We have been wandering the oude parts of Amsterdam over the past few days.
At the Dam Square we tried to go and see the Royal Palace but, unfortunately it is undergoing renovations and is currently not open. I really wanted to see the Burgerzaal (Citizens Hall) a marble room with maps of the world all over the floor. Sounds beautiful! Apparently even the Royal Palace has been occupied by squatters. Under certain circumstances, in the Netherlands, squatting is not illegal. If a building has been left empty for over one year, one chair, one table and one bed establishes a private dwelling and the right to stay there. I would like to get to know the person who has chosen to squat in the Citizens Hall; perhaps be invited to their place for a meeting. But it is unlikely we will be seeing the Royal Palace any time soon.
One of my favorite stops on our rambles though the city was at
Eduard Kramer www.antique-tileshop.nl.
It is a store of millions of tiles recovered from Amsterdam and region. They are many animal tiles and we spent a considerable time searching through tiles. Here is a picture of one of my favorites.
We have met three cats Ober, who used to be a bar's cat and then the bar closed so now he lives outside our front door. H e is featured in many of the shots taken from our window as he goes back and forth from the front stoop to his bench by the canal. tomorrow we will be looking after Dottie and Dropria , who live downstairs.
We are in such a great neighbourhood and we keep discovering new excellent things about it. The other night we went just around the corner to De Kou (The Cow) and had ourselves a very excellent meal in a very cozy cool place.
We have also located the curiosity coffeeshop:
Sanementereng. I cannot wait to show Jeseka and Suzo when they arrive.
What things cost:
The Euro is very strong and we are paying 1.7 CND dollars for every Euro.
6 Grolsch (the beer of Beligium) 4.68 (the Heineken is probably cheaper)
quart of melk .78
our apartment for one month 1500.
250 grams of espresso 2.69
entrance to the Van Goth Museum 15.(still yet to get to any museum)
Bhudda Big Cheese 2 grams 17.
Parador red wine from Spain 6.
4 HUGE avocados from the Dapper Market 1.
cheese from the Dapper Market including Maasdmmer (Soft swisslke)/Mustard Cheese (OLD) and Sambal cheese (spicy and delicious medium)
maybe 2 kilos 13 Euros
10 tulips small and red from the Dapper Market 1.
10 tulips orange 2.50
What we are reading:
Yvonne: The Bastard of Istambul
Rachel: 2666
2 comments:
I love your women on bicycles series! I think no. 7 is Roos, one of the owners of Vive La Vie, the womens bar near the Rembrandtsplein... lol... small world. Happy belated birthday, Yvon!!! Hieperdepiep Hoera!!!
i still want to know what you were making for breakfast this morning?
amsterdam sounds marvelous. the cats, the tattoo museum, the people who spend sundays boating and women who carry food and children in baskets.
love your itemized list of groceries with $$ attached.
smore.
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