flowers

My flowers of the week are:

Sunflowers!

What lovely decorations.

Our Apartment

Here's a few shots of our apartment now that it's feeling like home. Although it is fully furnished, we've added quite a few of our our personal touches. Stevie is a wonderful handyman; here he is about to reach into his toolbox and get to work putting together a dresser.

There's the dresser! Put together perfectly! If you zoom in and look above the pillows on the right side, there is a button on the wall. It's an emergency button and it terrifies us. (FYI: our apartment was originally equipted for older people). We might cover it with a tuperware bowl or something!

Our living room

The kitchen, which is big enough for two people to stand in together. All the apliances are smaller, but we're happy to have them! They're just minor adjustments.



That is a washer and dryer combo. We wash clothes nearly everyday. That is also a bathtub, plus there is a shower to the right of the W/D.

We love having a balcony, especially since we're on the third floor. Little by little, it's transforming into a garden.

Amstelpark

While exploring one day, I discovered Amstelpark which is only 1 mile from our apartment. It's my favorite destination to which I run or bike. It's gorgeous, and there's very few people within the park.

I've never seen anybody trimming any of the bushes, but they're kept up really nicely.


Along the bike paths and walking paths, there are lots of these big slugs. Not exactly what you want on the bottom of your shoe.

Where there's water, there's birds. I don't think I've ever seen this kind of duck with black eyes. They look tough.

More wildlife- bunnies!

The Amstel River

Little ponds inside hedged gardens.

A childrens' maze
Manicured trees

Just outside the park is a windmill. There's always a tourist bus parked on the road- so I know it's a popular attraction. Although, I don't know the history and there's no sign. I'll have to join the group one of these days and listen.

Canal houses

Houses along the canals were built when Amsterdam was a thriving port city. People staked out plots of land, sometimes very narrow, and built their houses UP.

Narrow houses require staircases that are narrow, circular and steep. Canal houses have hooks installed from at the top to bring up furniture.

This building is leaning foward quite a bit. Maybe so the furniture doesn't break the windows on the way up? We'll have to get to the bottom of it.

Or, screw the tall houses, just get a houseboat! I'd prefer Shasta Lake, CA- but these look fun, too.

Notice the skinny house, it's the most narrow building in Amsterdam, possibly all of the universe. 1.5 meters. I'd rather have the nice houseboat on the water.

More bikes than people!

This is a massive bicycle parking structure at Centraal Station, Amsterdam. There are several of them, and they all look full.

Clear skies

I know you Californians still have some thick, smoky air. Let me remind you what crisp air is like.

And it's just about 70º (20º C).

My first trip to the flower market!

Flower markets (bloemenmarkts) or small flower stands are everywhere. These are my first flowers, calla lilies. I love them!

Out and about in Amsterdam

Canals

The canals are used to get from here to there, or just for recreational boating. On weekends, many boaters have bottles of wine, friends, music, and just cruise.

The Madame Tussaud is a wax museum. It is along one side of Dam Square.

This is (a glimpse of) the open area of Dam Square. Local people and visitors go out to enjoy the city.