Fri. Aug. 15 b

Today's lunch was Indonesian. We started with a salad.


A chicken/coconut soup


An assortment of tastes.


Some of the wait staff were in costume.


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Fri. Aug. 15 a

I've only been aboard 2 days but the rugs are really important. Now I know why Branwen loved her panties with the days on them.


Today's towel is a ray. The tail is a face cloth.


Tonight was dress up dinner.





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Thurs. Aug. 14 d

All of the elevators have rugs with the day on them. Do you think that the days start to run together?


Today's towel animal is a scorpion.


I forgot to photograph dinner. I had Tuna tartar and prime rib. The portions are just right. I am trying not to overeat. After dinner we meet and knit and chat.

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Thurs., Aug 14 c

Some of the views as we moved from the harbor into the Baltic.





The knitters gathered for a champagne welcome party. There are 45 of us. (Not all are knitters.)


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Thurs., Aug. 14 b

For lunch I had broccoli soup and salad with pâté and lox.





Ana had the same thing but added pudding for dessert.


Before we could sail, we had the lifeboat drill. If you didn't go, they put you off the boat. I guess everyone went, because we got underway soon after.


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Thursday, Aug. 14 a

Our last day in Amsterdam, I finally saw a bride. We were sitting in the lobby waiting for the shuttle bus, when she walked by. Quick like a bunny, I was up and flying to get in front of her so that I could get the photo.


The shuttle situation was a little strange. 3 vans had been ordered. The number of people fit, but the luggage was a problem. We ended up all holding our fairly large carry on bags in our laps.

Ana and I seemed to do everything right. We whipped through the boarding process in nothing flat and our cabin was ready. If you go to Ms Eurodam on the Holland America line and look at cabin 5069 you can see their pictures of our room. Somehow, it looks bigger.


Our veranda


Our bathroom



It does have quite a bit of closet space, so we have unpacked everything and stored the suitcases under the beds.

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Wed. Aug 14 a

We loved our Dutch Fries so much, we decided to have them for lunch also. We stopped in at a coffee shop for a drink to tide us over. Little did we realize that this was a "COFFEE SHOP". We thought they were kidding when they asked us for our I. D's


Here is Ana checking out the pot with the microscope. They explained what we should look for. (We just had the coffee.)


I have been looking for a new raincoat since my bright shiny red one died a horrible death at Versailles last summer. It is very hard to find one that meets my requirements. It must be truly waterproof, coat length, and a pretty bright color. While looking for a yarn store, we found it. Many dollars poorer but very happy we then found the yarn store.


Spent the rest of the wandering from yarn store to yarn store. Saw many canals. If I make it out of Amsterdam without being hit by a bike or tram it will be a miracle.

Many of the knitters met at a restaurant for an Indonesian "rice table". It consists of many small plates and rice. I forgot to take a photo so here are the remnants.

Tues. Aug. 13 e

We have decided that Amsterdam is a city of canals


Bikes


And cannabis.



For dinner we had the famous frites with mayonnaise.

Tues. Aug. 13 d

We stopped at Rembrandt's house.


And then walked through the Red Light district. Most of the windows were closed, but this young lady was trying to drum up business.


If anyone is interested, there are rooms available (and from what we saw - young and attractive is not a requirement - but big busts are a help.)


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Tues. Aug 13 c

It started raining again (never, never, leave home sans raincoat!).

We took shelter in a shop with a delightful garden. All of the furniture and accessories were made with bent chicken wire.


Toes, I will never do this to you!


This is Ana (for those who don't know her) in front of the statues in Rembrandt Plaza.


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Tues Aug. 13, b

After the rain, we visited the Purse museum. 4 floors of exquisite purses both old and new.


For lunch we bought prepared food and ate by the side of a canal. I have frisée with figs, dates and feta. We also had a lovely fruit salad.

Tues. Aug. 13 a

I am making small posts because It doesn't like to upload many pictures at a time.

Passing up the 20 euro breakfast, Ana and I headed out to find something to eat and do some more exploring.

This is a mall right next to our hotel. A converted Heineken plant.


I had chocolate dipped waffle and Ana had sausage roll.





As we were walking along, it started to pour. (Last time I don't wear my raincoat.
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Aug. 12 après nap

Much revived, we organized ourselves for dinner and a "stitch and bitch" meeting. Yes, there is a group of international knitters who meet every Monday in a local cafe.

I had looked them up and posted that we would be coming. It was fun to meet them and see what they were making.






The woman sitting next to me is another knitting cruiser. She is traveling with her husband.


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August 12 Amsterdam day 1

A, J, B & C took me to the airport. It was a last minute decision, but really lovely. We had sandwich hugs at my house before we left.

Ana and I flew separately, but had no trouble meeting up in the baggage area. The hotel shuttle worked great, but our room wasn't ready so we went out for a walk.

Why would there be Russian souvenirs in Amsterdam.



Everywhere I look there are great buildings.


This is the back of the floating flower market. The front of the stalls are open so you can walk right in to buy your tulip bulbs, cannabis seeds, etc.


We went back to our hotel and took a nap.

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August 30 My first house guests

My friend Gabi, from Geneva, and her family came for a short visit. Gabi and Bernd christened the wall bed. Carolin and Tim used folding mats.

I met them about 19 years ago when Carolin was a toddler. She was the first to call me "Oma Joan ".

The first day we went to Venice Beach.


Day 2 we went to Hollywood, lunch in Thai Town, the observatory, drove down Sunset to the beach and then dinner at Duke's on the water in Malibu.



Day 3 we went to the La Brea Tar Pits, the Santa Monica Pier, walked along the palisade, then walked the 3rd street promenade and through the mall. We went to Alec and Jef's for a barbecue.




I said that this was getting me in shape for my trip.

Day 4 Jef and I took them to the airport. They were going to Hawaii.

Short but fun.