Weekend Update

Things are finally looking up! lots to update everyone on…

The end of my work week last week was pretty manageable. Without boring everyone with the exact details of what I’m actually doing out here, my part of the project (invoicing) is downstream and dependant on a lot of processes. So when there are issues upstream, these need to be resolved before anything can get to me. Anyway, my point is, we had issues upstream which meant that I wasn’t too busy and my other colleague from the client side said that I didn’t have to come in on Saturday! I found this out Friday evening so I didn’t have time to arrange a mini-vacay to Paris, but I did have a few things in mind to do around the city.

Also, Friday was Sinterklaas Day in the Netherlands. Sinterklaas is the patron saint of children, and is very similar to Christmas Eve in the U.S. The story goes, that Santa Clause and the Santa idea & tradition actually first started in Holland in the 1600s. Sinter Klaas became Sint Claes, and then transformed into Santa Clause. Every year on Saint Nicholas Eve (December 5th), Sinterklaas and his Black Petes ride in on a horse, usually carrying a bag, which contains candy for nice children.

Sinterklaas – look familiar??

So anyway, since Friday was Sinterklaas, we actually got back from the office at a reasonable hour (7pm). For dinner, I finally got to try Walk to Wok - It’s an Asian fast food chain in the area which I had heard rave reviews about. It was really really good! You basically choose what you want in the stir fry and they make it on the spot so it’s hot and fresh and quick. I got brown noodles with chicken, broccoli, peanuts, pineapple, and teriyaki. Yum!!

Friday night we went out to Leidseplein. We first went to the Zebra Lounge, but weren’t too impressed so we sampled some other places in the area. We met some English friends too that were in town from Manchester. That’s one thing I love about Europe… it’s so easy to meet people and make friends and it’s not awkward at all like it can be in the U.S. Anyway, I love English people and I love accents! Everyone has an accent in Europe. Or maybe it’s me that has the accent. But accents are fabulous. It’s also funny when everyone asks [instert accent] “Are you from America?” Like it’s this far away land or something. You mean the U.S.? ha. Also meeting English people reminded me that I may want to apply to London School of Business if/when the time comes to apply. Wouldn’t that be great? So we all partied until pretty late Friday night and I think I finally went to bed around 4am. Haha.

On the tram - headed down to Leidseplein

Saturday was a Laura day. I got to SLEEP IN for once and woke up around 10:30. I woke up to the SUN shining through my windows – a nice change from the rain/snow/clouds that we’ve been experiencing pretty much every day. I emailed work to make sure they still didn’t need me to take a train in since several people were working. Nope, I was in the clear. With that confirmation, I headed to the 9 streets which I had heard are full of good shopping. Here’s what the reviews had to say:

The Nine Streets - De Negen Straatjes - is in the heart of Amsterdam's canal district and is one of the city's most delightful shopping areas. Just two minutes walk from the Royal Palace in the Dam Square these picturesque streets straddle the 17th Century canals from the Singel to the Prinsengracht. Spend a fabulous day wandering from one to the next exploring the designer boutiques, art galleries, jewelers, gift shops, fashion shops, specialist businesses and there are plenty of great bars, cafes and restaurants to refresh you along the way.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself bopping in and out of the little shops in the sunshine. :)

I made it up and down all 9 streets and then it was time to head to the Anne Frank Huis (House) for my 3:30 reservation. It was GENIUS that I had bought my ticket ahead of time at my hotel. This means that I didn’t need to stand in the tourist mob to get a ticket; instead, I got to go in a different reservation-only entrance. Perfect. Oh but first I got a delicious fresh fruit and vegetable smoothie from this juice place that I found! It had carrot, apple, orange, and ginger and was actually very delish and fresh. So I got to the Anne Frank and it was much different than I remembered. Granted, I was 10 years old when I went, but still. It was much more commercialized and had obviously undergone a remodeling to accommodate all the tourists. I did remember the incredibly steep steps in the house though. And wow what a sad sad story. I had forgotten that Otto Frank (Anne Frank’s dad) had survived. The whole museum was very well done and I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated it since I had been there before.

Saturday night and time to go out again. We tried to get reservations at JimmyWoo in Leidseplein which is, arguably the hottest and hippest nightclub in town, but we had heard it’s very difficult to get in so we passed on that one and instead headed to Club Escape in Rembrantplein. It was a huge club, everyone dancing and having a good time. We got the full European disco experience and again, ended up staying out way too late. We also picked up some delicious pizza from “NY Pizza” on the walk back to the hotel. Mmm a slice of the U.S…

Sunday.
More sun!
I woke up with an urge for adventure and spontaneity. After a light lunch at my new favorite soup place, I headed to Centraal Station. Should I go to Haarlem or Delft? I couldn’t decide so I settled on both. After all, Haarlem is on the way to Delft. Armed with my guide books to read on the train, I headed to my first stop with pretty much one goal in mind: do like the locals do. I would find the main square, check out local landmarks (i.e. every Netherlands town seems to have an old Church and new Church), perhaps get an espresso, and just enjoy the day. Haalem is a short 15 minute train ride away from Amsterdam and I was pleasantly surprised! The cool thing about the Netherlands is that you can get off the train at nearly any town and just follow the signs to the Centrum. This will in turn lead to the main square, all the locals, restaurants, markets, and shopping. Haarlem was very charming. It was really nice to get outside of Amsterdam and away from the huge crowds of tourists and craziness that defines the city. I really just spent a lot of time walking around Haarlem and checking out different stores. There was also a festival going on. Although there were crowds, it was much more family-oriented or locals coming into the square from surrounding areas.


Haarlem Grote Markt / Main Square

I got a pretty late start so by the time I left Haarlem, en-route to Delft, I wasn’t sure if anything would be open. I really wanted to go to a Delft-ware painting factory, but unfortunately, by the time I got there, it was dark and after 5pm on a Sunday. I began my journey toward the Centrum anyway thinking maybe a few things would still be open, but everything was closed. Determined to get at least a little insight into the culture in Delft, I found a local bar and restaurant that, among the deserted shops lining the canals, looked pretty happening. I sat and ate (more) soup – I have been eating a lot of soup – and enjoyed a glass of white wine while observing the locals. My stay was short since I didn’t want to have to catch the train back to Amsterdam too late – and I was so exhausted by around 7pm. I (barely) managed to keep my eyes open for the 50 minute train ride back to A’Dam!

The only picture I took of Delft...

Oh and as promised, here are some of my room:

Living area

Dining area with "complementary" beverages