Well, it is getting towards the evenings and being just a day after the winter solstice, night comes soon. Which in Amsterdam is just fine for most folks. The city looks better after dark anyway with all the holiday lights.
After getting a glorious early morning check in to once again experience Dutch bathtubs (tall and deep and surprisingly hard to get out of). We are clean and happy and even got a short nap that was not in a tiny seat belted in surrounded by hundreds of people you do not know and, as always, three children that loudly exclaimed their dismay.
Corwin and I meet to find lunch while Susie rests. We explore Amsterdam’s local resources. I noticed Cafe Blom as it was busy and looked well happy. We then stopped by Wilderman as I had been there years ago and bought a t-shirt (matching my name, of course) and they suggest Cafe Blom for real food. Obviously, we are now going there. So we collected Susie and had a huge, happens when you order in a new place, lunch.
We then headed over to Wilderman for Trappist style beers. Susie, with the food in her and beer, was all about to face-plant in her beer so I took back to rest in the hotel while Corwin finished out any left-over beer (and paid the bill).
Corwin and then I went shopping. Some missed clothing items for Corwin and large bottles of water for each room. We walked to the tourist parts of town. Oddly, the shop we purchased the clothing items was styled as an American shop with a California flag on the wall!
Corwin and I both went back to our rooms. I had a terrible asthma attack. Suspect that the intoxicants everywhere are not good for me and used my emergency inhaler (albuterol) and recovered (breathing is not optional). A short nap (relaxing is the most important recover step for bad asthma attacks which requires not panicking when breathing is difficult) of a few hours and back to the streets!
Corwin did not answer email or phone–resting I assume. So off I go to see some more alone. I wanted to get back to the other side of the red-light district to see if it as I remember it. Nope, cleaner and safer–the Great Recession was none too kind to Amsterdam last time I was here. The food is cheaper and homier here.
I am tired so I look for a coffee shop to sit down that sells only coffee. DD. Excellent! An Amsterdam Donut; it is covered with a hard fondant icing and is cream-filled. Irony.
So walked some more and found a place open for Christmas dinner. I spoke to the manager, Mario, and have his card. It is across from our hotel (below). So we are set for Wednesday now–some shops, bars, and food places run different hours this week (Christmas)–haphazardly so you have to ask.
We start with our first tour item in the morning.
Michael R Wild
Inntel Hotel, Room 2266, Amsterdam
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 