day eleven: amsterdam

Today is what the Dutch simply refer to as Christmas, Day Two or Second Christmas. For us, it is more wandering, more eating, and more sights to see. As before, we slept in a bit. I am sure this has been due more to the short hours of daylight than anything else. We head out around 11:30 after breakfast in the studio.

• A brisk walk to Museumplein where the Van Gogh Museum is located as well as the Rijksmuseum. In this park they have installed a temporary skating rink.
• We spend about 2 hours in the Van Gogh Museum and both fall in love with the same painting, Van Gogh's Trees and Undergrowth. We think it would look great over our couch, but they won't take 150 euros for it. The jerks. We settle for a post card of it although the color on it (and the image here) is far off from the original.
• We have pizza and salads for lunch at the cozy Italian cafe called Il Palio in the Leidesplein area. There are tons of little italian pizza cafes. I wish I had 2 months and an endless pizza budget.
• More wandering, but it is getting really cold now, so we decide to go back to the studio to rest for a bit.
• On the way back, we check to see if the Heineken Experience is open, but it isn't so we put it on our list for tomorrow.
• Dinner is at a Mexican restaurant called Alfonso's. My first burrito since leaving home. Not too shabby, but not as many beans as I like. The Coronas and guac were pretty tasty.
• After dinner, instead of walking towards home, we head in the opposite direction towards Rembrantplein for some tasty chocolate and strawberry frosting covered waffles from a Oliebollen stand.
• On the walk back the the studio it begins to snow quite heavily. By the time we get back they are HUGE flakes. It lets up after there is about a quarter inch on the ground.

Pizza, art, AND burritos in one day. WHEW!
Gavin

p.s. Robin and I are currently tag-team posting. She is in the stall next to me posting about Christmas Eve.