in the race, let alone leading, is embarrassing for the U.S.
Guns & Violence-something must be done. Hopefully Obama will look at his Fu*&it List and take action. I’m looking forward to seeing Hannah make a difference with her work for Moms Demand Action, an organization funded by Bloomberg. People, we need to take a stand and say NO MORE.
My shoulder froze and my local gym closed so health and fitness were challenging for me this year. Frozen shoulder, mainly affecting women of a “certain age”, made moving painful and awkward but it’s getting better now with the aid of my masseuse’s cruel and painful sessions and it certainly could have been worse. Going to try out a new gym next week and start the new year off right. Hoping 2016 is a healthy one for all of us.
2016 Highlights to look forward to
Have fun in 2016 and be silly at least once a day!
*watching Mia turn 2-she grows more enchanting and smart every day. Definitely want to spend more time in Boise if we can carve out some time in between renters of our cute cottage there. It’s popular!
*discovering Dublin and seeing Glen Hansard sing in his natural environment and a NYC trip to see old friends and old haunts once it warms up some and the Mets are playing again.
*back home again to Indiana to see Mom, Sis and corn waving in the fields. Once Hoosier, always a Hoosier!
*an art-filled year. We just became Seattle Art Museum members so our weekly dates will probably be including art as well as going to their incredible Remix events. If you live in Seattle, check out these after hour events with music. Fun.
*learning a new job-again but trying for better work/life balance. Finally!
Here’s to 2016 and savoring the wonder of each and every day. Expect nothing & appreciate everything.
Walking in a winter wonderland…classic holiday image unless that walk is through SEATAC the Saturday before Christmas with my hubby clashing with the hordes of travelers. AARGH!!!
Santa mobile cart with Mrs. Claus and elf sidekicks at SEATAC
So, the trip began with the crush of travelers checking their bags and, though we were only a few deep at the “special” desk that my company employees get to enjoy with a certain airline (great perk), it seemed to be taking FOREVER. While I prayed for patience, Thom seethed. In our short line, many folks jumped onboard only to be told sternly that, if they didn’t have company badges, they needed to get the hell out of our line and instead hop on and enjoy the long lines snaking back/forth/back/forth with the general public.
Fast track here we come! But, NO, it was not meant to be. Was that a certain entitled company employee jumping to the front of our line because he was running late??? WTF! As Thom started to get red in the face and call this guy out for his rude behavior, I gave my hubby the stink eye and warned him that I would kill him if he spoke. Happy Holidays!
So, that went over well and after a heated whispered conversation, he agreed to take the high road and not tackle the guy. So generous of him! After all, it’s possible I could run into this rude dude in the boardroom at work and my husband cussing him out could make for an awkward situation. That didn’t stop Thom, of course, from commiserating with the guy in front of us who was also shushed by his wife before he attacked the guy. With his family in tow, his wife had asked him to not engage as a lesson to the kids. Wives united to keep the peace during holiday travel!
Retro flight attendant fashion at SEATAC
Thankfully I did breeze through security even though they had disengaged the TSA Pre-check line. Of course, Thom got stopped to take out his laptop and gave some attitude to a stern TSA gal–he’s lucky he didn’t get “probed” more deeply but he made it through after a quick exam of his technology. Notice, they didn’t detain me–karma!
Then, it was off to shop at the stores. I love the Plane Fashion store that features old school flight attendant hats, pillow covers with airport call letters and such. They also have a cool vinyl store at SEATAC-it’s definitely a trending thing here in Seattle. After looking at the stores in our neighborhood last night for antlers for a planned reindeer-inspired Mia party this weekend, I was still looking when I finally found them at the Fireworks boutique at the airport. AND they play music and have bells-SCORE! Mia loved them:
The shops and Starbucks teams were working hard at SEATAC with their smiles on to calm the weary travelers. Best moment was when a guy racing around on an electric wheel dressed as a travelling customer service desk took the time to race around a column for at least 15 minutes with a toddler running after him-great way to wear out a toddler! Needless to say the mom gave the guy a hug for his child-friendly attention.
