Europe 2015: Amsterdam Day 4

Good Morning,

Today, Tuesday, May 5, 2015, we spent just laying around the apartment and relaxing. We did go out for lunch and got caught in a very wicked lightning and thunder storm. After finally getting to a restaurant that had space to accommodate three drenched rats we had an enjoyable lunch. I imagine the proprietors enjoy these storms as their business was bustling with people trying to get out of the storm.

A nice brew

Two wet vacationers having lunch at neighborhood pub

After lunch we stopped at a lovely cheese store and purchased some cheese, both for eating here and taking home. I purchased a nice sharp Gouda and Shirl got a Raklett to take home. They shrink wrapped the cheese for taking home.

This evening, while waiting for a local celebration concert to start we found a very nice small restaurant. Shirl had steak while I had pork wrapped in bacon. Both meals were served with roasted potatoes and baby carrots and asparagus. The food was excellent, in fact we will go back there on Thursday evening for our final meal here in Amsterdam.

After dinner we walked to where the concert was being held on the Amstel River, about two blocks from our apartment. Prince Wilhelm-Alexander and his wife attended in the open air as well as the past reigning monarch Beatrix, queen Julianna's daughter. The music vocals were a mix of English as well as Dutch and was beautiful to listen to.

Earlier in the day we walked around the area where the concert was going to be conducted and watched the staff prepare for the event. What astonished us was the fact we, as complete strangers, and one who is even carrying a back pack, was able to freely walk around the area and watch the staff prepare for the evening event. Back home we would never have been allowed to be within 4 blocks of such an event where the president would be attending. Things are certainly more open and trusting here than back home.

Bikes come in all sizes and types however we did not see any of the skinny type that is so common back home. Most of these looked like they had been around for many, many years.