Has it really been over 2 months since I last posted? I can assure you that I didn't mean to leave it this long, but things happen! I'll try and catch you up with the major life-events before delving into the most recent trip out to the Netherlands this Easter weekend.
First and foremost, if you have not already been bombarded via social media about the newest member of our home- meet Callie, the 2 and a half year old Rhodesian Ridgeback pup!
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| Her Eisbär (polar bear) |
She is 75 pounds of pure muscle and loving (sometimes bruising) energy. She doesn't like being along (who does), and so she follows us around the house wanting to sit next to us, or on us, wherever that may be; exercising, movie watching, sleeping, brushing teeth, etc. Tennis balls don't stand a chance in our house anymore, but she has gotten really good at playing hide and seek with them! She loves to please, so when she does a good job, a "good girl" and a butt scratch will go a long way! We love her and can't wait to work with her to further her social skills with others (people and animals). She is now our guard dog against the evil birds who inhabit the front lawn, taunting her through the window.
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Next on the agenda, my most recent visit out to Grandma in Chelmsford! For weeks we had been planning a big birthday surprise for Cossie (my mum's best friend) with Mum, Dad, and I. Arriving there super late Friday evening, I could hardly sleep, waiting for Mum and Dad to get to the house the next day. I hadn't seen them since the family reunion this past summer (is that right???). Granted I've been so lucky to be able to see them 3 times in one year last year (some for better reasons than others), but I wish it could be more!
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| Driving manual on the left side |
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| Maldon flower shop dog |
After a relaxing Saturday with them around the house and walking the neighbor's dog Jensen, we were ready for the surprise lunch on Sunday. The restaurant, Le Bouchon in Maldon, is a beautiful place set up right near the city center. Great food and excellent staff, who helped us pull off the day!
Apparently Cossie thought her lunch would be only her, her husband Dave, and her mom. However, when she arrived she saw all of her children and their families waiting there for her. Phase one was complete. Seeing that there were still some extra chairs, Cossie was thinking that more people were definitely on the way, but I don't think it ever crossed her mind that her best friend would travel across the ocean to be there! She was blindfolded and we snuck up behind her. The look on her face was priceless. It went from blank to shock to happiness to crying (happy crying). I loveeee surprises and this one took the cake! We all sat down for a great meal and hilarious conversations (which always seem to occur with the Snowling family), ending with the house magician...Yes it's a real thing.
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| Reunited and it feels so good! |
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And NOW! The trip to Amsterdam!
Luckily for us, both Bruce and I had a 4 day weekend for Easter so we knew that we had to capitalize on the time off and have another adventure! About a month ago, we decided on Amsterdam, finding a nice and affordable Airbnb a bit outside the city. While the owner said that it would be ok to bring Callie, we decided that it would be in our best interest, and (maybe...) Callie's to kennel her for the weekend. We heard about a kennel nearby from our friend who said that they've had a lot of Rhodesians, so that made us feel better about leaving her there. I brought her over Thursday afternoon only to find that she was not up-to-date with her shots. Now, similarly to children, the immunization standards differ between countries (and families). The family we got Callie from did not want to over-medicate her so they didn't get her shots every year. Germans, on the other hand, have very strict regulations with regards to dogs and immunizations. Callie needs to get her shots (Rabies, tetanus, etc.) yearly. I was told that she wasn't allowed to stay at the kennel unless she got her shots TODAY. Taking an already excited/nervous/crazy Callie back into the car and to the vet where there would most likely be several dogs in the waiting area seemed like a disaster. I called and asked what the possibilities would be for her as a dog that...doesn't really get along with others... They said that they would either get her shots done in the car (unusual but better for the other dogs), or we would find a way to get her in and avoid other dogs. We ended up going with the latter. Callie was nervous and hyper making laps around the room. She eventually calmed down when the nurses and doctor gave her some treats. But as soon as she got a shot in the hind-leg her anxiety heightened and nothing I could do would console her. The doctor then needed to give her an immunization in her nose, which I knew would be darn-near-impossible. She whipped her head and shook but finally we got her still enough to get it done. I felt horrible by the end of it, and Callie couldn't wait to get out and back into the safety of the car where she was on edge, panting like crazy. At that point, I didn't feel much different.
We picked up Bruce and our bags, then headed back to the kennel with freshly vaccinated Callie and signed her in. The employee there saw her energy as aggression and said that she would have to be secluded for the weekend. I pleaded with her to try and socialize her (the doctor's suggestion as well as our wish) so that she wasn't along all weekend and could have supervised time with other dogs.
We will be picking her up today, and I'm nervous to hear about how she did. The fact that we had no phone calls this weekend asking that we come pick her up for bad behavior or that she attacked anyone (or any dog) is a positive in my book. I'm hoping she calmed down and got enough exercise, food, and social interaction with at least the employees there.
Anyway, sorry about the long rant about the dog, which didn't even have anything to do with Amsterdam. NOW we can start all that!
