Amsterdam

My time in Amsterdam went by quickly. My flight arrived on time, but I had typed in the incorrect address (left out four letters in the street name) and ended up in a neighboring town called Haarlem. I was exhausted and jet-lagged and had to find my way to the apartment where I was set to stay with my uncle. He had arrived hours earlier. 

Photos from my jaunt to Haarlem.

So from the map you can see I typed in Regulierstraat 87. The correct address was Regulierdwarsstraat 87. So one is in Haarlem, the other in Amsterdam. I went to the wrong one, of course. 

Carrie ten Boom home. If you haven't read The Hiding Place, you should. 

Haarlem bikes!

As I finally arrived in Amsterdam, my uncle took me upstairs and realized he had locked us out! We had to call the owner and wait for him to come let us back in. We were able to settle in for a bit before heading out for dinner. 

We walked around Rembrandt Square nearby. It is very busy around this part of town and there is no shortage of restaurants and cafes. We decided on a nice place called Van Rijn. They served bread with homemade salted butter, oil, and a salsa paste. It was perfect. I ordered the fried steak with frites. I regret not having taken a photo of it. It was, by far, the best steak I've ever eaten. Yes, I'm from Texas. And yes, I will stand by this claim that the best steak is in the Netherlands!

We had a nice walk along the canals this morning. There are tulips everywhere. The Netherlands are famous for their tulips and have long history that's quite fascinating. We stepped into a Dutch cafe for breakfast. I had an iced latte with a croissant with Nutella. Nothing else would have tasted better at that moment!

There are many incredible things about this city in the very short time I was here, but the most astounding is the amount of bicycles that clutter it. I have no idea how a person would be able to find their bike once they come back to it. I assume the foldable bikes were invented to be a solution to this dilemma. 

I am currently sitting on a train on my way to Paris. It'll be about a three hour trip. My French kids, Zac and Véréna, will collect me from the train station in Paris. I cannot wait to see the family!

I'll write to you from Paris. Till then...