Girls in the Dam

In October, friends from the States had plans to visit Amsterdam, and we caught up for an evening. I know Sheila and Michelle from college, and Hollie is a friend with whom I worked at Midnight Networks. As it turned out, Michelle and Hollie were attending the same conference, although they've never met. Small world



Sheila and Michelle were staying at the Citizen M hotel in Amsterdam - a cool, self-serve, "pod" hotel.



The rooms are all exactly the same, with one very large bed, a shower with a circular, clear glass door, and a toilet, with a circular, frosted-glass door. The concept is an interesting one, and works well - the place was modern, safe, clean, new, comfortable and efficient. The remote operates the lights (including the color), the temperature, the window shade, the tv and the alarm clock. Cool stuff.
This artwork is a bit tough to see, but if you look closely you'll see the artist's depiction of what might be happening in each of the rooms...Sheila was bit shocked when she took a good look! This is Amsterdam, after all :)

We had a late night with a few martinis so I stayed with Sheila and escorted her to the airport the following morning and heading back home on the train.

What a delightful reunion!!!

Two days later I headed back into Amsterdam to meet Hollie. From central station I took a tram to the Leidseplein. As I stepped off the tram I was struck from the left from a full-grown Dutchman who was running past the door at speed. I was knocked backwards into the steps and then fell forward onto the ground. I scrambled away from the tram, afraid that it would move before my feet were clear. I realized that my phone, which had been in my hand, had been knocked away and I bent to look under the tram for it. I think the woman standing in front of me thought I was collapsing. I'd twisted my knee, but was ok - more shaken than anything.

The perpetrator had apparently seen the phone fly out of my hand and had retrieved it. He handed it to me and said something in Dutch, which I didn't understand, but presumed he'd asked if I was ok so I said, "I'm alright, I'm ok, I'm ok" - but he said, "oh, you speak English - just make sure you have everything" - not "geez, I'm awfully sorry, are you ok?"!!! Anyway, moments after the tackle, it was better than ever to see Hollie and give her a hug - and have a large beer!

I'd wanted to return to the restaurant where I'd had dinner with Sheila and Michelle earlier in the week as Sheila and I had both left our umbrellas behind. Nothing that couldn't be replaced - and I certainly own more than enough umbrellas - but retrieving the lost umbrellas would feel like a coup. It was just a few hundred yards away so we headed there. Sure enough, the owner recognized me before I asked and handed me both umbrellas. Certainly we'd thought we'd never see them again - umbrellas the kind of things prime for losing :)

We walked back to the plein and settled down for some beer and a catch-up while we enjoyed the interesting people-watching that Amsterdam offers on a Saturday evening.

Feeling hungry, Hollie and I headed back down the street where the Argentinian restaurant is and considered the menu. And then we walked a bit further to find what turned out to be a spectacular Indian restaurant where we enjoyed a delicious and spicy meal! It was kind of special as, it was Hollie and the Midnight Networks crew that introduced me to Indian food - and it has been a favorite of mine since.

I headed back, not too late, accompanied by about 20 German tourist on the tram, to Amsterdam Central Station to catch the train home. Always a pleasure to see Hollie, always!

Here's a film capturing the fun visits: