Amsterdam

I am so ready to travel again. I miss the freedom of jumping on a plane and going somewhere, anywhere. This is such a big change for me because I have always been terrified of flying. I still don't love flying but once I realized I love traveling, it took some of the sting out of boarding a plane.

This evening, I decided to look at tickets to Amsterdam. I am absolutely longing to go back. Partly, because I loved it there but mostly, because people I love live there and I miss them.

This is our Dutch daughter, Amarja. She came to us as a 17 year old exchange student in 1993 and returned to Holland a year later. She came back to the USA multiple times to see her American family and finally, in 2018, Bob and I went to Amsterdam to see our Dutch family. Seeing her waiting at the airport was so emotional for all of us. It was truly a dream realized. Out first morning together, we were in Amarja and her husband Thierrys apartment, planning our day, when I took this picture of Bob with his favorite Dutch girl. They were looking out over Amsterdam from the apartments third floor, enjoying the moment. The two of them kept crying out of pure happiness of being together. It was pretty sweet.

Thierry and Amarja. These two are such fine people and we're so proud of them both. Thierry works for Nike by the way and I have to say, walking up three flights of stairs only to reach their front door with 50 pairs of Nike stacked up outside was quite the sight to see. Bob and I still laugh about that. 

I cannot count how many dinners were hosted for us over the 9 days we spent in Amsterdam. It was amazing and emotional to be treated like family from the first introduction. This is Amarja's family. People I have known about since 1993. To finally meet face to face was such a gift. The conversations were amazing and I so look forward to seeing everyone again sooner than later. 

Another dinner, this time with Amarja and Thierrys close friends. What a loud and crazy bunch! We fit right in. One of the things I loved in Europe is the way people spend time just enjoying one another. Pretty much every where we went in Europe was the same in this aspect. People don't meet for dinner, eat and then go their separate ways. First, you meet for drinks and appetizers and you spend hours talking and laughing. Just enjoying one anothers company. Then, someone decides it might be time to think about dinner, so you all walk to the next spot and order a meal which means several more hours of eating and drinking and focusing on time together. Finally, after dinner, you do more walking until you find an interesting pub where a very inebriated Dutch man comes out as you're walking by and drags you all inside to have a drink and sing a bit. And all this, with not a cell phone being used the entire night, because you're having too much fun just being together. Australia was the same way. I think Americans need to learn this art of living and connecting again. It is rejuvenating.

Our final night in Amsterdam, Amarja and Thierry rented a canal boat, wrapped the old folks in layers of blankets and brought enough food and wine for an army. Off we went for hours, in and out of the canals, just enjoying the sights and sounds of the city and her people. 

I took hundreds of pictures over those 9 days. Memories I will cherish forever. I may share a few more stories of Amsterdam in the days to come. Especially one about the holocaust. Lest we forget.