Amsterdam

We are staying in a little hostel in a great location across from a lovely Italian / Turkish restaurant which is a common combo around here as Italian food is desirable and Turkish people are many. We are near the Dutch Theater which is where the Jewish people were rounded up in WWII. Today we went to the Van Gogh museum which also had a wonderful exhibit on Barcelona 1900 including Picasso, amazing furniture, incredible frocks of the bougoise(sp?), and more. I spoke to one of many kind Dutch people today to find out how much to tip. Ten percent he said. He also told me to go on a canal ride, see the Amsterdam museum, the Nemo museum (hands on) for children, and go to a Brown bar to chat with any old man to learn the history of Amsterdam. What is a Brown bar one may ask, and I did. Apparently it is a bar that is brown rather than painted a gaudy color to attract out of towners. Our only concerns are how much baggage can we drag on to a train or three to make it to France, and how are we going to get the children, and myself out of bed before noon? It is ten thirty and we are back from dinner now. The children are doing quite well. What my mother says is true, "They know how to make sure their needs are met!" Still can't say anything in Dutch other than Dankuvell. Caleb and I are both Dutch in ancestry. I think he's from the onderdanks (sp?) and I, the Vanderlips. If we don't open our mouths, noone knows we're not Dutch, though the children give us up all time. Nice to see so many tall women like myself! Sofie blends well with the blond children too.