From the kennel we had about a 4.5 hour drive out to our Airbnb. Arriving in the small town outside the city center called Sloten, we met Taco (yes...like the food..), our Airbnb renter who showed us to our mini-apartment off of his house. We had our own kitchen, bathroom, and living/bedroom to ourselves for the short trip. 5 minutes walk from the train into the city center, this was a perfect place to stay! It was free of tourists and we could park our car for the weekend without worrying about paying an exorbitant amount of money at a garage. After a long day and drive we both passed out ready for the next day!
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| The Kerkzicht restaurant located across from the church, which is right next to our Airbnb |
Friday morning we woke up early and took the train into the city! As we were the first stop of line 2, the train was very quiet at first then continued to get more and more crowded as the train neared the main city area. We got off right at the Rijks Museum, the Dutch national art and history museum (to which would would return after stuffing ourselves with food).
For breakfast we went to Bakers and Roasters, a New Zealand style cafe with incredible dishes, fresh fruit drinks, and coffee (coffeeeeeeeeeeeeee!). Drooling over the menu, we talked about the day ahead!
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| "Good Morning (Portuguese)" and "Be well/healthy (Māori) |
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| Veggie Brekky |
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| Non-veggie Brekky |
From there we walked back over to the Rijks Museum for our daily dose of culture. Not only is this museum known for holding some of the most beautiful paintings, namely from Dutch painters (Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Hals, etc.), but the building itself is a gorgeous piece of architecture inside and out.
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| Naturally I needed to see the library inside |
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| Found my dress! |
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| "Catwalk" exhibit |
After a few hours, our feet and backs were ready to get onto the next thing, so we walked over to the Nine Streets where Bruce wanted to try a Dutch pancake from the aptly named "Pancakes!" (Yes the exclamation point is necessary and pronounced every time...). After waiting about half an hour, we got ourselves a table and tried their classic bacon and apple pancake.
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| Mint Tea- everywhere over there! |
While it's not much to look at, the flavor was great and it wasn't too heavy like giant fluffy American pancakes tend to be.
From there we walked through Dam Square (tourist central) through a bit of the red light district (not bad during the day) to a bar called Brouwerij de Prael where we had some beer (well.. Bruce did) and enjoyed sitting down for a bit. One of the obvious things people know about Amsterdam, and something you will notice while walking through the streets is the presence of weed, lots and lots of it. If you have never had/smelled it before then I don't think you would recognize it, but if you know it, then the wafts floating around will hit you constantly. Each time I walked through one I would be surprised, briefly forgetting that it was perfectly legal there. Naturally, to compliment the heavy use of this drug, the area has endless numbers of restaurants and stalls selling "high food" like fries, waffles, hot dogs, and other popular snacks. I can honestly say that we did not partake in this activity this trip. Not that I have anything against it- go for it!
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From the brewery we walked down to the Ton Ton Club, a game room and arcade nearby. Expecting a Dave & Busters like experienced, we were humbled by the small room with old-school arcades and ancient board games scattering the tables. We grabbed a drink and sat down to an intense match of Jenga, followed by a nerve-wracking game of scrabble (I won't say who won both of those)...Then we hit the arcade games playing some pinball, a crazy fish-reeling game, and some good old-fashioned air hockey. I'd say by the end of that time we were pretty even with our win-loss ratios.
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| The concentration! |
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| Thinking that he was going to beat me... |
As we walked outside the weather cleared up (from the spitting rain that had been falling throughout the morning), blue skies welcomed us as we hopped on the train out to the RAI center where there was the Amsterdam Food Festival! Not knowing what to expect, we were floored by the sheer size of this place. It looked like an airplane hanger filled wall to wall with booths and trucks selling foods from around the world. We decided to start with a lap to see all of our options (not an easy task). I think we made it about a quarter of the way in when we stopped for some falafel, and one of the best tacos I've ever had! It was a blue flower tortilla with sweet potatoes, feta, tomato, and cilantro. SO GOOD!
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| Duck donut.... |
As we sat down to enjoy some of the treats we found, I saw a guy walk up pointing at me. Turns out it was Chris Sparks, an old friend from Tatnall and Delaware National (Hercules) Country Club! We had talked about meeting up, but with my lack of phone data and no wifi at the festival I chalked it up as a loss, thinking we would never find each other in this giant place. After hugs and introductions we spent the rest of the time there trying foods, drinks, and talking about anything besides Trump.
I'll break down our favorites of the evening:
Bruce: 1. Kimchi Burger 2. Baklava 3. Honey Ale 4. Duck Donut 5. Ribs
Laura: 1. Sweet Potato Taco 2. Baklava 3. Fish Taco 4. Homemade Peanut Butter
Walking through the stalls, Chris bumped into some old friends from university whom he hadn't seen for years! Such a small world. We joined up with them and became fast friends. They invited us back to their place in an area called "De Pijp" or "The Pipe" where they have a great little flat perfect for lounging and listening to old-school hip hop records. I love making new friends and having these experiences in big cities with people who actually live there and know the area! We can't wait to meet up with them again!
