Amsterdam - Part I

We broke down. No longer could Nate and I carry or piggy back

our 41 lb 4 year old. When he is tired, he just falls asleep.

So on our way into Amsterdam, we stopped at a Weesp

store and bought another stroller. I think we paid a lot for it,

but at that point in time one bazillion euros would have been worth it.

We've had it two days, and it is absolutely worth it.

The only downside is that we are quite a sight getting on and off

trains. People look at us with pity.

And we have to ride the "lift" everywhere we go.

A lift here is a 4x4 solid metal cage that smells like urine and then

like the urinator tried to clean it up with vomit, or vinegar.

It is awesome.

This was in the Centraal Station. A vat of sausage!

I was like - DONE - I can go home now a happy girl.

ew.

This is the Oude Kerk and it is Amsterdam's oldest

building (14th Century). I'm having a hard time conceptualizing "14th Century" as I walk around this place. Before now, "old" to me was my dog, or the last house we lived in which was built in 1901. But this.....this stuff brings emotions out in you that you don't expect. It's breathtaking. Rembrandt's first wife is buried here and it is stunning!

It is the first thing you see as you leave the Central Train Station.

Friday, we started a canal bus tour which we finished on Saturday.

Here are some of the highlights from Day One of that tour.

We could get on and off the tour as we wanted.

The famous Flower Market:

The back of the Flower Market:

I thought this picture below was interesting.

The birds, the bike, the boat, the metro....its an array

of transportation, old and new.

Right after The Netherlands won on Friday,

the city went absolutely crazy.

You might expect that it was a drunken celebratory college frat

sloppy kind of crazy, but to our surprise, it was the best crowd

I've ever witnessed. Yes, they were crazy and loud and honking horns and

singing songs and revving motorcycle engines, but they were the most

not sloppy fans I've ever seen. Classy people.

As we wandered along our sight-seeing path, we started to get deeper

and deeper into the celebration. Soon, we were surrounded by orange pushing our

sleeping (yes, they both feel asleep amidst the mayhem) babes through the sea of

celebration as strangers hugged each other and blew whistles at the Brasil fans

in their green and yellow. All the while smiling, laughing, singing and hugging.

It was as though everyone knew each other, or were related.

These were strangers that gathered in the middle of the street. The group

kept getting bigger and bigger.

It was blocks and blocks of this (below). At one point, I was nervous.

We were the only ones pushing kids around and it started to get pretty

crowded and I started to get a little panicky. Of course it was fine.

These are classy people who apparently know how to handle

their Amstel. It was an honor to be part of their proud celebration.

Oh snap. This is the Rijkmuseum.....under construction.

Henry would not wake up. When we finally made it back to our

canal tour boat, we had to lay a sleeping Henry on his own seat.

He loved the sightseeing - I mean, OBVIOUSLY.

This is hard to see, but below is the "Homomonument".

A monument dedicated to the Homosexuals who were discriminated

against during the Second World War.

Nate and I were cracking up a) because its called the Homomonument

and b) its just a triangular area of marble bricks.

And drumroll....my favorite picture from the day (below):

Oh wait, I mean, this one is...of course!

It was another sweltering hot day on Friday and it was hard to find

reprieve. Even the canal boat ride was a sweaty, hot mess.

And the TRAINS....Oh my....it just isn't fair to take a girl from

a cold Portland summer and stick her in a Holland train.

Ok, its fair, but it was not a pretty sight.

We've spent a mint on bottled water and get mad at each other when

someone spills or wastes the liquid gold known as "SPA" water.

It was an amazing day and we had a hard time imaging that we could top it,

but somehow we did.

To be continued......

An Evening Stroll

We are obviously doing everything we can to tire the kids,

so why not take a walk at 9:30pm? Or should I say 21:30?

This is a house right by our flat that is on the little lake that

houses said rooster from previous post.

This house is for sale, though I didn't see how much it was.

The french doors open to the bedroom which had a four poster

bed and a white flowing canopy. Not that I looked and took

note or anything.

Boats line the canal that we walked along. People actually

sleep in their boats, cook on the side of the canal

and most all of them had their dogs with them.

I loved this guy.

The boat plug-in

My zombie babes which later turned into

werewolves around 3:00 am:

One of the three windmills in Weesp.

Fun Fact! This one ground the cocoa beans that were used to

make chocolate in a beautiful factory-turned-condo building next to us.

The former chocolate factory:

This is our building on the far left.

Good Night!

Have Mercy on Us - thoughts from a crazy persons head.

For some reason, our kids are refusing to adapt time-wise.

Yesterday, they woke bright-eyed and bushy tailed at 1:38am.

This morning, it was 3:00am.

