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!