Europe // Amsterdam some more

Walking the streets of Amsterdam is one of the things I now find myself daydreaming of all the time. Every building had tiny, beautiful details you could only find if you looked hard enough, and each canal had its own charm. I also loved just people-watching. It was especially fun to see the creative ways people used their bikes to get their families around.

Next on our itinerary was the Museum Van Loon, the home of one of the co-founders of the Dutch East-India Company. It was a beautiful representation of Amsterdam's incredible golden age in the  1600's. Every surface was so ornate, from the fabric-covered walls to the intricate ceiling carvings.  

Not sure what's up with Ryan's face. ^^

Backyard goals. ^^

Then we walked down to the southern part of the city to split up and do some stuff on our own. 

Ryan said he'd buy this house for me. ^^

Ryan and I went on a canal boat tour. We were treated to an awesome thunder storm that lasted about 15 minutes, and then beautiful sunny weather! We really couldn't figure out how we got so lucky with the weather on our trip. Spring in Amsterdam is like spring in Seattle - you never know what you're going to get, but it's usually wet. Somehow for us it only rained when we were inside or under cover! So lucky.

The canal tour was nice and relaxing, and it was cool to see the city from the water. We got to learn a little more about the planning of the city, which was great too.

I just love these buildings. I think I decided my favorite ones were the black ones with white trim (like the one on the right). ^^^

I love you, I love you, I love you Amsterdam.

Serious babysitting skills. ^^

Afterwards we headed off on foot again to join back up with Laura and Rich for POFFERTJES.

We went to Pancakes Amsterdam for this genius invention of the Dutch. Teeny tiny fried pancakes with butter, powdered sugar, and syrup (Dutch syrup tastes different than American syrup in a VERY good way). Yes, it was probably one of the most unhealthy foods I've ever eaten and yes it was just as life changing as I hoped it would be. Oh my. Thank you, Holland. Thank you.

Honestly I'm losing track of what we did on what day. So now I'm just spitting out all
the stuff we did in whatever order they are in iPhoto.

One morning we met up with some friends of the Grays at the cutest cafe out in the country near our AirBnb. I had some of the best hot chocolate I've ever had plus the cutest little cube of butter cake, and overall I wanted to faint from the cuteness. 

Back into Amsterdam. This here is where Leidsegracht and Herengracht intersect, and it soon became one of my favorite points in the city. We passed it several times over our week here and it stole my heart. I'm not sure why I got so attached, but I love this little view. My favorite picture of Ryan and I from this trip is also right here.

Sitting along the canals was honestly one of my favorite things to do. Don't those houses look like they're out of a Disney movie?

 ^^ Another example of the creative ways Amsterdammers transport people via bikes. That woman is seriously just perched on the back cargo rack. I feel like I would fall off at every bump and turn but these people are professionals.

Next was the big and beautiful Rijksmuseum, the Dutch national museum, 

burstin at the seams with all things Dutch history. We saw the works of Vermeer, Rembrandt, van Gogh, Cuyp, and more. There was sooo much in here!

Obviously had to stop by the I Amsterdam sculpture.

Then food time after all that walking. THE BEST mozzarella pesto sandwich I've ever had, plus of course some more friet & mayo. We loved this little restaurant, right down the street from the museum.

Then we split again to do our own thing, and Ryan and I headed off to rent bikes and ride them through Vondelpark.

Look at this little leaning house! We saw several houses sagging to one side like this, usually due to rotting pylons beneath the building. So crazy!

I just loved this. Of course, a double-seated bike. We'd see people riding bikes like these but also with someone on the handlebars and someone on the cargo rack!

Pretty pretty flower shop on a sidestreet in the Jordaan district.

So, we got the bike rental shop and realized stupid me forgot to even check the time, and we realized that it was closing in half an hour! Not nearly enough time to enjoy a ride through the park. In my defense, time just didn't seem to matter on this vacation. It was great. [: So, a little disappointed, we walked back to Museumplein to meet up with Rich and Laura again. However, we were driving home when we remembered that our Airbnb had two bikes in the back shed that we could use!

We hit the roads as soon as we got home and went for a 14-mile ride through Abcoude and the surrounding towns. I couldn't stop praising the Dutch to the high heavens for the absolutely amazing network of bike lanes everywhere you could possibly want to go. We even had our own little stop lights and crosswalks that let us cross the busy streets worry-free. This was just a good, good evening. [: Just pedaling and laughing and shouting happily back and forth with Ryan. The perfect way to spend our last night in Holland.

Handsome husband and our little Dutch house.

The next morning we were up bright and early to pack the car and head to France. We drove past the shouting sheepies, leibomen, darling farm houses, windmills, and bike paths onto the main freeway, and honestly I almost didn't care how awesome Paris was going to be - I had fallen so in love with Holland that leaving was really difficult! But the Grays assured me that I would love Paris, so I found a way to soldier on. 

Tot ziens, you perfect perfect place.

Europe // Haarlem, Netherlands

One of the days in Holland was spent taking a day trip to Haarlem. On our list of things to do were the Corrie ten Boom house, St. Bavo Cathedral, and general exploring!

 The Corrie ten Boom museum was absolutely incredible. Corrie was a compassionate Dutch Christian woman who hid Jews in the upper room of her Haarlem home during World War II. She was eventually caught and sent with her family to concentration camps, but she survived. She was a woman of inspiring faith in God, and it was refreshing to take a tour where that fact was mentioned often and freely. In a very secular, ordinary place we felt the strength and spirit of that wonderful woman's faith and love for others! The tours are free, and they just ask for donations at the end if you feel so inclined. It was an excellent tour, done very well. I loved it.

In doing more research on Corrie after coming home, I found that picture above of her in front of her beloved church, the Cathedral of St. Bavo. I realized I had taken a picture from that exact vantage point while I was there! Kind of cool.

This was the first European cathedral I had ever been in, and the moment I walked in, I totally cried. Yep. Ryan, who had been in several cathedrals like these during his travels, laughed at me. The place was so beautiful! Every surface was beautiful. The ceilings, the pillars, the organ, the floor, the long hallways... You could feel it was a place of worship, and that those involved in its construction spared no expense to give their absolute best to their God. We also lucked out and walked in during an organ student's lesson, and oh my goodness with the acoustics and the enormous organ pipes, that grand beautiful music just filled you up with its sound! It was stunning. The video I include here gives some justice to the sound, but it just can't transfer the incredible feeling and resonance of the music as it filled those soaring arched ceilings. It was a feeling I will never forget.

Got some chocolate, of course.

^^ Ahh the cuteness!!!

We bought some sort of amazing cheese at this shop. I don't remember what it was. Also, a funny memory from this shop - Ryan, who loves language and was trying to learn the basics of Dutch, asked an employee here (who of course spoke perfect English too) how the Dutch said "Sorry." "Like for example if I accidentally bumped into someone, what would I say to them?", Ryan asked. "Well most people would say 'pardon', but really you could just say '{expletive} off!' and they'd get the message." And then he roared with laughter and we were caught so off guard that we couldn't help but bend over laughing. Quite unexpected. [: So we learned some more native Dutch that day, I guess. 

Driving home with our spoils - cheese and the best applejuice (appelsap) I've ever EVER HAD.

Perfect day in a perfect city.