Foodies, Trams, and Photos


This is my street, which, like all of Amsterdam, seems to be under construction. The church at the end is Westerkerk, and it’s right next to Anne Frank’s house. 


I’m really enjoying the new neighborhood, which is more residential and diverse than where I was last year. I keep finding treasures like little take-out shops with Algerian food or Turkish bakeries. I had a wonderful visit with my cousin Malinda from Brussels, and it was definitely a foodie visit. The first night we went to an Indonesian food, and I finally figured out how to order right – avoid the enormous rijstaffel, because everything starts to taste the same after the third little dish. and order a la carte. We had fragrant beef with creamy coconut sauce and eggplant with chili. The next night we went to my favorite Dutch restaurant for stamppot or stew; the restaurant is two tiny rooms crammed with bookshelves and board games. What’s not to like? Finally, yesterday, we went to the market and stopped at Papeneiland for apple pie. I do love the tiny Dutch bars and restaurants; they feel cozy!

We had quite a few adventures on public transport, as I usually walk in Amsterdam. One of the tram lines near the apartment changed over the summer, and my map didn't show the new route, which complicated matters, and there was the time I jumped off and Malinda rode to the next stop! So many of the streets are narrow or cut off by canals that public transport can't be run along them, and we often had to walk quite a distance from stops to our destinations.
 
J I do more than eat! We also went to Huis Marseille, a photography museum in an old canal mansion. I’ve heard a great deal about contemporary Dutch photographer Koos Breukel, and he had an exhibit there. All the photos were of his son at various ages of his life. One is attached. I was fascinated by the way the photographer captured his son’s emotions through light, distance, and color. My favorite image was one of the son as a young boy; it was all in dark brown tones like a Rembrandt. 


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