A Weekend in Amsterdam

This is our Amsterdam.

Wow. What a great weekend! This was a waypoint on our drive from London to Stockholm, and it was the first time I had a weekend that felt like a weekend. Airbnb has many lodging options, from spare rooms (not an option for the six of us) to whole houses to city apartments. It even has houseboats, such as the one we rented in Amsterdam.

We stayed on the Prinsengracht canal, near the Noordermarkt in the Jordaan neighborhood and just a few blocks up from the Anne Frank House (which we did not visit since we did not plan ahead and did not want to stand in line for hours upon hours out of a 36-hour stay). Getting here was a real journey due to the five-hour delay at the Eurotunnel from England to France. We arrived just after midnight and immediately went to sleep. After sunrise, Theo and I ventured out for coffee and breakfast for the crew.

The market was one block away, and it was gorgeous. Fresh foods of all kinds, flowers, juices, clothing and other goods all for sale. A coffee cart went by and we quickly made our first purchase. With bananas and dried fruit, bread, sausage, fresh pressed juices and two types of cheese we brought the spread home to dine on the roof deck of the boat.

A day of lounging ensued, serenaded as we were by the accordion and clarinet players on the bridge adjacent to the boat. The neighborhood was lively all day as people rode their bikes through to the market, the cafés, and to places unknown. We all relaxed.

One of the best things about traveling with Michelle is the freedom for Theo and I to have date nights. Saturday night in Amsterdam was it. We stopped at bars, cafés and french fry joints. (Aside: why do you have to pay to use the restroom all over Europe?)

We walked and walked and walked. We laughed and laughed and laughed. We met people, mostly Germans, but two Americans and two Australians, too. Early in the night, I saw this sign in a store window. Apropos.

Sunday was another relaxing day, with a little more rain and a little less music. The accordion-clarinet duo was gone, but by early afternoon a three-piece rock band in a turquoise 1960’s-era convertible pulled up to play a set. We all chillaxed to the max, and I even got some drawing in. Our host was so kind and accommodating, and I my only regret about the stay in Amsterdam is that it was too brief.