I’m older than I’ve ever been before!

Posted on by ghotiindustries

I had a birthday. You don’t really need to know which one. But I did.

This is the first year I’ve ever had a Summer birthday though! I decided to celebrate this fact by lazing around on the balcony in the sun-shine, and having take out Thai food

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with some expensive champagne. Himself indulged the occasion in my honour with some expensive whisky.

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Followed by some cheesey movies (Cowboys and Aliens followed by Tourist), for a Friday night, it was everything I wanted to do.

Saturday I was spoilt! After a day out (which is an entire post all on it’s own and is still being structured), we ended up at the Bar Americain

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to have some cocktails and collect ourselves.

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After some discussion we decided that the place we needed to be was the Whisky Café. So that was where we headed.

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They have a tasting menu where you get to try three different whiskys that have something in common. Either area, distillery … we went for the Whisky Appreciation Society selection and fell in love with the first one. So then we each had one of it. (It was an 11 year old Auchentoshan, very delicate, evaporated on your tongue with subtle notes of chocolate …)

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Damn this makes it look like all we did was drink! I swear this will be rectified in the next post!

One of the best birthdays I’ve had in years. Thank you Himself, for making it so memorable, and so wonderful. I love you so much! *hugs you tight*

Himself had a birthday

Posted on by ghotiindustries

Himself had a birthday. We decided that in honour of this occasion, we would go somewhere we hadn’t been yet; Leidseplein!

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With a high concentration of bars, pubs, clubs, and cafes, we knew we’d be sure to find something that suited us.

The first place that had looked likely in an online search provided us with pre-dinner drinks.

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Not the cocktails we were hoping for, but it was the poor nervous barmans first night on the job and he was a touch clueless. Sweet, but clueless. By the way, that is how you get mixed drinks in Amsterdam. If you’re lucky it’s the liquor (vodka) in one glass and a bottle of what you decide to mix it with. If you’re unlucky it’s a glass of each. They turn up as 4 separate items on the receipt too!

We were the only patron in that bar and it was 8:30. It was also a Tuesday night. We shuffled on.

ambling up the road a bit we stumbled across an Italian Trattoria. You’d think after Leichhardt we would have had enough Italian food, but in we went. Himself likes Italian!

We began with a wine selection

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Then antipasto

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Followed by calamari fritti

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And as usual, we were too busy eating it to get a photo of the veal saltimbocca. (Veal with prosciutto and cheese) Trust me, it was delicious.

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We were the third couple in there. Of the other two, one were English tourists, and the other were American tourists, and as we were leaving another group of Americans came in for pizza.

The two staff who were on seemed very taken with the fact that we were practicing our overly rusty Italian on them. We all had fun. 🙂

The fountain outside hotel Americana puts on a good show too.

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Then it was time to take in the final sights as we waited for the tram to take us home.

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Thank you Leidseplein, it was a truly lovely evening.

And happy Birthday Himself. May the adventures only continue My Love. *smoochies*

5 Mei – Liberation Day

Posted on by ghotiindustries

As Himself and I wandered into our new favourite café,

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we were informed that today is a Red Letter Day in the Dutch calendar. Liberation Day. Something to celebrate!

Some singers began what was obviously a traditional tune, and I have never so much wanted to instantly know the language as I did then. I hope to have it figured out in time for next year!

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On the advice of our charming waitress we headed into the Dam where the Royal family had been just yesterday paying their respects, and presiding over the 2 minutes silence at 8pm for Rememberance of the Dead. But today there was bands and music and celebration!

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This is the Palace. Now that the Fair Rides have gone I could finally get a better shot of it! I love the gilded horns of the unicorns.

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At the other end of Dam Square is the National Monument.

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Flowers at the base,

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and the Royal Tribute.

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As much as I’ll probably always hold ANZAC Day dear (I’ve known too many fighters not to), there is something very different about being able to celebrate no longer being an occupied territory.

Happy Koninginnedag!!!

Posted on by ghotiindustries

I know it was a few days ago now, but I thought I’d share a little local colour with you! And that colour, was Orange.

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On Queen’s Day every year, everyone gets their orange on and hits the streets to celebrate Queen Beatrix’s Birthday. Though Queen Beatrix was born on 31 January, the holiday is observed on 30 April as it was the birthday of her mother and predecessor, Juliana. (Follow the link above for more information)

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We stayed to the Centrum given where we began from and the fact that not only were we on foot, but the entirety of the public transport system was not operational owing to the sheer magnitude of people that converge on the city centre.

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I actually wish we’d been closer to Vondel Park and the activities there, or that crossing Amsterdam on foot to get there wasn’t such an epic journey through the crowds.

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But we had a LOT of fun watching the party boats on the canals!

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I’d love to be on a boat next year! Just ambling our way around waving at everyone. Or dancing our way around the canals.

It was all so loud, and the City such a mess (I have to get used to outdoor urinals I guess) that it was kind of a relief to get home.

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You might want to turn the volume down on your speakers before pressing play on the video!

But still, I can say that we have partied our first Queens Day! Happy Koninginnedag everyone!!!

As an interesting side fact, there were 100,000 LESS people in Amsterdam for Queen’s Day than there were last year!

Birthdays!

Posted on by ghotiindustries

Birthdays are so much fun! Especially when Grandma pulls out all the stops and bakes you a “fantasy castle”!

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Himself bravely ventured a piece of a step, and I just valiantly cheered him on from the sidelines. The kids made great in-roads though!

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The weather which had been amazing turned to this on the drive home …

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You can see how 75% of NSW was underwater. The equivalent of the size of France!

Arriving home to my new yarn did me no end of good though!

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I feel like I have been waiting forever for this to come to a local shop near me! I guess it’s only been a few years though … I can’t wait to play!!! Now, which socks shall I make with them?