Saturday, April 21, 2012

Day Trip To Amsterdam

I told the steps are crazy steep.


Market day in Leiden.  Vendors are lined up along the canal as far as you can see


 The Seagulls have a lot of action on market day too
 Angry Bird treats.  Some things are so universal
and fresh flowers for sale everywhere
 Diana and Judith think about a new purse


the other side of the canal
 Dave and Diana strop for a quick pix


Everyone has a bike.  The Dutch are thin, tall, and fit!  And bikes are zooming everywhere.  watch out!

 At the Leiden train station
 waiting for the train to Amsterdam.  And Diana finally with her Coke Lite
Made it here but it starts to rain.
a quick pix by the art museum
 couldn't convince the others to check this one out
 This looks like trouble. 
 Tapas Bar for lunch and get out of the rain.  A nice break.
Another great building

 The city center and people everywhere.   Sun is finally out for a while
 had to take the Heineken Experience


I told you the Dutch are tall.  The guys behind Diana must be 6-6.
 finally a chance to sample the beer. 
Diana and Cole heading back to the trains
 a block of gorgeous mansions
 The new Amsterdam Apple Store.  some things are just like the US.
at the city square
 finally on the bus back to the trains.   Cole wants to get back to Leiden to see the big soccer match.


We hooked back up with Jessica and Steve at "Church" to watch the big game. Steve looks good considering the last time I saw him.



 The big game.  Madrid wins over Barcelona 2-1.
 A final game of pool to end the night
 Judith shows her talent for cut-throat

I am just happy to still be standing after a day walking around Amsterdam



heading to Paris tomorrow.  If Dave and Diana can still walk.































Friday, April 20, 2012

First Full Day in Leiden

A good brunch to get things started

The three stories of wicked steps up to the flat
 leaving for the afternoon walk around town
 Cole and Judith ..too cute
 Dave and Diana with Pieterskerk in the background
 inside Pieterskerk
 the grand organ
 a wall plaque to John Robinson inside the cathedral
they are setting up for one heck of a baquet
 stunning architecture
 the original window at one end of the original church
 view down the main hall
 Dave and Diana
 these walls are much taller than they appear
 outside in the front court
 side view of the original church
 bronze plaque outside to John Robinson
 with Dave and Cole
 plaque on John Robinson's house across the courtyard from the church
 the house.   Door leads to a large courtyard
 leaving Pieterskerk
 doing some shopping
 Stephanie's kind of shop with Portmeirion everywhere
 Dave and Diana on one of many the cross bridges
 Diana and Judith too.
 the local cheese shop.
 we are having dinner here tonight
 Dad and Son take a shopping break
Back home at Cole and Judith's flat.  They have the top floor.










































Diana and Dave arrive in Holland

flying in to Amsterdam

 need a good coffee to wake up
 on the train to Leiden
 tulip fields
 Diana and Cole by a traditional wind mill
 walking to the kid's flat
 our guest room ... very nice
 and our view out our bedroom
 Cole and Judith

Dinner Time
 Our first escargot ...yummy



Jessica and Steve.  Studying in Leiden and there last day of class was today!

 A game of pool to relax after dinner

 a final nightcap and then home to get some rest

Good signs

The first thing to see from our driveway on the morning we were leaving















ready to role