Grateful mother to airport rolling holiday info desk dude
Then, Santa, Mrs. Claus and his elf whizzed by in a cart to offer a knee and an ear to hear Christmas wishes on the go. Nice job, SEATAC, in providing holiday cheer for the hordes. I also saw a dancing gingerbread man and a happy Rudolph making friends with the crowds. If you are out there this week trying to get to your families, keep smiling and take the high road when faced with travel drama. Remember, you need those good karma points to avoid coal in your stockings on Christmas! Happy holidays to all and to all a good night!
Cocktail research continues! Next up-The Sidecar. A classic cocktail that my mom fondly remembers from her wild days out on the town in Indy with my dad. At Café Navarre in South Bend, Indiana, Michael shook me up a sidecar and shared his secrets to a fine drink indeed. BTW, no, I don’t travel around the world just to drink cocktails but as I’m writing this I’m thinking that would be a cool idea. Hmmm…..how can I make that happen? A few weeks ago I was testing out appletinis in Vancouver on a vacation weekend but now I’m in South Bend to see mom and also to attend the ND/USC football game with my sis who somehow was able to score us tickets to this “game of the century”. Well done, Beck. With Coach Steve S. fired last week, I’m hoping the Irish roll. But enough about football and now back to the REALLY important stuff… cocktails.
Cheers!
My handy dandy cocktail book tells me that the sidecar originated in Paris at Harry’s Bar and was invented as an elegant cocktail for American expats living there. After Prohibition ended, there were cocktail drinkers who declared it almost made the long, dry years worth the wait. Harry’s Bar has dubbed itself “the oldest cocktail bar in Europe” so I MUST add that to the travel list for next year. Would I travel to Paris just to enjoy a classic sidecar at the bar that birthed it-oui!
Michael at Café Navarro makes a mean sidecar!
My cocktail book back home lists the ingredients for a sidecar as: brandy, orange liqueur and lemon juice. Michael had, of course, another plan as I’m finding out that no cocktail is ever made the same. He shook up 2 ounces of Hennessey cognac (fancy!), 3/4 ounce each of freshly squeezed (of course!) lime juice and Cointreau liqueur and poured into my sugar-rimmed martini glass. Smooth and slightly sweet, it was the perfect balance of liquor to warm me up on a cold pre-game evening. DAMN that was good! Is it proper bar etiquette to lick the glass clean?
Michael was kind enough to share his vast knowledge with us on other cocktails as well. His fav on the cocktail menu at Café Navarre is “Final Word” featuring a complex list of ingredients: Rye whiskey, lemon juice, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, green Chartreaus, spanked mint and lavender bitters. “Spanked” mint? How do you spank a mint you might ask??? Well, Michael gave us a quick spanking demo–lighter than a muddling, just place the fresh mint in your palm and gently bruise it. Gotcha-can’t wait to spank some mint myself.
Handcrafted cocktails at Café Navarro feature a complex array of ingredientsLavender bitters–who knew?
Michael also introduced us to the complex world of bitters. His bar houses a wide array of medicinal looking bottles that add another layer of complexity to cocktails and are a staple ingredient for the handcrafted cocktails featured on his menu-orange bitters, lavender bitters, #2 bitters, etc. Michael even suggested that you can add a dash of bitters mid-drinking a cocktail to create a whole different experience within just one glass. A whole “bitter” world to explore in future blog posts-the research MUST continue!
Now, I’m off to throw on multiple layers to keep warm at a chilly 30ish degree evening ND game tonight-GO IRISH!
Ask a bartender for their appletini recipe and you will quickly find out that everyone has their very own special way to make it. What the hell??? You’d think a simple cocktail like that would be pretty standard from place to place. After intensive research (someone has to do it!) I got quite the list of varied ingredients and suggestions on how to make the perfect appletini. Please let me share.
On our first stop, the Templeton diner that was recommended on Yelp as having “character” certainly did as it was in the rough section of Vancouver next to a TripleXXX peep show establishment. Most tourists would run the opposite way if they found themselves in this type of neighborhood in a foreign country. Not us-we embraced it and took photos! Now, a diner known for burgers and milkshakes might not be the best place to try out appletini’s but, you betcha, we did just that. Nothing goes better with a plate of poutine than an appletini!
