ACHING FEET IN AMSTERDAM

As we just woke up at eight am and it was pitch black Glenn said you know maybe we should have stayed in Florence and gone home from Italy. It's not because this isn't a fabulous city and he's not loving it, but I have to own we are now tired. I proceeded to give him all the reasons why we should have come here, the main one being my motto, the more of the world you see the better and we can sleep when we get home. Though when I just tried to wake up the girls they begged for another half hour, so they are sleeping in today.

Dec 31, 2011•by tracey •Comments

We just woke up at eight am and it is pitch black. Glenn said “You know maybe we should have stayed in Florence and gone home from Italy.” It’s not because this isn’t a fabulous city and he’s not loving it, but I have to own we are now tired. I proceeded to give him all the reasons why we should have come here, the main one being my motto, the more of the world you see the better and we can sleep when we get home. Though when I just tried to wake up the girls they begged for another half hour.

I was here once before, but I was very young and remember little. Perhaps my girls will feel the same way. The Amsterdam of today is without question a different city than it was in the early 70’s and it is very different than anything in Italy.

It’s adorable, modern, high functioning and very forward in so many ways, says I who have been here 48 hours! I think for a long time people thought about Amsterdam as the red light district, smoking pot and tulips. It is anything but. It’s here, but not first on our list.

It is a truly a green city. Most people get around bikes or public transport. And the bikes have the right away. Glenn read that cripples, babies, old people nobody comes before the cyclists. I believe him as we have each been almost run over three times from wandering into the bike lane.

Unlike Italy it is very multi-national and everyone speaks perfect English. They are all working and seem to love what they are doing no matter what it is. They make everything easy for you, with the exception of cashing money. There is a canal boat in front of our hotel and it takes you everywhere, it is charming, impressive and an easy place to be.

I know they have their problems like any city, and it lacks the color and bravura of Latin countries, but the people couldn’t be nicer, the internet never wavers and there is a ton to see.

I think perhaps I cram too much into each day. This morning I’m letting everyone sleep in even though my cram it all in voice is saying, today is New Year’s Eve and things might close early and tomorrow everything will be closed and then we leave….

My feet may hurt but I’m happy we are here.

IMG_7910 hester door — I frist got the idea of coming here into my head when I met Hester Van Eeghan the purse designer. When we checked into our hotel her bags and other items were incased int he revolving door. What a welcome!

IMG_7919 more door — A genius form of advertising.

IMG_7906more bikes — Everywhere you look bikes. I have not photos of people riding them as I am usually jumping out of the way

IMG_8006 canals — The canals give the city much of it's charm. But unlike other canals, they are clean, don't smell and the houses lining them are in immaculate condition.

IMG_7984 houses — Not a great shot, but each house is different and each one very stylish in it's own way.

IMG_7902 more canals — This is what it looks like where we are staying. It's just gorgeous.

IMG_8019 top of the house — The tops of all the houses are different. I loved this one. I love most of them.

We opted for the typical Indonesian food for dinner. Amsterdam is known for it. That is one thing I remember from the last time I was here.

IMG_7931 food — It's called ricshtaphal and the is totally the wrong spelling, but I'm too lazy to google it as I want to get to breakfast. But a picture is worth a misspelled word.

IMG_7930 rafshatfaal — Indonesian Restaurant. ShhThe concert hall. I just think it's very pretty.

IMG_7945 Hester wallets — First thing we did yesterday was go over and see Hester. She has three shops on one street. As Lucy said she is the Ralph Lauren of Amsterdam.

IMG_7940woody — The Woody her number one selling bag. Taylor got one of the spotted ones. There will be much more on Hester as we are going for dinner at her house tomorrow night. She has a purse museum in it!!!

IMG_7954 leather chords — I just had to show this, these are chords of leather downstairs in her shop. I love the way they look.

The Royal Palace sits in the middle of downtown Amsterdam. I have not boned up on my Dutch Royal history, sorry…..will fill you in later.

IMG_7875 palace — We are going to see the inside this afternoon.

IMG_7955 musuem — Crowds in the Van Gogh museum. I was clever and bought tickets online for all museums the lines are endless. But once you get in so are the crowds.

IMG_7957 sunflowers — People flocked around the Sunflowers. For me it is one of those paintings that's reputation is bigger than it's genius. Lucy said why are they all looking at only that one. I said because they think they are supposed to. There are extraordinary works in this museum Often times people miss them as they just go for the postcard paintings..

IMG_7969 donuts — Lucy discovered these. She ate them endlessly yesterday. She woke up with a stomach ache.

IMG_8014 sky — Four O'Clock in the afternoon.

IMG_8039 bikes at night — Bikes at night.

IMG_8045 ice skating — Finally a way I could maybe ice skate, holding on to a plastic seal.

IMG_8063 lucy with another waffle — Lucy moved on from the dough balls to strawberry cream covered waffles last night.

We’re all up…we’re cranky….we’re going off to the see the Rembrandts at the National Museum. This may be the last museum I can drag them through. Oh no, forgot ~ tomorrow we have The Anne Frank House.

Have a great New Year’s Eve. Don’t drink and drive, not even a bike!

ACHING FEET IN AMSTERDAM

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