Using various modes of transport, we arrived at our regular Airbnb in the Pijp area of Amsterdam. We had rented a car to get to SFO, taken the Airtrain from the rental drop-off to the terminal, flown on the new KLM Boeing Dreamliner, taken the train to RAI train station and lastly and rode the tram to the Pijp. We were at our home away from home. It had been 21 hours since we left Pismo Beach.
The first place we visited after getting settled into our Airbnb was a walk to Sarphatipark. It's a block away from Meredith and Elliot's place and ours. When it's sunny, every body gets out there to soak up the sun.
One of the first things we did with Isla was to visit the Kinder Bourderei, a neighborhood place where they keep farm animals (or as Isla calls them "amolos". This time, she was far less afraid of them and even wanted to pet the big eared rabbits.
We took walks all around the farm, including the wooden bridge - which she wasn't all to sure about/
To our surprise, the burro made its familial call of "Ee-ohh". Really, we're city people! How are we to know that they really sounded out like that!
The following day Diane and I took a bike ride along the Amstel River. The first place we took in was a public garden where people are given small plots of lands to have a garden and a small cottage to spend the weekend. Quite lovely.
All these pretty gardens with tiny houses for weekend retreats.
We then ended up at a favorite of ours, a spot along the Amstel at what's called "De Oude Kerk". We ended up having lunch at a cafe along one of the tributaries of the Amstel.
My favorite Dutch snack - crocketts. Not all that healthy but it sure tastes good.
The ride back to Amsterdam was on the west side of the Amstel. It offered a picturesque view of the quintecential Dutch windmill.
Back at Meredith's and Elliot's, it's always fun to watch kids being dropped off at the school in the morning. It is a parade of parents dropping off their kids on bikes.
The bakfiets is the equivalent of a Dutch SUV. It's used to carry kids, deliver packages or carry other types of cargo.
Isla feeding the ducks at Sarphatipark.
Watching Isla jumping on the trampoline is always a lot of fun.
By chance, on the way back from Sarfatipark, we ran into Kit, a friend she's known most of her short life.
Diane bought chalk sticks for Isla. So chalking it up on the sidewalk in front of the flat was a great place to use it.
No comments:
Post a Comment