So, I landed in Amsterdam broke. No big surprise there, somehow... Fortunately for me, I remembered the route back into town, so I didn't need to take the bus or anything that would've cost me money. So my 50lb box and I trundled in toward Tyn and Amber's house once again...
It was good to be back in Amsterdam. It's one of those cities I always feel good about arriving in, or visiting in general. No matter what some of my friends who live there say about it, I still find Amsterdam one of my favorite cities in Europe.
At first, I couldn't get ahold of Tyn or Amber, and couldn't decide whether to track them down or what, so I ended up just unloading everything, and parking myself in front of their building, figuring they had to come home sooner or later. Fortunately, I was right, and Amber came along after a little bit of journal-writing on my part, and welcomed me back into town. Made some calls from an Amsterdam pay phone with my US calling card which still haven't been charged to my phone bill, 2 months later... Odd, but I'm not complaining, especially since they were international calls...
Amsterdam was full of nice surprises, mainly because I'd forgotten completely about the big box of French vintage cycling magazines that I'd had sent there from Belgium before I even left the US! So I spent a good chunk of time rummaging through those and finding all sorts of goodies about early messenger racing and old bike racers...Wandered around town aimlessly, and found out about some organ concerts at the Oude Kerk - free for students! Once again, that one class at City College (which i dropped, incidentally) paid off. Nice, that.
Ended up getting ahold of some more money, and went shopping for more souveniers... Found a copy of the neat book that was issued for Amsterdam's 700th anniversary, back in the 70s, which consists of pages filled with photos of one particular type of object. I'd seen one at Tyn's when I first got here back in May, and decided that it would make a really unique souvenier of the trip. Also picked up a book of late 18th century photos of gothic cathedrals, and book of turn-of-the-century postcards of Amsterdam. Along with the magazines, the cast iron bread slicer from Copenhagen, and the enamelled cast iron soap dish and rolling trivet I picked up here in Amsterdam, I was starting to acquire quite a few hefty souveniers, that was for sure... But they were unique, which makes for interesting memories...
The one downside was that I checked out the website of the Dutch band the Ex, and not only had I missed 2 shows in SF while I was in Europe, as well as a show in Rotterdam last time I was in Amsterdam, and then a show in Amsterdam while I was in Rotterdam, I'd just missed another show in Amsterdam the last day or so I was in Copenhagen. Over the years, they've become this band I'm cursed to never see. Every time they play, something keeps me from seeing them. Someday...
My last full day brought with it my last loaf of the tasty nut-raisin bread from the Paul Annee bakery, and a final dinner at De Zotte, a consistent favorite of mine here in town.This time the special was a rabbit in a red wine sauce, which was delicious, as I've come to expect from their cooking. Arranged for a ride with Fish and Anais to the airport, on their way down to Rotterdam to check out a Hieronymous Bosch exhibition, and that was it.
In reflection, as I sat on the plane taxiing off down the runway at Schiphol, it had been a great trip. Things hadn't turned out exactly as planned, but they never seem to, and I really don't think I'd have it any other way, anyhow... Now, I was left with an uneventful flight back to the states, a 4 hour layover in Newark, and then more time in the sky before getting back to SF around midnight... I'm always happy to return to home after these trips, but I never like ending them, even if I know it's time to go back... There's always next year, though...
