I got a wild hair a few weeks before Veterans day and thought "enough is enough, we have been in country for 10 months and we have NOT been to see Wendy and Qamar!" So I sent a text and basically invited myself. I DID say we would stay in a hotel, but they would have none of that :) I did ask Butch if he would be comfortable with that idea and he was fine with it. So we packed our bags and headed to Rotterdam for the weekend!!
I love that these are the people I can go stay with once every 10 years and it's like no time has passed between each visit. We catch up and visit and have a good time.
so Qamar said "I don't smile in pictures... am I smiling?"
so we got the giggles... and I was taking pictures the whole time.
Here is a good diagram of what is on the inside of what they have going on...
So there were to sets of stairs and two ladders to get to the windmill part where you could go to the place where you can walk around - not that it was open where we could GO outside, but we could look through the door... and take pictures out there...
Here is the flyer they gave us to read about the mills:
Some interesting history, eh?
Looking down from the top ladder. I think this was the lesser of the evils as the other one was in the middle of the room with hand rails on both sides. What is it about having a wall next to you - even if there is ZERO area to grip, that makes you feel better about an accent/decent? I was laughed at as I went back down backwards. Some would try to go down like stairs. NOPE! NOT me. And now having enough control over my toes. I swear I tripped over my own two fee way too much this trip. I don't know if it's cold or just distractions, but I could NOT walk well!
He makes it look so easy!!
Stock photo of the outside from the other side of the canal. There are 5 total...
AND you can see all five in this shot - we're in number 1, then you can count them from the left going round towards the wheel. You can see all five of them. Only one is still milling grain in the local area.
It was a fun sightseeing day. We also went to downtown Rotterdam to the local outdoor market and looked around as well as through the local shops there then out to an AWESOME Lebanese dinner. I had been there in the past and it was just as good as I remember it!
Sunday we visited and went shopping for some local cheese to bring back. I just loved the hand baskets because they had the option to roll as well - Wendy agreed to be my model to show how they work. Why hasn't America caught onto these???
Handy Dandy little carts to grab just a few things without having to lug them through the isles.
While shopping I got a giggle out of the Anti-Snurk spray... hahahaha - I'm easily amused!!
And with that our fun weekend was over! :( Makes me sad and I hope it's not another 7 - 10 years until we see each other again. We have talked about getting together for a shared vacation in Berlin - Here's hoping we carry through with that!
After our farewell, Butch and I jumped a train headed to the airport, put our luggage into storage then headed to Amsterdam to poke around...
The train station is quite impressive!
I took this picture for Wendy Brown as this is one of the places we went while we were there... I had an ashtray from here for AGES!!
Butch checking out the red light district and yes, there were girls in those windows at all hours .. they were looking mighty bored by the way - same as they look at night - ha!
Not sure what is up with that look on my face - maybe it's paralyzed from cold? ha! Looking down the canals and fighting the cold wind!!
Just a funny hat I saw on a mannequin. I was laughing so hard and back tracked!!
And PANCAKES.
NOT your momma's pancakes, although they DID have american style ones too - this is one of the dutch ones... the texture and taste was more of a potato pancake with cheese, bacon, leeks and mushrooms for me. I don't remember what kind he had but he added the egg.
AND we stopped at a tulip place... LOVE the blubs and flowers on display. YES, I bought some. I got 10 bulbs. One mixed and one pinks - all typical tulips with large bowls. They are officially in the ground as of last night as well :) Just in time for super cold rain today - burrrr.
while looking across the street I saw this window...
can't see it? Let me zoom in for you!
I can see THAT being Elizabeths home with ALL the books crammed in there!!!!
AND while innocently walking along I glance down in a shop window and see these two stuffed mice having a nice dance... I giggled, stopped and took a picture. Butch still thinks I'm nuts, but they made me happy!
And this was my greatest disappointments. I wanted Butch to see Anne Frank's house. I had NO idea they had changed it so much and you can't get tickets there on sight any longer. You have to get tickets on line months in advance. So... that didn't happen BUT we did get to go into a cheese "museum" and a tulip place across the street so I wasn't super sad.
which house is it that they hid out in? It's the one with the black doors at the bottom. The little arch your can see on the roof is the small "alcove" attic space that they had as well. It's surprising that the attic wasn't hidden at all - the whole top floor was theirs... which is larger than what you would think it would be based on reading the books. I'm sure after living in that situation with two families and a few extras that things would be more cramped and having to be quite all day, nerves on high alert. It's also shocking that it is SO close to the train station - just a few blocks - easy walk - right smack in the middle of town.
So, right there... and yet hidden from the world.
Alien face on the bridge...not sure what he's supposed to be, but he's odd to say the least!
The building to the right - the hotel - look closely at the carvings on it...
Panthers and other large creatures on the top, alligators on the edge....
and a rooster on the other side.... what a building that one was!!!
Shopping district all decked out for Christmas...they don't have to contend with Thanksgiving, so they just jump right in :)
Some funny "coffee shops" - uh, they don't generally sell coffee either... if you get my drift. this one cracked me up.
One of the side halls - not sure what I'm laughing about. I think it had to do with the three girls in front of us that we essentially photo bombed and took our shot behind them - i'm sure we were NOT appreciated - hee hee hee.. but the side alleys between the main drag to Dam Square and the shopping walk way were very pretty!
AND they had a fish that wold squirt water... I had told Butch to stick his head in it - ha!
I DO love the cobble stone walk ways (well, when my feet behave and they are not dippy ones) and the cute triangle buildings... this was a super cute cheese shop. I'm so glad Wendy took me to her local store for cheese before we headed out as the cheeses downtown were pricey!!
We'll have a nice cheese try for our Thanksgiving celebration at work :)
