In my first couple of hours in Amsterdam, I came to realize that the Dutch are not known for being frugal for no reason.
I
came off the plane rather dehydrated, though I drank all the water the
airline provided, and they provided a lot. All the time. Also more
food than I could eat.
I took an aisle seat and I went to the bathroom often.
It was 1 1/2 hours to Detroit, then a layover, about the same time, then 7 1/2 hrs to Schiphol.
Even
though my friend warned me, I made the mistake of getting our tickets
at the Rijksmuseum in the 1-2 PM slot, then I couldn't change it to a
later slot.
So I was all, like, GO, when I got through the very long line at the immigration counter.
The woman asked the boy with the family in front of me "Is that your Mommy."
Maybe child kidnapping is rife.
I said I came for tourism, which I did.
It wasn't hard to get euros at Schiphol from the ATMs, using my regular bank card, nor was it difficult to get a taxi.
To Museum Qtr where my 3 star hotel was, was about 40 euro, but the $ has gone down against the euro, so you feel it.
I felt it even in 2008 when I had a cup of coffee in Helsinki.
Fortunately, my room was ready, so I cld check in.
I
asked the manager to walk me up, and it was fortunate I did so, for do
you know what? They have a different numbering system than the USA,
where 3422 for instance, is on the 3rd floor. Well, mine wasn't, and he
explained the Dutch system, but at that point my brain was numb. I
just memorized the button he pushed, wh was 4 :) and it was easy with my
room as it was a small house converted to a boutique hotel.
I
washed my face, and put my impt items into a smaller bag I had carried
in my large traveling bag. As I grow older, I need to carry more and
more items.
I usually wear my passport bag inside my jacket or top.
This has most of my cash, wh I didn't need very much as credit cards taken everywhere.
There
was a bit of trouble linking up with my friend bc Rijksmuseum has 2
entrances, actually one T-shaped entrance, but we managed. (My extra
cell phone activation cost $5.50 per day)
Great Joy to see my friend, whom I had not seen since 2005, I think it was in Berlin.
First time meeting her daughter.
All
the tickets I booked ahead were printed out for me by Y in UK :) bc I
don't have a working printer, so we went in to see the time slotted All
the Rembrandts (11) + tons of tiny tiny etchings first, but then jet lag
hit me.
Lot
of tourists. Rembrandt paintings in excellent shape, shiny, I don't
know if it's varnish. Thumbnail size etchings. self portraits.
First I sat down.
Then I sat in the next room and the next, then I had to leave.
The
air was very close & hot, but I did see almost all the Rs, up to
The Jewish Bride. The man's sleeve was amazingly textured, as was the
lace in 2 of the portraits. I liked The Beer Brewer's Wife the best.
So prosperous, so complacent and solid.
I took back my coat wh Y was carrying in her Shan bag for me, and then I had to tell them I needed to leave and get to sleep.
Y
said, "But at least you saw the Rs." That's true, I saw everything
except the last 2 or 3 rooms, did not see The Night Watch, but that
can't be helped.
I asked Y if I should wait outside for them, she said no. So agreed to meet at my hotel next day.
*
After
I'd been to the rest room (unusual arrangement too, the rooms were in a
renovated corridor and corridor open both sides, so maybe better for
safety, I felt better) so went to the restaurant in the lobby, very nice
area, lovely atrium, where I couldn't sit on the too high bar stools,
so asked for my own table, "That's too high for me. I don't mind
sitting on the side, so long as I have my own table."
Had Beef Redang, very good.
Smallish cup of water and the delicious peach tea was in a 7 " tall bottle with a tiny waist like Kim Kardashian. :)
OMG.
Then the waitress ignored my request for more water, went off as if she didn't hear me.
So missed my fave restaurant where I get lots of ice water and refills, glug glug.
Even get refills free for iced tea or diet coke, wh I no longer drink.
--so then perked up a bit after the food and took pictures outside.
Back
home I re-read my Insight guide book, rather old, I cld not find
publication date, but from photo and car models looked like 1970s.
well,
that area, now a pool with pollarded trees on the side and tubs of
tulips "floating" in the pool, used to be an access road.
It's much nicer this way.
It all looks just like in a van Gogh painting or pen and ink drawing.
I
walked back to my hotel and was so happy to see the big water container
full of ice water with lemon wedges inside, and real glasses provided.
I
took one glassful of water up to my 3-star room, wh didn't have a frig
so I had to keep my eye drops in the bar fridge downstairs.
Same water shortage problem when I ate at Botanical Gardens in Plantage.
But very healthy people all on bicycles going very fast on special lane.
Nearly got hit by bike before I realized I was walking in the bike lane.
KMK
5-16-2019