Our lovely waitress shared her unique recipe—vodka, peach schnapps and apple juice. Crazy tasty! Paired with plates of poutine and salads/burgers plus milkshakes for the boys, we had quite the feast and laughed ourselves silly over our choice of fine dining experiences the first night in Vancouver. We know how to have a good time-pick a shabby diner next to a peep show with a jukebox and liquor.
After our walking tour of Gastown the next day, we were starving and conveniently close by my favorite restaurant in Vancouver-the Water Street Café. Quite the opposite atmosphere from the prior night’s diner, this café had the white table cloth vibe going on and was in a historic gorgeous building. I had been there multiple times when in town on business and always get the same thing-salmon risotto. So delicious but how would their appletini’s taste???
Water Street Café-Sour Puss is the key to an appletini!
Another lovely waitress shared her bartender’s ingredients—vodka, apple sour puss liquor, simple syrup and a drop of lime juice. Now, I’ve never made simple syrup but she suggested a 1/3 raw sugar to 2/3 hot water formula. Even with the syrup, the appletini’s we were tasting were still not as sweet as the ones in Shanghai. The quest for the perfect appletini continued later that day at our hotel because having an appletini at lunch just wasn’t enough.
Patti enjoying the appletini at Water St. Café in Gastown
The bartender at the Marriott Pinnacle was most accommodating to talk us through his appletini creation that included vodka, pineapple juice and fresh lime topped with a slice of apple. Now, he very quietly told us that he prefers apple juice to pineapple juice but the Marriott chain forces him to use pineapple-how dare they stifle his cocktail creativity! He also suggested we could use agave to sweeten it up if we preferred. When I asked him why the appletinis in Shanghai were so very green instead of the light green we were seeing at his bar, he suggested that perhaps they used a tamarin syrup with agave muddled together to “green it up” a little. I appreciated his honesty and sharing of tips.
Now, all appletinis are good (just as there is no bad wine or pie) but the quest must now continue in Seattle. I hear that Canon on Capitol Hill was named the 6th best bar in the world. Who knew??? I MUST check it out. Also dying to run to the liquor store in the U.S. to see if they have Sour Puss in stock or if that is just a Canadian odd liquor….l’ll be looking for that black mean ass kitty on the bottle and then I’ll know I have the right stuff!
I am probably not the best authority to write about the cuisine in Amsterdam but I will give it a shot. Thom and I have very simple tastes and are very happy eating a picnic on the train and don’t frequent fine dining establishments. Foodies we are not! As I think back on the best food I ate on our trip, the cheese with basil and dried tomato stands out as does the hot, buttery sugary poffertjes and waffles from the markets. Yum! I do like my dairy and sweets.
Poffertjes-little pancakes with butter and sugar!
That being said, if you have finer taste buds (and most do) there is a wide variety of restaurants for everyone’s taste in all the places we visited. As always, ask your concierge at the hotel for recommendations on their favorites. Here are some other observations:
Coffee–Screaming Bean (in several locations) delivers the best cappuccino in Amsterdam and maybe the world. Thick and creamy foam tops a rich smooth coffee underneath. Super friendly folks serving in a quaint coffee shop make it a must try when you are here. Many thanks to my friend, Kurt, for recommending to us.
Screaming Bean cappuccino… so rich and delicious!
Grocery–There aren’t many groceries and practically no competition in the city but Albert Haijn does have whatever you need for a first-rate picnic for the park or train or hotel room. Also a good place to buy chocolate for the perfect souvenir to take home. We got some awesome salads to go one night for a quick, cheap diner (under $10 euros for 2 people). I also saw some Aldi Food markets but didn’t go in to check them out. I also found a smaller Mqkt chain that had a cheese to die for–basil and dried tomato–that pared well with salami and pears and raisin bread. Perfect picnic!
We didn’t eat out many times but did stop at one German restaurant that promised authentic cuisine. Thom proceeded to have weinerschneitzel and fries. Initially, he said he didn’t want ketchup or mayo but decided he needed some mayo. Now, based on the waiter’s prior attitude and the steep stairs he had to climb to get to the kitchen on the floor above, I knew this would not go over well and it didn’t. “You said you didn’t want any!” the waiter growled at Thom. “Yes, but I changed my mind. Okay?” Grudgingly, ten minutes later Thom finally got his mayo and felt compelled to eat it fearing retribution from the waiter if he did not. Were we in Paris???
