APRIL 29 PACKED UP AND READY TO GO

 

I had a lazy morning here packing everything up, stripping bed, etc. and having a lovely breakfast sandwich I got from a local cheese shop - roast beef, Amsterdam cheese (I bought a hunk to take to the sisters in Paris where I'm staying - hope they eat cheese!), tomatos and lettuce. The roll was hot out of the bakery oven!!! And fresh squeezed orange juice!! I skipped the breakfast here and had this luxury!! I'll splurge on SOME things!!

 

 

Anyway I can store my luggage here until around 8 p.m. and then I'll train back (had this brilliant idea a minute ago instead of cramming it into a locker at the train station, near the bus station). The train leaves at 10 but of course I'll be there around 9, just to be sure!!


There are a couple of things to do this afternoon but nothing crucial. Got Jackson a white and also an orange football/soccer shirt!! Guessing at the size but he'll only wear it a couple of times!! I think I'll make a quilt out of all of these soccer shirts when they outgrow them - it'll be very colorful!! And remind me of my travels!!! Got them each a key chain with little dutch wooden shoes - of course, pink and blue!! Don't have room for much!


This traveling was a lot easier when my feet and knee didn't hurt!! But I take lots of rests!! I can always hop on a canal boat and ride around! No regrets!! It was a wonderful week here!! Sisters are expecting me in Paris. Hope one of them speaks some English. The one that does sent me an email today with directions but she's traveling in Spain so will meet her in Barcelona. Also heard from Cecilia, the mother of monk that I stayed with a few years ago in Ibiza. I'll see her in BCN as well. I guess she's traveling with the group, although her son Michael left the monastery but I guess not the monkhood! (he didn't turn in his robes but is living in UK). I'll get that story I'm sure later! I'll probably eat meals elsewhere - don't think I can do 3 weeks (counting time with Doug) of veggies! Especially not in Paris!! Haven't heard from Anna from Rome who said she might try to meet me in Paris. But have a full itinerary planned on my own!


Did I tell you I sat next to a lovely young Turkish woman from Istanbul on the plane there who was visiting her best friend in Long Island. She wants to meet up when I get back there, maybe with her mom who is around my age. Hande is her name. That will be fun! So many friendly interesting people!



Love you guys! K, miss talking to you every day and miss hugging the kids!!


Love,
Mom/Sue

APRIL 28 -

I wanted to get up and out early to be at the Van Gogh when it opens - good thing, as by the time I left around 11, the line outside was HORRENDOUS! I still had to wait in line to exchange for a real ticket but it wasn't more than 15 minutes. Again the rooms were pretty crowded as I moved through VG's life chronologically! It blew my mind to realize that he was so prolific a painter in roughly a 10 year period and was younger than both my children are now when he shot himself!! He really had a tortured life!! And he had a great brother Theo who continued to support him financially and otherwise (he was an art dealer) for his whole life. I took a few pictures and then asked if I was supposed to - with an iPad, no flash! The answer was NO and when I asked why not since it doesn't damage anything, he said because photographers take up too much time and space trying to get their pictures - so it's no longer allowed!! He had an amazing influence and in the long run was a great success! But he considered himself (as he expressed to his brother) a failure!

Name that artist.

I headed back to Centraal station to find the bike rental place. I had lunch there (after a LOONG walk to find it!!) and then rode the free ferry across the river behind the station, and in minutes was biking down a lovely bike trail, uncrowded, through picturesque neighborhoods and out into the country and polder (area that was reclaimed as farmland from watery areas). After breathing fresh country air for an hour or so, headed back to town and to the Rembrandt house museum. He had success in Amsterdam (originally from Leiden, father was a miller) early on and bought this huge house, married Sofia, the love of his life, but she died at 29 having their 3rd and only surviving child, a son Titus, who also died in his 20s I think. He excelled in portrait painting and also sketches. There's another name for it but it escapes me right now. I saw them at the end. Etching I think it's called, where you carve and make a print. He was amazingly detailed. There were some art students on the top floor of the building doing etchings. His house has been recreated and refurnished the way it was in his day. Very steep and very cool to see! In his studio paints were crushed in bowls - apparently there is usually someone there doing this.