Today, we are trying a long morning nap in hopes of keeping them up the

rest of the day into the late evening so that they will sleep through.

I know they will eventually adapt, but it is thoroughly exhausting.

And I wonder when I will begin to feel normal again.

Yesterday, we had our first "adventure" which was supposed to include

a quick trip to Ikea for a few comfort items.

Like a fan - it is very humid.

We've been told this is very unusual.

We stand out as the people on the stuffy trains who are sweating profusely

desperately fanning ourselves with our train tickets and downing water like

we are hiking in the Sahara.

Our quick trip to Ikea included a short train ride to Duivendrecht

where we then had to change from the train to the metro.

The "Information" desk (term used loosely) told us to ride the Metro

3 stops. As we are on (what we thought was) the Metro, a nice

Dutch lady informed us that we were on the wrong train. In fact, we were on a train,

not the Metro. Note to self - these are different.

So we got off at the next stop and waited for the "Metro" which we rode to our

final Ikea destination. Except, we couldn't get out of the station (they are automated "gates").

The station was empty and lacking an information desk.

We run the kids up to the platform again and ask someone why we can't get out.

There wasn't a good reason. Our tickets were just rejected, so in front of the

security cameras, we drafted behind other exiting train riders.

Only to find out that this was not the Ikea stop. The Information attendant was wrong and we

had gone one stop too far. Back on the Metro going the opposite way now.

And finally at the Ikea stop. We are sweaty, hot and tired and Henry's legs are giving out

on him, which is great, because it is a 15 minute walk to Ikea.

Once at Ikea, we seriously contemplated napping on the staged beds.

After a plate of meatballs and frites and soft serve, we

head back 15 minutes to the train. Henry wants to be carried because his

legs are tired.

I mean, at least we know how to get back....right?

Wrong. We got on the wrong train in Duivendrecht and passed right on by Weesp.

A tear falls from my eye (or maybe that was sweat) as I watch Weesp get smaller and smaller.

Now in the Dutch country side and too stressed to enjoy it.

30 or so miles later, we finally stop.

Henry melts down, Charlie is whining.

Back on the train going the other way..again.

We land at Weesp and Henry falls asleep for the 10 minute walk back to the flat.

Which means, he must be carried. All 41 lbs of him.

I've never challenged deodorant more.

FIVE hours later, we were home.

Thankfully, one of my new co-workers offered to deliver the 50 lbs in boxes that I shipped

to the office. Bless his heart. Public transportation is a whole new element that

I underestimated. I am so thankful to my kind co-workers who also demanded

that I take a "Holiday" on Friday (today), get settled, help my kids and just start work on Monday. I almost cried, because this is just what I needed.

Today is the big football match Netherlands v. Brasil.

Big game and there is a buzz here. You can't help but

get the football fever and it is fun!

Nate is sporting his new Nike Netherlands hat.

We planned to head to Amsterdam today (its a straight shot, no train changes, so we are good!)

and start a canal tour, but our kids fell asleep at 9am, so we're letting them

sleep the crankies out. We'll head north this afternoon. The canal tours are "hop on hop off" and are good for 1.5 days. I am so very excited to take this tour!

The sun is out until 10:00 every night and rises at 4 something.

There is a rooster behind our place. It starts crowing at 4:22 every morning.

It makes the kids giggle.

Maple syrup is nowhere to be found. I bought something that looked like syrup.

Turns out, it is molasses and is disgusting and I gagged.

We don't have many TV channels, all are in dutch except 3 or so, which is totally fine, but since the kids are asleep so

much during the day, I am watching a lot of MTV.

Except I think it is Dutch MTV.

The fruit here is like crack. The strawberries are like

nothing I've ever had. I am so ready to dive into the

baguette and Gouda that Nate brought home this morning.

The peanut butter is "different" as is the bread, so Henry will

likely slim down while we are here.

He does like croissants with jam - so that has been a staple.

Nate is wandering around Weesp with backpack on trying to rent a bike for he and the boys.

He hasn't found a bike, but he found a fan....and that is more important right now as I sit here

fanning myself with my tiny train ticket.

vaarwel!

A Night in Weesp

Weesp is exactly what wiki-pedia promised.

Canals, boats, flowing hair on skirted girls riding bikes.

It is like stepping on to a movie set. It just doesn't seem real.

This is part of downtown Weesp:

Mom - here is THE Hotel in Weesp.

Nate accidentally checked it out this morning when he was

desperate for coffee and the instant coffee in our place

made him gag. He walked and walked and finally decided that THE Hotel

should have coffee. They did. But looked at him like he was crazy when

he begged for one to go. He came home with a lidless shot sized paper

cup of coffee. We gotta figure this coffee thing out.