Pancakes with brandy-soaked raisins paired with red wine!
I got the brandy-soaked raisin pancake that filled a plate and paired nicely with a Merlot. Yep-when in the Netherlands, drink with your breakfast-type food. Every bite was enjoyed. No butter or syrup was offered and I was afraid to ask the testy waiter. They are tight with the butter here. At our great breakfast at the Andaz, when you ask for toast, you get barely warm bread, no butter. Today, I asked specifically for “crispy” bacon and got the limpest fatty slice of meat you would ever want to see. Really???? Crispy means fry that sucker! Same with eggs, unfortunately. I remember also having this issue in China and having to keep asking for “hard scramble” several times to get barely done eggs. Oh well-first world, five star hotel issues I guess.
We don’t go for fancy restaurants but we walked by many in Amsterdam including one, MoMo in the area near the museums. Swanky! There are many white-table cloth type places as well as many beer halls with outside seating and lounge seats and heaters for the cool nights-even blankets at some places. You can find all types of ethnic food easily too. Lots of Argentine steak houses along side the pancake houses. We even found a place today, Bagels & Beans, that is a chain around town and has great bagels served with the largest pile of cream cheese that you could ever eat.
So, whatever you like to eat, you can probably find it in Amsterdam. Happy eating!
*buildings lean and tilt at odd angles-not sure if the insides are as lopsided but the outsides sure are crazy
*with fries, you can get either ketchup or mayo–your choice but they may charge you .50 euros for the condiments FYI
*taxi’s are surprisingly upscale as many are Mercedes and even saw a Tesla–expensive rides for a taxi
*don’t expect street signs in English-there aren’t any. Pull out your map provided by your hotel and figure it out–nice locals will stop and ask if you need help. Say YES!
*you get menu’s for your weed selection in the cafes all over Amsterdam..coffee shop is code name usually for pot café served with a side of caffeine too
*people are impossibly thin and healthy and gorgeous–what they must think of us when they visit the US where we don’t live this healthy lifestyle and more food is considered better
*no need for gyms here with all the biking and walking–saw very few gyms
*no helmets on the bikers, even the kids, which is counter to all safety precautions in the US
*Thom and I are amazed that there aren’t bodies littering the streets with no stop signals and bikes/scooters/walkers/cars/trams going every which way but somehow it all works
*just like Vietnam, life is enjoyed on the sidewalks but in Hanoi locals are sitting on plastic stools eating phao and here they are reclining in wicker cushy chairs enjoying Heineken with friends under heat lamps
*not alot of public bathrooms so just like China, there are men pissing in the streets-day and night. In the train stations, you can find public bathrooms but have your .50 euro coin ready because you have to pay attendant to get in to use. If you are out and about, you can also usually just walk into any nice hotel and act like you belong and use their lobby facilities
*work days start at 10 a.m. with lunch and then off by 5 p.m. to enjoy happy hour–quite the life style but don’t expect to get a cappuccino before 8 a.m. when the cafés open up vs. Starbucks back in Seattle that open at 5:30 a.m. to provide caffeine for commuters
*people like to display their little collections on the ledges in their street level apartments–we saw Pez collections, photos, etc. Cool glimpse into their lives that they share.
*no big tacky mega stores like Target or WalMart–lots of little groceries, boutiques but not a lot of international brands-no Gaps, etc. that I saw
*bookstores everywhere and vinyl/cd stores–peeking into apartments, we saw lots of floor to ceiling bookcases just filled with books… my kind of place
*in the US you see folks at cafés on their devices but here everyone is just drinking and actually interacting with other human beings vs. their devices… very refreshing
*love the practice of getting a little ginger cookie with every cup of coffee-yum!
All in all, the European lifestyle is one of enjoying life to the fullest with families and friends, whether with food, music, art, literature, architecture, wine or beer. I think they have their “priorities in order” as Hermione famously told Ron in Harry Potter. 🙂
The sun was shining so off we went to the park to enjoy life as the locals do on our last full day here in Amsterdam. Damn, they’re healthy here! Not only do the folks who live here bike/walk everywhere but on the weekends they take to the park to do yoga outside, bootcamp, jog, walk their dogs and enjoy the great outdoors.
