Day 5 in Holland

After five wonderful days in Rotterdam today was the day to pack up my suitcase and move on to Amsterdam for the final three days of my trip.

There have been so many amazing moments. The long walks around the city, cooking in Lisa and Paolo’s postage stamp sized kitchen, meeting their friends during the Saturday afternoon gathering and sitting at the long kitchen table with the light streaming through the tall windows. Having some great food around the city, walking along the canals and over the Erasmus bridge and being doubled home on the back of Paolo’s bike late last night through the quiet streets are just some of my highlights. I will miss this place…

I had a few hours on my own this afternoon as Lisa and Paolo were teaching and so after packing my suitcase I decided to check out the cool little restaurant called the Van De Boer that is right down the street from the flat for my farewell lunch.

A beautiful space with simple tables and spare walls and a few well placed vases with blooming magnolia branches. The food was understated like the space, but so delicious, just the kind of simple lunch that makes me happy. A salad of lentils and beets with little cubes of fried potatoes and some crunchy butter lettuce lightly dressed in a herby, creamy dressing, topped with a pan seared fillet of whitefish and some julienned apple.

I emerged from the restaurant into the bright sunshine and relatively balmy temperatures and took my final walk around the city. It seems everyone was out and about on this sunny Sunday, riding bikes, walking hand in hand, taking up every outdoor seat at the cafes, drinking beers and chatting with friends.

Lisa and I caught the train to Amsterdam this evening and made our way to the little houseboat that will be home for the next few days. I can’t wait to start exploring tomorrow.

But now it is time for sleep.