Wow, what a journey to the airport and to our gate. We schlepped our bags to central station and boarded a train to the airport. Absolutely nobody checked our ticket at the train station. Seems to me they are very trusting in this country.
The airport is more than busy and the security line went on forever. This is one time I am happy to be so early. Now we have 50 minutes to spare before we board. This flight will be the opposite of the flight over. It is full and somehow we are not even sitting together.
Woody is off hunting and gathering food and drinks. We walked 1.5 miles to get to our gate so I'm not leaving.
There is no place like home....
Friday, September 23, 2016
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Van Gogh
This morning we went to the Van Gogh museum. I love all of his work but my favorites were his paintings of almond blossoms, irises and sunflowers. His use of color was amazing and he was a man before his time. Instead of snapping selfie on his phone, he painted them and he painted lots. Another observation was that he and Jesse Tyler Ferguson look very much alike (see below).
I also have another Amsterdam observation. According to the internet there are 800,000 bicycles here. I didn't count but it looks like there are many more than that. What amazes me is the number of folks that I have seen that...1. Ride without using hands and 2. Text while riding without using hands. In Austin and San Antonio it is against the law to text and DRIVE. If I was in charge, that would be law here too and it would also include cyclists.
Other than the museum, we bought our train tickets to the airport. I'm ready to go home. I need my precious Otis back.
I also have another Amsterdam observation. According to the internet there are 800,000 bicycles here. I didn't count but it looks like there are many more than that. What amazes me is the number of folks that I have seen that...1. Ride without using hands and 2. Text while riding without using hands. In Austin and San Antonio it is against the law to text and DRIVE. If I was in charge, that would be law here too and it would also include cyclists.
Other than the museum, we bought our train tickets to the airport. I'm ready to go home. I need my precious Otis back.
Anne Frank, Tulips & Red Lights
Today was a big day. We started with a visit to the Anne Frank house. It was very interesting but pretty quick to go thru the house and museum.
Next we walked to the flower district. There were beautiful buckets of flowers and tons of tulip bulbs everywhere. I wanted to buy some bulbs but I remembered that first I live in Texas and second I'm not good at growing things. So no tulip bulbs for me. We bought a refrigerator magnet instead.
For lunch I finally had some Dutch pea soup. Woody thought it looked bad (been eaten once) but it tasted wonderful. We also sampled old world Amsterdam cheese that was beyond good. I'm not sure how this would tolerate the trip back though so we passed on buying this too.
We rode the tram to different places in the city in the afternoon. We found several coffee shops with the green and white signs. You could easily spot the coffee shop goers from just regular tourists. They definitely had a look. We almost went in one but at the last minute I chickened out. I guess my young adventurous days are over. It looked pretty weird/wild in there.
Our evening activity was checking out the red light district. It is like a super clean, scenic version of Bourbon street. It definitely smells better. Interesting but not something I would need to see again.
We walked 10 miles again yesterday and my feet reflected this. It is time to go home.
Next we walked to the flower district. There were beautiful buckets of flowers and tons of tulip bulbs everywhere. I wanted to buy some bulbs but I remembered that first I live in Texas and second I'm not good at growing things. So no tulip bulbs for me. We bought a refrigerator magnet instead.
For lunch I finally had some Dutch pea soup. Woody thought it looked bad (been eaten once) but it tasted wonderful. We also sampled old world Amsterdam cheese that was beyond good. I'm not sure how this would tolerate the trip back though so we passed on buying this too.
We rode the tram to different places in the city in the afternoon. We found several coffee shops with the green and white signs. You could easily spot the coffee shop goers from just regular tourists. They definitely had a look. We almost went in one but at the last minute I chickened out. I guess my young adventurous days are over. It looked pretty weird/wild in there.
Our evening activity was checking out the red light district. It is like a super clean, scenic version of Bourbon street. It definitely smells better. Interesting but not something I would need to see again.
We walked 10 miles again yesterday and my feet reflected this. It is time to go home.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Amsterdam
Yesterday we started the last leg of this journey. We Ubered (is that a word...should be if it is not) to the station and waited in the lounge (due to early arrival) for our train to Amsterdam.