Rembrandt's studio.




In some of the rooms they had "bed boxes" - completely enclosed like a closet, and VEｒｙ　ｓｈｏｒｔ　（Ｄｏｎ’ｔ　ｋｎｏｗ　ｗｈｙ　ｉｔ’ｓ　ｔｙｐｉｎｇ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｗａｙ。　Ｉ’ｌｌ　ｑｕｉｔ！！

People I met yesterday, April 27:

On my way to the Riksmuseum I saw this couple with concert tickets and asked them. They were from Utrecht and come once a month to a concert and then luncheon. I followed them and got the last ticket. While we were waiting, we were told to go to this lounge where you could hear practicing from the large symphony hall and have free coffee or other drink. There were no seats so they invited me to sit with them. He is still working (49 years!! ) and will retire in 2 more years!! He has something to do with manufacturing shoes. She had a few more years to retire. Like in America, each year the retirement age keeps moving up! The hour long concert was wonderful - Mozart and then Mendelssohn by a quartet.


I then dealt with the lines in the Riksmuseum! A sign said dealing with the lines is now part of the "experience." Since I'd bought my ticket at the Hostelle, I could go to line 1 and exchange for a real ticket, then wait in the everybody-line just to get in. Each room was mobbed but people were pretty courteous. Rembrandt was the headliner with a couple of Vermeers, Hals, and other Dutch artists. I gave it an hour and a half and then headed to a tram to catch the Heineken experience.


While waiting, a woman and two men were deciding if this was the right tram spot to get them to Centraal Station. After 4 days, I could assure them that they could take either 16 or 24 that would come by and get them there. I recognized the northern Midwest accent - turns out they were from N. Dakota. She is a teacher at Minot State where she trains teachers so we talked about that a bit. They were traveling on their own here. We rode together until I got off.


Heineken Experience: The first Heineken back in the 1860s or so borrowed money from his mother and bought this brewery. He completely redid it and thus the Heineken brand was born. His son took over and was a scientist who developed the closely guarded brand of yeast that give Heineken the world over its distinctive, consistent flavor. The current son, Freddy, developed the brand name, green bottle, consistent look and world wide distribution. I saw his daughter now head of the company on a video as you walked through. The fun part was maybe 30 people get on these steps with a railing to hang on to. And then the video takes you through the whole beer making process, with rocking platform, water spraying, heat while you were fermented and then pasteurized, and everyone had a smile on their face. You continued walking by vats that explained more of the process, We finally entered a barroom where the bartender explained the barley, water, hops and yeast that contributed to making the beer. The yeast creates the foam that keeps the CO2 in and oxygen out. And when she showed us how to drink it (mindfully! after looking at it through the light, smelling it, etc.) we finally got to drink a small glass. You drink BENEATH the foam so you don't get the bitter taste of the foam. Foam should be left in the glass when you're done!! Who knew there was so much to drinking beer!!!

At the end we were given a green bracelet with 2 buttons for our 2 beers at the end and a white one for our free gift (a Heineken glass) at their brand store a boat ride away. This is where I thought it's not going to be fun being on my own - with two beers in my hand and everyone else in a group or couple!! But then I saw a couple leave a booth and asked the remaining couple if I could join them. Turns out they were a delightful couple from New Zealand traveling around the world for a couple of years, currently working at a pub in London but here for King's Day!! They weren't married - seemed comfortable that way - his parents are together miserably; her father, I think, has been married 5 times!! So they have no incentive!! We had a delightful time chatting and then I headed home!

SUNDAY APRIL 27

Well, this morning I thought I was going to have tons of time at this library with free Internet to figure out uploading my pictures to Judy's Shutterfly account. NOT!! It's NOT free (older guidebook) but it's still a gorgeous library - 7 years old. Wasn't even built when I was here in around 2000. Not sure what year I was here with Barbara. We had a week in February, when I switched jobs and had a Feb. vacation. Maybe when I moved to Bethel. Anyway, my brother-in-law Michael was working here for the year and he showed us around a bit. Also I met up with Henny, one of my volunteers from PES and also she was renting the house that I ended up buying in Southbury. We met up with her family and they took us out to their home, out for a traditional Dutch dinner and showed us the countryside. It was a great week!!