There are no fast food places or Starbucks.

Its rather nice.

Huh?:

We landed at an Italian Restaurant our first night.

We love this tiny town, but there aren't many English speakers,

so we are working doubly hard to communicate. Which is a good thing!

Diet Coke = Coke Light

Quattro Formaggi Pizza

And a Misto:

The Restaurants must be strategically placed, because

the Gelato Cafe was on our way home and of course we had to stop and

make sure it was good!

And it was good - vanilla and boysenberry.

A stop to check out our nearest park on

the way home:

Which was full of boys playing "football" and the girls

doing flips on the bars.

These types of things were written all over the jungle gym.

I interpreted as Se fullah is Cute:

And we ended the night at the Food Market.

Oh, what a treat this is. We are so lost in the grocery store.

Veggies - I got. I'm comfortable there.

Meat - oh boy. I'm not even going to try to understand.

Henry was so amused by this fish.

He called us over yelling "mommy - I found a fish!"

Yep - you sure did!

Nate couldn't get over these and requested a photo

to document the "Barbecue Ham" flavored Lays.

Really, the town is everything you'd imagine and

the people have all been so kind and helpful to these

bumbling Americans.

The View from Here

We're HERE!

The boys did it - it was actually only a 9 hour flight

and they were really, really good.

And Happy.

And then fell asleep AFTER we landed. Naturally.

Have you ever?

Kids....we are not in Kansas anymore:

This process made Nate sweat - oh the presha!

But after 3 days in an airport, a long flight, a Train and a Taxi ride,

We landed here:

And here:

And this here, "cooker" (oven), pretty much sums up how

comfortable we are here:

More to come from this broad living abroad.....

Borat cleaned my teeth

Today, at the dentist office, I waited in the lovely waiting room with three white-haired ladies. As I fiddled with my iphone, they all three stared at me as if I was chewing my own toenails, and then eating the by-product and then was going to try to chew theirs.

I've always had the same hygienist, Amy. She is a pleasant mother of three and we always talk kids between scraping, polishing and flossing. She always asks about my life and I was sure she was going to ask if I had summer plans and for the first time EVER, I have pretty cool summer plans and I was excited to share.

Today, however, I was greeted with a "Rrrrrrr-be-ka?". I look up and see a dude, with a very thick accent who introduced himself to me as "your hygienist". Is it just me, or does lady always come to mind when you hear hygienist? Someone with pretty eyelashes and groomed eyebrows that you can look at as they work, who hums pleasant motherly songs and whose stomach doesn't make man-grumbles in your right ear. Is he a man-gienist? It really caught me off guard today. He reminded me of Borat.

I used to hate cleanings. They hurt and were usually littered with lecture. But I kind of like them now. My dentist is fabulous and I am always praised for my excellent gums and easy-to-clean teeth. "Horse teeth" as Nathan lovingly refers to them. They are large. This means that they have a lot of surface area which makes them super easy to clean. Like wiping down a windshield, I suppose. You should see when they take the "polisher" to my front windshields - they actually go back and forth and back and forth and back and forth - on ONE TOOTH! And I just smile because I can hear Amy's thoughts "man, these are a hygienists dream!"

But Borat was not like Amy. First, he spoke broken English, so (a) he talked very little, which meant no praises and (b) he said things like "I suck your mouth?" when it was time to suction. I'm not kidding. I would have laughed when this happened, but Borat had large gloved hands and any movement from me would have resulted in my dramatic hyper-gag reflex. Amy had petite hands - like a little dental elf. Oh Amy, where have you gone?

In the end, there were no praises. There IS a cracked tooth. Yes, another one. And a deep cavity. Yes, another one. But seeing how they are getting me in emergent-style tomorrow to fix it, I suppose I shouldn't tease about Borat's large man-hands, man gurgles and semi-inappropriate instructions. For all I know, he is entertaining his family at the dinner table with stories of the girl who had chicklets for front teeth.

No cup required

Pee'n in the Dirt

Higgy is sick again. He has bad ears that cause him all kinds of systemic problems.

He was seen by the vet yesterday and started a pharmacy of medications. Of course there are a long list of side effects that come with his pharmacy of medications. One of which, we learned tonight is dripping feces throughout the house. I'm not kidding.

And then Henry stepped in it.

Which led to a conversation between Nate and Henry about where it is appropriate to poop.

Hmm...never in a million years did Nate ever think he'd have to have a conversation about where it is appropriate to poop. But here we are!

And then Henry offered up a story from today that went something like this:

"Oliver and I were playing outside and Oli had to pee, but were were playing, so we pulled our pants down and peed in the dirt!"

Which consequently led to a second conversation about where it is appropriate to pee.