Saturday: A day off in Amsterdam.....

Saturday couldn't come quick enough this week... I arrived back late on the sunday from Berlin, then worked all week and really missed my weekend long lies. By saturday... all I could do was collapse in bed.... get up late.... and catch up on washing. There's next to nothing in the house that would let me construct a decent meal, so a phone call from the Bulgarian Bride with an invite to dinner is very welcomed when it comes. It always feels like being with family when I'm over at Diemen, so it's a good place to relax.

After Berlin, I've decided that I need to see more of the Netherlands and do a bit more than sleep, drink and eat in Amsterdam. Given that Mowgli is coming over and we'll be a bit more active than my current circles of drinkers, I go shopping.

I buy..



....because the good weather has started and I want to start mixing my heallthy living with getting out and about and doing some stuff.....



......because I have spent very little time outside of Amsterdam in my four years in this country, and I want to start being a tourist at the weekends a little bit more...



..... because I'm spending 2 weeks there in July for 3 conferences I have... 2 of these will be on my own, so it will make it more enjoyable if I can do a bit of sight seeing..

Once I have a bag full of books, I take off along the Amstel to make my way to diemen.... I am jumping over speed bumps and grooving out to The Colour and the Shape:



The sun is shining and I am wearing shorts, (fake)Oaklay's and a pearl jam T-Shirt... I'm in a great mood and take some pictures of the scenery in preparation for going a bit of a road trip tomorrow...













I like the road to Diemen.. it's straight and peaceful, and I can sing as I cycle without attracting so many looks....






Diemen itself is beautiful too.... I'm in a great mood, and a heron on a tree by the river makes me stop to take some photos....










Dinner is wonderful as always and we celebrate the good weather with the usual array of Bulgarian salads.... I can't wait till I get the real thing in Bansko in a week or so....

We watch the Magdaline Sisters before it;s time to go home:



It's cool to be cycling home in shorts when it;s dark and there''s a cool summer breeze keeping you awake in the early hours of the morning...

I make it home really late.....

.....Leka Nosh......