This morning after sleeping until almost 8 a.m. ( I was again really tired from all that walking on King's Day). My plan was to go to the Van Gogh and Riksmuseums and printed out discounted passes last night at the hostel, so I wouldn't have to wait in two lines, the ticket AND the security lines. On my way there by train and then tram, I saw a guy holding a concert ticket and knew I had passed the Concertgebouw (concert hall, I assume) near the museums. He said yes, they were from Utrecht (remember, I trained there by mistake as the one I hopped onto didn't stop at MY stop!) Anyway, he said it was an hour long Mozart concert. So I got off to see if there might be tickets available. I got the LAST seat in the house - held for handicapped/wheelchair on the end of a row. They can sell it if no one asks for it. Turns out it's in a smaller concert hall - maybe 150 people. It was a quartet - two violinists, an altoviolinist and a cellist, Claire, Alina, Pablo and Emilie!! (that's about all I could read on the program). They are the Chiaroscuro Kwartet from somewhere! They played Mozart's Strijkkwartet nr. l5, and then Mendelssohn's Tweede Strijkkwartet, op. 13. It was lovely!! I wished I had dressed a bit more but this was very serendipitous that I even went to this!!



Then I took a tram to Centraal Station and walked to the library where Rick said there was a great restaurant on the top with a view (had lovely soup, bread, strawberry lemonade) and free wifi. I did connect a bit with Kerry but couldn't hear very well so we cut it short. Kids were busy playing but waved to Nana!!!! out of sight, out of mind!!



I'll try to find an Internet café to help me with pictures later today or tomorrow. Checked out where I catch the bus from on Tuesday night and found a place to put my bags until my 10 p.m. departure! so I'll have the whole day to bike around or do something!



Ciao!!

KING'S DAY - APRIL 26

So in my research I though I would be missing Queen's Day, April 30 as I'll be gone by then. But NO! The queen abdicated last year and her son, Willem, was crowned this time last year! So it's a National Holiday and most things, like all the museums, etc. were closed. I saw 3 of my roommates last night get all dolled up in orange outfits and makeup and go out around 10 p.m. Then today as I waited for the train to go downtown, I took pictures of this delightful family, two sisters and their husbands and 4 teenage cousins all dressed in orange (William of Orange, who fought off the Spanish way back when and started a dynasty - hence the color orange, even though the flag is red, white and blue!!) the girls had on orange eyelashes!! red and blue paint slashes on their cheeks and one of the sisters had the cutest headband with ducks with orange feathers on top bouncing on her head!! I tried to find one for Sarah but had to settle for an orange cowboy hat, with feather trim and a gold crown of sequins! By the end of the day, I left it in Delft for someone else to grab! It was unpackable! I'll bring the orange lei that I wore home!


Everyone was in a jolly, happy mood to have the day off and it seemed like the whole downtown was now a huge pedestrian mall with people streaming towards the carnival/Ferris wheel/bungee ride (looked terrifying!) area in front of the Palais (NOT where the queen/king live - they are in the Hague which I went to later!) By the time I got down around 10 a.m. most people had had several beers already - and were feeling no pain! Food stalls were open with pancakes and French fries being the specialty of the day! They eat fries with MAYONNAISE! here! I skipped that and later had a Wimpy Spicy sauce with them.


Maybe a dozen places, mostly by bridges over the canals, had either live LOUD rock playing or a LOUD DJ! Then there were boats of all sizes going up and down the canals with parties on board - expected to see someone fall overboard as they were mostly dancing!! Think Mardi Gras, Fourth of July, plus all rolled into one!! It was crazy and totally unexpected to me! Also along each side of the streets and canals, people were selling everything from kids' lemonade stands, to rejects from people's closets! And people were buying!! I headed down to the Jordan area that Rick describes as upscale, quiet, lovely neighborhood. Of course, it wasn't today!! Just as crazy as the rest of the city!! I passed the Anne Frank house and THAT was one site that was open, with a huge line! I had been there in 1966 before it was renovated much, then again in 1998 or so when Michael J. was working here. So didn't really need to go in again!


