Stepping Out From Behind The Tweed Curtain: Amsterdam and Utrecht in Spring

Another gorgeous few spring days have passed over here since we last wrote. You can see by the photographs that the weather just could not have been better - even if we asked for it. It has been cool and crisp during the day but it felt very satisfying during all our long walks through Amsterdam and Utrecht. To be in these very historical settings with the trees and flowers bursting against a beautiful blue sky is a real treat.

We have all been loving our time outside, wandering along the canals, watching the locals out on their porches clearly taking advantage of the changes in weather after the long winter. People are everywhere sitting along the canals, enjoying a few drinks with their friends and many people in Amsterdam and Utrecht have been out in their quaint little boats. In the evening it is fun to watch the boats as they pass along the canals with groups of Dutch people seated around little tables drinking wine and eating snacks. It all looks so very sophisticated and European. We have been joining in (in our own way) by going to the local supermarket and buying delicious local food and then sitting by the canals eating and watching the world pass by. We are so lucky to be having this time!

Here is Skye in Amsterdam showing off one of our favourite daily foods: the amazing local organic yogurt sold in litre cartons. It is smooth, creamy and delicious . . . not to mention very cheap compared to the equivalent in Canada. It costs one Euro for a full litre of organic yogurt (in Canada the equivalent would cost at least 4 dollars). We have actually been finding that when one buys food here in supermarkets the cost tends to be quite a bit cheaper for many products when compared to Canada. Given the exchange rate we are happy about this. Of course, any form of "eating out" is prohibitive.

Amsterdam has been offering all kinds of sights for us and the kids. There have been many rich conversations about subjects like decriminalizing drugs and legalized prostitution. Once again this trip is providing opportunities for the kids to expand their ideas about the world and how things work differently in different places around the world.

One really interesting thing that both Skye and I have found, after not having been in Amsterdam for almost 20 years, is that the city has changed in unexpected ways. When we were here before, the city was much grittier and unpolished compared to now. The whole squatter movement was at its height back then and the locals had a real edge to them. Many of the buildings back then were still quite run down and the people living here often seemed to have this uber-cool feel about them. Having spoken about it in the last few days, we think that the whole real estate boom probably hit Amsterdam (like everywhere else in the world) and the city slowly became gentrified, pushing those struggling artsy characters out of the city because they could no longer afford to live here. Either that, or all those uber-cool characters from the past are now the 40 something affluent crowd that seems to be all over the city speaking on their cell phones, decked out in expensive clothing. It is amazing how places change just like people do over time. We were able to witness similar comparisons going back to Asia after all these years.

One of the "must do's" in Amsterdam is of course going to the Anne Frank Huis. We had actually started reading the Diary of Anne Frank with the kids just before we went and it really caught their imagination. The writing really makes her story so real and so it turned out to be (we think) one of the best museum experiences to date with our kids. They were really into it and quite saddened by the whole Jewish experience during the Second World War. The whole exhibit was put together really well. We are continuing to read the book as a family when we are on train journeys or at other down times. It is good to have that kind of collective family experience and it supplies endless opportunities for meaningful discussion.

Just for some visual treats we will add in some window shopping shots from Amsterdam. This is for you Chloe! Like Kai said to us yesterday (and we fully agree with him), "my favourite part about Europe so far is definitely the food!" It is just going to get better and better as we go further South . . .

The stroopwafels here are like nothing else in the world. They melt in your mouth!

This picture was taken for you Cam. Skye reminded me that you have a thing for this designer and to have his name on a bike, well . . .

Today we went to the Van Gogh Museum and once again it was superb. We have discovered that many of the museums provide audio headsets for the kids (often for free) which keeps them that much more engaged for long periods of time during the exhibits. Plus, in this case, it tells them about the artist, his life and the inspiration behind the paintings. Pippin, in particular, only has so much lasting power and when one has spent good money to get into these museums, one wants to make the best of the time and not leave too soon. Kai especially enjoyed this exhibit and was very impressed by Starry Night. We would have been happy to walk home with a number of Van Gogh's paintings.

Kai made the following comments about the Van Gogh Museum in his journal:

"Yesterday we went to the Van Gogh Museum. It was full of all his old art. As you can see in his self-portrait (shown in his journal), he used to paint with a lot of colours. He has red and blue in his eyebrows and orange and red in his beard. The sad part is, he never sold one painting in his life. Nobody liked the extravagant colours, his big blobs of paint, his thick brush strokes. He only was recognized after he died. Now he is one of the most celebrated painters in the world. He went crazy, too. He chopped off his ear with a knife that he threatened another painter with. They say it was because he moistened his brush on his lips and the lead in the paint made him like that. I saw his most famous painting: Starry Night. It's one of my favourite paintings".

After the museum we caught a glimpse of the flower market and it was fun to take in the colour. Holland really has quite the flower culture. Emilie you would go crazy here.

Of course the bike scene here is a dream for all nations. The parking lots throughout the cities are brimming with bikes and cars are far less prevalent. Even the air quality seems quite good despite the European congestion.

This afternoon we took ourselves out for a rare treat and had drinks by the canal with Ian.

Oh my God! There are, we are not kidding you, at least four shoe stores per block of walking in every direction. It is completely out of control. Added to that, Pippin seems to be a budding Imelda Marcos and wants to drag us into every shoe shop she sees. I (Ronato) honestly do not know how soooo many shoe stores can survive. Then again when I see Skye, Pippin and Ian ooohing and aaahing over them all, I start to get the picture. Skye here: it must be commented upon that Ronato let it be known today that he doesn't even notice people's shoes -- we were quite shocked! I have noticed since we've been here that the Dutch LOVE their shoes and quite obviously seem to have quite the large collections. If I lived here, I'd have quite a problem!