We meet on Rembrandtplein once again.
Although Moldova tells us she has only been on a bike about 4 times in her life, our Amsterdamness dictates that we at least have to try to do a bike tour. We have a few practices on Rembrandtplein. It's quite funny, teaching someone to cycle. Running along holding the saddle while the person shouts "Don't let go!!" I think this is the first time I've done this with an adult.
We wander through the canals to pick up my spare bike. We walk along the Prinsengracht and get a few photos of the bridges and canals:
Autumn is starting to arrive in the trees, and the sun gives Amsterdam a nice glow.
We pick up he bike, and Moldova practices in a small street. It's going to be interesting.
We are going to head for Museumplein. The Rijksmuseum is closed, but it is such a nice day that I think this is a good area of Amsterdam to see. On the way, Moldova takes crashes into about three Amsterdammertjes:
Following this, she nearly crashes into another cyclist, and I get more an more worried that she is going to cycle into the canal, so I decide, that maybe her dreams of winning the Tour De France are over. By the time we get to the busy, Stadthouderskade, we are walking and wheeling the bikes.
We finally land on Museumplein:
It's such a nice day, and there's lots of people enjoying the last of the year's good weather. From here, I'm able to point out some tourist attractions to Moldova:
Van Gogh Museum:
Rijksmuseum:
Concert Gebouw:
We sit and chin wag for a while, and have some drinks to ease our parched throats. We continue to laugh and joke about various things - Expaynsive Payens, Gurrrls - and generally have a good giggle.
We have decided that since The Kiwi has been to the Van Gogh museum twice already this month and that the Rijksmuseum is closed, that we are going to opt for street culture rather than traditional culture.
We have decided to ditch the bikes. We leave them at Museumplein and head for Leidseplein(or Led Zeppelin for the Nederlanderly impaired). It may be the cycling, it may be the weather, or it may be that we didn't have enough porridge for Breakfast, but an overwhelming hunger has struck us.
We stop off for a Hamburger at an Irish bar. The service is terrible and everything seems to take ages to arrive. The weather seems to have caused a mini tourist season for the weekend, and much hilarity is caused by the grumpiness of the Waitresses and their annoyance at having to wear Halloween costumes:
It's getting late in the afternoon, and The Kiwi has started on the Duvels. The phone calls start to be made to plan the evenings activities. Two friends have already joined us, and we have various options. People seem to be congregating at Susies saloon, so we decide to walk along through Leidseplein to there for another night of drinks and merriment.
When we arrive, it's clear that our co-drinkers have already contirbuted significant money to the bar's takings. We have a Kiwi girl, Dagenham Dave and a congregation of Danish people. It's wonderful to be sitting outside when it is nearly November. One of the Dane's is actually Macedonian. He has a little russian which he tries out on Moldova. She later tells me that she can't understand him. He doesn't speak any english, and the danes tell me that his Danish isn't that hot. The Kiwi however has found a new alcohol enhanced linguistic fortitude, and communicates with him all night. They both appear to be unaware that the other doesn't speak their language. It's another good night of laughs and jokes, and Moldova seems to be relaxing into Amsterdam life.
When it comes to walking Moldova to her tram, I decide to call it a night and take a tram home myself. The only adventure left for the night are a group of drunk russians outside my flat who I have a drunken conversation with in Russian. We are 10 minutes into the conversation before I realise they speak english and I can stop using my russian; Koshka(Cat), Dobri Utro(Good Morning), Dos Vedanya(Goodbye), Koreata(Cool).
доброй ночи
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