After about 4 hours of meandering through this craziness, I decided to hop the train to Delft, a picturesque quiet town where the blue and white Delftware is made! and home of Vermeer, the painter. On the way is The Hague, where the government buildings are and also the only museum to hold some Vermeers and other Dutch artists, so I stopped off there. Turns out this Maritiushe Gallery is CLOSED for renovations until June!! Aargh!! But I did walk past the beautiful home that it is in, and see the Binnenhof Parliament Buildings (two houses - Reps. who do the work, and the Senate who just meet periodically and stamp approval). Didn't stay long and hopped back on train to Delft. Met a young woman engineering student studying in Delft but she lives in the Hague (Delft too quiet!) and she was on the way to Rotterdam for some fun - biggest port in Europe, I think! It was totally destroyed by the Germans but has been rebuilt. I saw it briefly on a bus tour in '98. She was very helpful in telling me what to see and pointed me in the right direction.


One thing I've noticed about traveling on my own (and I had forgotten this from China when I traveled there, often on my own). First, people are incredibly helpful and will approach to help out or just chat when you are on your own. Even when it's just one other person, it makes a difference. Also I can be completely and selfishly spontaneous, such as just hopping on the train to somewhere else - no discussion, or consulting with someone else! Or just bag it for the day if I'm tired!! It definitely has some advantages! It's nice to have someone to share the experience with; but it's also nice on my own! Maybe I'll feel lonely by the end but I doubt it!! Also Anna from Rome, whom I stayed with in her apartment 2 years ago, and who came to St. Catharine's last year to the retreat and then drove with me into NY and we spent 3 days together there. anyone she might come to Paris for a few days!!


In Delft it was crazy but on a smaller scale! Lots of music, crowds, beer, food, orange!! I managed to find two churches, one where most of the House of Orange family are buried, and also Vermeer (Girl with the Earring) and Anton van Leewenhoek, inventor of the microscope and discoverer of bacteria using it, are also buried. One of the churches also mentioned after 1800 no more wealthy people could be buried under the church floor because of the "stinking rich." So guess Rick wasn't making it up!! There were maybe 10 stained glass windows and the rest plain. The churches here in Holland got renovated when Catholicism went into hiding, and statues were decapitated, and other images ripped out. Now all religions seem to be tolerated comfortably!


I had a lovely fish and chips and beer dinner in front of the New Church, listening to the live band at the other end of the square, and then found a Vermeer museum. It doesn't have any originals but had a wonderful display and explanation of his 27 works. No one seems to know much about him, who taught him, but he spent his life in Delft and did wonderful work with light, chiaroscuro I think it's called!


Stopped by the much lighter Old Church and then headed to the station. In front of the station it's all being ripped up as they are putting the trains underground in a massive project! I hope they preserve the picturesque old station when they switch. Again a lovely young Dutch woman helped me get on the right train back to Amsterdam when I looked lost trying to read the huge schedule!! The trains were practically empty as everyone was squished in Amsterdam dressed in orange!!!


Home early to shower and buy my discount tickets for Van Gogh and Riksmuseum for tomorrow. It's supposed to be cloudy anyway. I've had beautiful sunny weather since I've been here! Hopefully I can figure out more pictures tomorrow! Thanks, Judy!!!

EXHAUSTING DAY IN HOLLAND! APRIL 25

 

Today was THE day to bike in the countryside to look at the flowers - sunny, warm, gorgeous! EXCEPT for some reason I woke up at 2 a.m. and never really went fully back to sleep! So I started out tired. Then Susan rushed again!! (when will I learn!) and got on the wrong train once I got to Central Station but got off at the next stop and mended my mistake. A very nice train information lady went to the machine to help me get a kart so I didn't have to keep buying tickets at the crowded machines. I think I've figured out how to use it! At least it got me through today.


