Amsterdam

We’ve arrived.  After a rather pleasant KLM flight, we landed at Schipol Airport, grabbed the #197 bus to the Museumplein and hired a cab to the Apple Inn Hotel.  It was too early to check in, so we left our bags and went for a walk.  Definitely a case of getting our second wind, because we walked right through Vondelpark to the Museumplein and joined a gazillion Dutch citizens, adorned in all manner of the colour orange,  gathered to watch the investiture of King Willem-Alexander and to pay tribute to (now) Princess Beatrix.  We really felt in the moment, seeing – on the Big Screen in the park – all  the royalty in the world (really!) assembled for this historic moment.  The crowds were completely hushed during the entire televised ceremony.  When the national anthem was sung by the choirs, everyone in the park stood.  There were enthusiastic cheers and tears when W-A spoke.  In a city where it often seems that “anything goes”, their affection for their Royal Family appears to be non-negotiable. 

Norman G., if you are reading our blog: I really wished you were here for this.  Your Dutch heart would have soared.  We shall be your self-appointed emissaries while in the Netherlands.

Bed beckons.

TakeOff

In  a few hours, we will leave behind the dog, Dean and a devastation of dandelions that have congregated in the yard  My emotions are a cocktail of excitement and dread:  airplane food, airplane movies and KLM’s free drinks.  I wonder what we have forgotten to do or pack?  Like that one last Xmas decoration, discovered only after all the ornaments have been packed  in January, it will make itself known in good time.

Goodbye Victoria.

Preparing to Go

Soon we will leave.  Lists are scattered about the house like old Kleenex.  I am using some of my spare time to practice Turkish on the library “Mango” site.  Concentrating on valuable phrases like hello, bye, thanks, please and 'where is..'  keep it earnest.  And yet,  learning is complicated because it seems our little words translate into three and four syllable words in Turkish, and are comprised of many, many consonants in a row.  My phonetic versions of these words account for one of the lists.

We are probably rushing the Season, but already we have planted some annuals.  On return from the Middle Eastern desert, I anticipate embracing our lush, green landscape. Which reminds me: I vow not to mis-spell "desert" in this blog.  It is a very distracting bad habit that I have noticed frequently on the Internet.