In Vondelpark, we saw it all but especially laughed when the pregnant ladies lined up around the tree bench we were sitting on and proceeded to do push ups as part of the Moms in Balance group exercise. One old guy rode by on his bike and said something off color-it was in Danish but you could just tell he was being bad and the ladies just laughed!!
Vondelpark in Amsterdam
Thom stalked a couple with their Vizsla out playing ball. This dog was young and much better behaved than our Izaak-he stayed with them even off leash. Izaak would have been a menace to all the joggers/bikers filling the park lanes. I miss my puppies!
Poffertjes-little pancakes with butter and sugar!
After we experienced the lakes and trees, we cut back into the city, promptly got a bit lost but, as usual, ended up just where we wanted to be six miles later. We love open air markets and this one on Albert Cuypstraat was a huge one filled with fruits/vegs, cheese, clothes, and anything you could want. We ended up buying an extra carry on bag for all our stuff we bought and Thom promptly found a vinyl store and bought 3 albums that he couldn’t have gotten in the US. More music!
I had been told that poffertjes were everywhere over here but I was having a hard time finding the little pancakes covered in butter and powdered sugar. EURECKA-they were in the market and hot off the press. Thom and I gorged on a large order loving every sinful bite. Hey, we’re walking 10 miles a day so bring on the sweets!
Now, we are off to the Foam, which is a photography museum. More walking and fun on our last day in Amsterdam!
Yesterday we walked 11 miles-the Fitbit doesn’t lie! Really-that’s our idea of fun! Now, if you aren’t walkers like us, you can get around Amsterdam in so many other ways-bike, scooter, car, boat, tram or train-and still have a great time seeing all the sights.
Cruise boats are limited to 4 mph on the canals
Of course, these other modes of transportation may set you back a few Euros but all are easy to find in town. Everyone rides bikes in Amsterdam-way more bikes here than in China even. Our lovely Hotel Andaz offered free bikes for use but my frozen shoulder would probably react poorly to bumping up and down on the quaint cobblestone streets so we chose not to try. I love watching whole families commute to school/work on their bikes. Carts in front of the bikes allow for 2-3 kids to pop in while Mom or Dad peddles their hearts out. Our pollution and global warming (and health) issues would be greatly reduced if every county embraced biking like they do here.
Family commute
Next up the transportation chain is the scooter-very popular and driven fast so watch out when you’re walking. There aren’t really rules here other than walk fast and keep swiveling your head when trying to cross bike paths and roads so you don’t get hit by a biker, scooter or tram. They might try to stop for you but don’t chance it. The trams run on all major streets and cost $7 E for 24 hours or $1.6 E for one hour of riding. You buy tickets at machines but our credit cards didn’t work so we had to use cash to buy them. On the trams, you tap to get on and off but it’s the honor system and many didn’t even use cards.
When you take a train, the conductor will come through and check your cards so no honor system there. We travelled to The Hague and to Bruges by train-very easy and inexpensive way to travel and see Europe. Pack a picnic from simple fare like cheese/sausage/bread/fruit from the local grocery and enjoy the scenery as you speed through the countryside. If we hadn’t taken the train, we would have never seen a windmill or experienced another way of life other than the urban scene in Amsterdam.
Picnic on the train
Boats are obviously popular here with canals in all the cities we were in. The average citizen may have just a motorboat to get around but there are lovely cruise ships for the tourists-about $15 E for a ride in the glass topped long and low boats. There are truly lovely houseboats where people live on many of the canals as well. Our new dream is to come over here for an extended stay in one of these houseboats. How fun would that be???
Coolest car in Amsterdam-oh the tales it could tellFamily commute
Do people have cars here? Yes, and are they ever teeny tiny! Parking is very limited along the canals and I’m sure many a car trying to parallel park beside one has missed and gone swimming. I’m terrible at parking so no way was I going to even try although they do have Car2Go here in abundance. No, I’ll keep on walking and enjoying the journey.
Lovely canals provide popular way to travel hereHorse drawn carriage is the popular choice in BrugesScooter or mini car? Both have about the same room.
Travels with Melinda 