I took the train to Haarlem and rented a bike there. I visited the Grote Kirk. very old magnificent church where Frans Hals is buried (and thousands of other wealthy merchants who could pay to be buried under a slab in the floor of the church. According to Rick Steves, my travel guru, hence the expression "stinking rich"! ) Sounds good to me! There happened to be a wedding going on so we watched the end of it and the procession out. It was cool because the magnificent pipe organ was being played! This is an old organ that Handel and several other composers played, and 10 year old Wolfie Mozart chortled with glee when he played it, at the end of his 3 year European debut concerts. Apparently there are "stops" that regulate the sound of the pipes. Hence, the expression "pulling out all the stops" Don't ya just love Rick? Of course, his father sold and repaired pianos and delivered them around the world, so Rick knows a lot when it comes to organs, pianos, etc.


Out in the square in front of the church it was chaotic with an amusement carnival set up and in full swing for King's Day tomorrow. When I got back to Amsterdam many shops were decorated with orange balloons and bunting, people with orange clothing and hats, face painting, etc. As I was walking downtown this evening, I saw the weirdest vehicles! A huge cart was being slowly driven by one guy, and maybe 10 or so men and women, most with orange shirts, and obviously already feeling no pain were sitting at a bar in back. The bar stools were stationary bikes that they were pedaling, but not to help move the cart! It was like a movable open air bar! And I saw 3 of them on the same street!! Forgot to take a picture!!


I tried to go to the Ten Broom museum where a Dutch family hid several Jews - and the Dutch family was caught and sent to prison. But the tour wasn't schedule for another hour and I didn't want to hang around. I'll have to watch the move "the Hiding Place."


Next was the Frans Hals museum. It was actually an old indigent men's home, where Hals actually died. All the rooms are around a gorgeous flowering courtyard. There were other artists' work of a similar nature there as well. He mainly did portraits but in an unusual style that had an influence on the later Impressionists. Van Gogh, Manet and Monet all came to Haarlem to view his work. Especially his last works, when he was in his 80s had slabs and dashes of paint reminiscent of them. Also his posing of the subjects was unusual, with some married couples actually touching, people shown with all their warts, not beautified, but had lots of character. I think he had something like 14 children so he had to keep working up to the end!


Then I took off, after buying a not too helpful bike trail map for two hours or so out in the countryside down to Keukenhof gardens. I realized as I looked at the flower fields I passed that I was about two weeks too late. Many fields already had the colorful flower heads decapitated! My understanding is they do this to stop the growth of the flower but increase the bulb growth which is then dug up for sale in late summer. I guess they are small bulbs when planted. They (tulips) come from mountainous regions near China originally but probably traveled the Silk Road. One Dutchman got ahold of some and the rest is history! In 1944-45 there was a great famine when the Germans were starving the rebellious Dutch. 12,000 people died and many survived eating flower bulbs for nourishment!


At Keukenhof 7 million bulbs are planted every fall, laid out by a designer and 30 gardeners, from bulbs sent from all over Holland (display is different every year). It is open for only 2 months and then the bulbs are dug up and trashed!! Hopefully they at least compost them!! Seems a waste!! But they were worth the 2 hour bike ride!! It was mobbed but everyone was smiling, taking photos and enjoying the beauty! I ordered some to be shipped as you can't bring them into the country. I'm amazed at the variety of colors and structure. Can't wait to see them in my garden!

On my LOOONg ride from Haarlem to Keukenhof near Leiden

In pavilion at Keukenhof

Then around 5:30 I had to redo that long trek back to Haarlem on my bike. BUT fortunately I passed a train station, asked a guy if I was allowed to take it on THIS train and I did!!! I dropped the bike off, relaxed on the 30 minute ride back to Amsterdam Central and found a wonderful place for a delicious dinner and Heineken! I started walking to take in the Van Gogh museum (it's open late on Friday and usually not crowded) but it was just too far to walk and I'd only have about 45 minutes there. So I hopped the right tram to the train station to my hostelle in the suburbs. My room with 4 sets of bunkbeds (last night only 4 of us) is tonight booked with all 8 full! King's Day!!!