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Saturday morning we woke up a bit later than the previous day, but to a gorgeous sunny sky! This day we didn't have anything really planned, but a loose itinerary of walking through the Nine Streets shops and going to the Anne Frank house, getting our bit of culture in. First, of course, food. Bruce found a great place called CT Coffee and Coconuts which is a gorgeous restaurant with super tall ceilings, lots of couches and beanbag chairs, and tables suspended from ropes attache to said ceiling. Super hipster, a small but varied menu, and an overall relaxing atmosphere. I decided to stay healthy-ish and order their Acai Bowl, and Bruce opted for their coconut pancakes and the shakshuka dish. It was a great way to start the day and get ready for some walking!
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| Acai Bowl |
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| Shakshuka |
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| coconut pancakes |
From the restaurant we walked towards the shopping area enjoying the sun. We detoured through the Blumenmarkt (Flower market) along the river, which wasn't probably the best idea. While it is cool to see the hundreds of thousands of flowers and bulbs, the crowds in that area are pretty ridiculous. Squeezing our way through we finally took a breath as we turned onto some of the smaller streets.
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We walked around, going in shops when they looked interesting, window shopping, and people watching. Some of the stores were selling outrageous things such as 6,000 Euro watches and 300 Euro backpacks. We opted out on those but went for a really nice print painting of Amsterdam to hang up on our wall (somewhere). After a long walk we headed out to see if we could get into the Anne Frank house. Walking up, I saw an ominously large group of people waiting outside a building in a snaking line. As we got closer and saw a sign on said building that said "Anne Frank House" we looked at the line...we looked at each other...and made the decision that waiting for an hour or more for this was not the way we wanted to spend the afternoon. Looking back, I think it's best to get tickets before hand and get there for an appointed time. Instead, we continued our stroll through the streets walking by a lot of cheese shops and tulip booths until we found ourselves at "d&a Hummus Bistro". We were thinking about just having a little snack to tide us over until dinner that night (KOREAN!) when we saw just how much food was involved in the "A little bit of everything" menu item.
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Falafel, Tabbouleh, Shakshuka (again), Labneh, Roasted Eggplant, Hummus, and Pita covered our table. I was in heaven, despite the fact that I wasn't overly hungry. Everything was delicious- especially the labneh!
Stuffed. So. Much. Food. Kind of regret it, but not really.
From there we tried to come up with a few ideas for the afternoon before Korean dinner later on (yes our trips revolve around food apparently). We saw a trampoline park online and walked to the place that google said was the address. Turned out...it was not there, but on the opposite side of the city. Plan B was a puzzle room...which was closed...with no plans really working out, we even thought about checking out a movie. I couldn't justify spending 3 hours inside on a sunny day though so we opted for more walking and checking out a department store nearby.
Skipping over a few sprint walks through town and back to see if a shop was still open (it wasn't) we walked over to Yokiyo (여기여) Where we had a few of our favorites, but not too much, as we were still stuffed from earlier! By this point in the day we were definitely feeling the amount of walking we did (total about 8 miles that day). We walked down along the canal as the lights all turned on (and the night crowd started forming). Walking away from the crowds we got to the Taproom, a small brewery bar where we could enjoy a quiet drink before grabbing the train back to Sloten for the evening.
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| Saturday's Route |
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Sunday, Easter Morning
Had this card and some chocolate eggs set up for Bruce to celebrate the day and thank him for a wonderful weekend :)
The drive back home was easy, stopped once for a quick coffee and breakfast and then powered through to home listening to several podcasts including our favorite- Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Which not only catches me up from the week's news but also makes me laugh!
When we got home we relaxed for about an hour before heading back in the car once again to meet up with Scott and Rachael for some Thai food and a movie, Batman vs Superman. The food was excellent as always (even if it was coming out at random times, sorry Scott), the movie...well I won't write an extensive review on that because I've made you read my rambling for long enough, but overall it was entertaining. Not my favorite movie. But a nice way to spend the evening with friends.
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Picked up Callie today!
I called ahead to tell them we were on our way and the lady there said she did a great job in a pack, which was a huge surprise and relief! I was so happy to hear that she not only got some social time but also that she didn't go CRAZY with the other dogs! Bruce went to get her in the Defender and he said she was super happy to see him. She rode fine in the back of that giant truck all the way home. He carried her inside all the way to the shower and we gave her a lovely bath to welcome her back (not her favorite activity, but necessary). Now we are cuddling on the couch and she seems excited to be back. I expect she will sleep well knowing that she's home and not surrounded by barking dogs.
Overall- a great weekend and can't wait for our next adventure!
Until next time xoxox
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Dutch of the Post:
chocolade-eieren en pinda's
"chocolate eggs and peanuts"
