Week II (and pics from Weeks I and II)

I'm still trying to find the best way to post pics. As hoped, I've stepped things up in the picture taking area, and, as much as I like Blogger, I don't relish the thought of trying to upload and position 30 some photos. So, for a quick visual recap, try crossing your fingers and clicking this link: " Pics"

Amsterdam was magic. I've been there twice before. Once when I was 16, with my mother and sister as we did long tour of Europe after living in Florence. Again when I was 18, as the first port of call on my "backpacking through Europe" gig after high school. I obviously remembered enough to think I wanted to go back, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn how great a place it really is, if you just stay away from the central train station area.

Walking along the three main canals, and darting up and down the connecting side streets and canals, as well as venturing into the even more remote De Pijp and Jordaan areas, revealed a charming, beautiful, and pretty darn hip city. I am adding Graphic Designer to the ever-growing list of career options I wish my high school guidance counseler had clued me into, since every nice brownstone in Amsterdam comes with a plaque by the buzzer signaling that one or more works within, when not pausing for a coffee at a cafe next to a sun-dappled canal. (The other missed careers are general contractor, civil engineer, architect and hugely successful spy novel author. The fact that I wouldn't have succeeded in any of them doesn't temper my resentment about not even being told they were options.)

Highlights included: well, just wandering around, actually. I'm not a Rembrandt or Van Gogh fan, and those are the real "must-see's".

After Amsterdam, a backroads drive to Alkmaar, famous for its weekly cheese market, but nice enough on its own. On the way, stops at Edam (yes, I tried the cheese) and Enkhuizen, a nice port town. Then the ferry to Texel, the southernmost of the Frisian Islands. With 1% of the Netherlands land mass, the islands host 75% of its plant species. (I don't know if that's impressive, but it sounds it.) Mostly along dunes, in protected nature reserves. Nicely laid back (though with plenty of shops selling sarongs, swimsuits, and sand shovels), it reminds me a bit of Cape Cod, without the crowd...even in August.

Dutch sounds more like Russian than German, but I'm finding I can read the menus. If you had any doubts about Texel being "the real thing", this will dispel them...there are no English menus. And I only heard English (from native English speakers) twice.

Despite a strength-sapping headwind on the return leg, a long bike ride (when in Rome) offered great rural cum beach scenery, as well as a hyperactive parachuting site at the main airport. Groups of five jumpers landing every five minutes. Apparently a strong and consistent breeze makes it an ideal spot for jumping.

Cheese and clogs forever!