I think tomorrow might be a lazy day for me - maybe one museum and sitting by a canal!! Sounds good!
Tot ziens (Good bye)

AMSTERDAM APRIL 24

Amsterdam is a great city! Everything runs so smoothly, everything is so tidy, and tiny! Every bit of space is used! It's the most densely populated country in Europe! But you don't get that crowded feeling! My hotel last night, the Bicycle Hotel! had a room for me on the second floor, with REALLY steep stairs! that is slightly bigger than my bedroom closet! But I spent a very comfortable night! The little balcony helped me not to feel claustrophobic!

After a great breakfast I rented a bike for the day an transported by luggage on the front with my backpack on the back and had a long and wobbly ride out to this Hostelle, females only, very nice out in the suburbs. It was hard to find a place as it turns out Saturday is King's Day! I thought I was missing Queen's Day which is usually April 30th; but no, they switched this year to a King! I think Beatrix must have abdicated!! She's the daughter of Wilhemina who was queen during the occupation during WWII, and ran the country in exile from UK. There is a great statue of her astride a horse downtown!

I visited the Resistance Museum downtown, after my adventure of taking my rental bike ON THE METRO! I got lost trying to ride downtown. It was just too far! So a kind gentleman showed me how to get it through the metro gates, up the elevator and onto the train! Should have done that when I had all my luggage mounted this a.m.! My bum is STILL sore!!

This is definitely MY city to visit, with all these bike lanes. It is by far the preferred means of travel here for all ages! I think we Americans would all be in better condition if our cities had a preference for bike lanes instead of more cars! (editorial here!!) Tomorrow I'll take the train out to Haarlem and rent a bike to ride through the tulips!!

Anyhow, had a lovely delicious BLT and Heineken (2, I was SOOOO thirsty!) at an outside cafe opposite the zoo. Groups of school children and one group of seniors, most in wheelchairs, were being escorted into the zoo. I then toured the Resistance Museum that described the buildup to the Nazi takeover, people's different reactions - to collaborate or not, how the Nazis tried to win over the Dutch at first, with many strikes to follow when Jews were taken away. Today I will visit the Ten Broom house in Haarlem (The Hiding Place is the movie/book) from the point of view of the Dutch hiding the Jews. They (the Dutch) were thrown in prison but the Jews stayed hidden and escaped. Lots of video clips, newspaper and radio accounts. Very well done!






I then biked through town toward the museums. The lines were very lengthy by this time, and I didn't have a prebooked ticket for either the Riksmuseum (Rembrandt, Hals, et. al.) or the Van Gogh (if you don't have one, you wait in TWO lines: ticket and then security) So I rode through the beautiful park crowded with people enjoying the sunshine and flowers, to the Stedelijk (modern art) Museum. Different but I gave it a shot. Usually not my taste but enjoyed it more than the Whitney in NY. Had some Modriani, Kandinsky, Calder and Picasso, even one Monet.






I then rode back to the Bicycle Hotel to turn in my bike and then caught a tram to the Amstel station to get the train back to Hostelle out near the Amsterdam Arena where I had dropped my bags in the a.m. I rushed too much and hopped on the first train, some guy had said it was the right one! But it wasn't! It was an intercity train and I ended up in Utrecht about 30 minutes away! This train coasted without stopping past my stop! A lovely couple chatted with me and then got me on the right train back that would make a stop. It's a very easy walk through a plaza to my hostelle, and I picked up KFC for dinner on the way!






One of my roommates is from N. Vietnam studying in London. I think the other two are Chinese but not sure. I also met an American studying in London from Bettendorf, IA! What are the chances!! Very nice hostelle on the 4th floor - quiet, only women. I was up at 2 a.m. (when some were coming in!) after sleeping for a few hours. Haven't quite adjusted to the time! I had to stop typing in the middle of this entry as all of a sudden I hit the wrong key and it was coming out in Chinese!!! Couldn't figure it out so am finishing this at breakfast!






Anna emailed from Rome and said she might try to come to Paris for a few days when I'm there. I met and stayed with her in Rome two years ago, last year met her in St. Catharine's Ontario and she rode with me to Blue Cliff Monastery. Then she and I spent a fun 3 days in NYCity, seeing Forever Tango, etc. on Broadway, staying in her friend's apartment in Greenwich Village!! Hope she comes!!

