For those that have never had the privilege of visiting Amsterdam, everyone ride bikes! We have seen bikes with two baby seats attached (one on the front handlebars and one above the back fender) and bikes with large wooden carts up front for filling with up to three children (or two children and a Christmas ham...). Bikers do not hesitate to ring their bells if you get in their way, and we even saw bikers ringing at giant trucks. I would never get anywhere on my bike in Amsterdam, because I would surely chicken out and yield to the trucks.

All of the traditional houses have these hooks (some quite ornate) for hauling large packages and furniture into the upper level apartments. We actually got to watch one of BigSister's neighbors moving. They would put several large boxes into a rope net and haul them up the side of the building. We also saw a Christmas tree that never actually made it into the building, all lit up and left to hang up-side-down around the second story. Not sure if that was someone's idea of sharing the
festivities with the neighbors or just a
tragic accident.

On Saturday we visited the Anne Frank house. I did not cry until I saw a quote from Nelson Mandela about how his collaborators were inspired by the diary as they read it while in prison.

There is some talk of the possibility of carol singing in the red light district for Christmas... It might be the Christian thing to do... I will keep you posted. Merry Christmas to all!

Things are Looking Up...

After an unanticipated 17.5 hour layover in Gander, we finally got a plane out... DarlingRoomie and I nearly succeeded in getting on an Air Force transport plane. We made it through the security headcount and across the tarmac... as we started up the stairs, someone finally asked us if we really wanted to go to Afghanistan. I submitted a counter offer for Ali Air Base, Iraq, but I was denied...

After 34 total hours in transit, culminating in a taxi tour of the entire city (there was some confusion about the address), we found ourselves at BigSis's house. Yay! Her adorable flat is right on a canal, and we saw a tug boat pulling a giant floating house up the canal and under the draw bridge...

It is cold and snowy and the city is decorated in greenery and colored lights... riding the trams and watching the people running their erands... it really feels like Christmas!

Gelukkig kerstfeest!

We Were Lost But Now Are Newfound

Well, after 21.5 hours I should be having a late lunch in Amsterdam with BigSister and DarlingRoomie… Instead, I am in the business center of Sinbad’s Hotel in Gander, Newfoundland—argggh! The front desk staff all wear patches over one eye (I wish!). The hydraulics went out on the plane, so they had to put the landing gear down and fly really slowly, backtracking for about two hours to land while landing was still a possibility.

SO tired... we just got checked in and hope to get a plane out later today... no word yet. I am going to google it, but I KNOW this is where planes full of tourists were trapped for WEEKS after 9/11... According to the reports on NPR, the town's folks took them home and entertained them... golf and impromptu town dances… we are not so lucky yet.

Well, I have always had a great infatuation with Canada, so maybe this is an opportunity to explore and absorb the local culture, eh? All we have seen is a LOT of snow and a KFC...

Wish us luck… at this rate, BabyBrother and the Fabulous Ms M. may beat us to Amsterdam though we had a two day head start…

Step By Step...