The train ride was nice and smooth. They weren't as strict about tickets on this train. Woody thought one could ride ticketless pretty easy. It was quite different on the Eurostar. They qued you up, put your stuff thru metal dectors and scanned your ticket and passport. The Thalys train was a little looser with their procedures.
We rode first class or comfort class. I think the only difference between first and second was a meal. The meal was worse than the worst airline food I have ever tasted, not even editable. Woody was smart and passed when given the choices.
So, we arrived at Amsterdam Central Station and schlepped our bage to our hotel across the street from the station. When looking for the entrance, we asked a big guy standing outside a restaurant on a side street. He suggested leaving our bags with him and then look for the hotel on the left side of the street (it was on the right). We may not be city dwellers but we are not STUPID.
Anyway, the hotel is a ultra modern art hotel that is way cooler than we are. It is called the Art'otel and it is the best so far. A very sweet dutch boy checked us in and even had our room ready for us early.
The pictures below the bag schlepping and our cool room are from the canal cruise.
There are sooooo many bikes in this city it is amazing. I'm more worried about getting run over by a bike than a car.
Also, the houses are cute but the ones built with wood pilings are leaning. It looks weird.
The train ride was nice and smooth. They weren't as strict about tickets on this train. Woody thought one could ride ticketless pretty easy. It was quite different on the Eurostar. They qued you up, put your stuff thru metal dectors and scanned your ticket and passport. The Thalys train was a little looser with their procedures.
We rode first class or comfort class. I think the only difference between first and second was a meal. The meal was worse than the worst airline food I have ever tasted, not even editable. Woody was smart and passed when given the choices.
So, we arrived at Amsterdam Central Station and schlepped our bage to our hotel across the street from the station. When looking for the entrance, we asked a big guy standing outside a restaurant on a side street. He suggested leaving our bags with him and then look for the hotel on the left side of the street (it was on the right). We may not be city dwellers but we are not STUPID.
Anyway, the hotel is a ultra modern art hotel that is way cooler than we are. It is called the Art'otel and it is the best so far. A very sweet dutch boy checked us in and even had our room ready for us early.
The pictures below the bag schlepping and our cool room are from the canal cruise.
There are sooooo many bikes in this city it is amazing. I'm more worried about getting run over by a bike than a car.
Also, the houses are cute but the ones built with wood pilings are leaning. It looks weird.
Monday, September 19, 2016
Monet
Sometimes when I see something too beautiful it overwhelms me. It's like it isn't even real. Well today I was in dreamland in Monet's beautiful garden and home in Giverny. That was the most beautiful garden I have ever seen. His home was also very colorful and artsy (makes sense since he was an artist). It almost makes me want to go home and chop some dirt and plant something. Of course it is the upkeep that I fall short on. Oh well, I guess I will just have to look at pictures.
Note: Today we went to Giverny on a big comfy bus, EXACTLY the one I was looking for yesterday.
Room Oddity
We are staying in a regular room in Paris...not good or bad, just very regular. There is one oddity in this room that baffles me. Woody thinks if they were removed the whole place will fall down. I think it is decoration or some kind of old building rule.
I need a structural engineer to enlighten me.
Normandy
Today we went on a long road trip to Normandy. We met our group at 7 am (and yes we were early)and eight of us crammed in a little van. That is not exactly what I had envisioned, I thought it would be a nice comfy short bus but I admit I am a spoiled girl.
So, after a long road trip, we went to the Normandy beaches, the American cemetery and a couple of museums. It was an interesting trip. The most moving part for me was the cemetery. Too many graves for sure.
Fabio our driver/guide drove 100 mph, not kph, MPH. I know this because Woody had his Garmin tracking him. That was a little scary but I guess we made it ok. On the way back to Paris we ran into a huge traffic jam. We didn't get back to our room till after nine. Even though we didn't pay extra for this, Fabio dropped us off right in front of our hotel. No Metro for us tonight!
And finally, this little guy reminded me of Otis
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