EUROPE 2014

At JFK waiting for my Turkish Airlines flight that leaves at 12:50 p.m. to Amsterdam with a plane change in Istanbul. Had a minor crisis when I realized I was supposed to pay from my bank acct. before I left for my Grand Circle trip next February to Australia/New Zealand. Of course, didn't bring my check book (Mary Ann at CC5 solved that by giving me the routing # and Acct. # by phone.) Then GCT said I could do an electronic check by May 5th online so I can do it in the next week or so. YEA!! Betsy at GCT was VERY calming as she could hear the anxiety in my voice!! It will save me $754 on the trip to pay in advance.


Anyhow, drove to Sue Kelly's in Stamford yesterday after stopping off to pick up ice cream in Newtown at Ferris Farm and eating it with Doug and Maryclaire. Sue K. and I had a wonderful ham dinner she fixed and then spent a great night sleeping! Did my usual take the express train to Grand Central and then the Airporter Shuttle to JFK. Her friend Ellie dropped me at the Stamford station and I'll do the reverse on my way home June 3rd and spend the first night home again with Sue. It's less than $60 both ways doing it this way, as opposed to CT Limo for $110. And I don't have much luggage!


OFF I GO!


It's about 7 a.m. in Istanbul. The flight was lovely, food pretty good (they really DID have a chef in the white outfit including chef's hat! serving), watched Gravity and then slept (took a couple of Benadryl - they put me out! Pharmacist recommended this.)

My seatmate was Hande, a young Turkish woman, maybe 27 I'd guess, from Istanbul (on the Asian side, lives with mom who is around 60, parents divorced) She had been visiting her best friend, husband and child who have been living on Long Island for a couple of years but will soon return to Turkey. Hande works for a steel company. Went to Univ. here studying international business and economics. It was her first time in US. She saw Phantom on Broadway, rode the Staten Island ferry, and then did a boat cruise around Manhattan. Her friend is pregnant so they weren't able to do a lot of sight-seeing. She gave me a few basic Turkish works and wants to meet up, maybe with her mom, too, when I come back May 23rd or when I return to Istanbul at the end of my 11 day Turkish Treasures tour with Gate1 travel (check out their website so you can see where I'll be going.)


I'm sitting in the food court with Burger King, Popeyes, Sbarros and others I don't recognize. I had only some Turkish ice cream - chocolate of course.




My flight leaves at 11:05 a.m. for Amsterdam. I was going to store my bag and bike around the tulips as the fields are out near Schipol airport. All depends on the weather and how tired I feel. Staying at the Bicycle Hotel tonight.


LOVE my new trench coat with its 18 zippered or velcroed interior pockets!!!




Was too tired to do any biking by the time I arrived at Schipol so headed on the train into the city. I stopped to have someone take my picture sitting in a yellow Dutch shoe with Schipol's name on it while at the airport! Couldn't resist!

Everything seems new and modern since I was here I'm guessing Feb. of maybe 1998 or even earlier. Barbara and I came here for a week - one of her first trips abroad as Joel had recently died. We biked all over then, but the flowers weren't in bloom. The fields looked amazing as we were landing! But my camera was stored up above so couldn't get a picture from the air. And I'm leaving by overnight bus to |Paris next week so won't get an aerial shot!


I'm only one night here at this hotel. I'm on the second floor but the guy at the desk carried my bag up!! I have forgotten how narrow and steep these houses are!! After changing to fresh clothes, I set out to walk around a bit to keep myself awake and on European time! I had some leftover breakfast/lunch so got a soda and sat in a lovely park watching people playing with their kids, flowers, fountains, lots of dog walking. Lovely and relaxing! Then I hopped the tram back to Central Station and wandered around the old section taking some pictures, through the red light district but it was too early - saw only 2 women in their windows. Passed condom stores, lots of marijuana paraphernalia stores! Now to bed!!

 

Moving to the female only hostel for the next 4 nights!