Up early (well it felt early after the Gollum last night) at about 7 am for my favourite part of any trip and a traditional thing for me - an early morning walk around the Jordaan before breakfast, while the streets are deserted and the piles of dog shit are still fresh then back to the hotel for breakfast and posting my day 1 diary to you guys.
Then went back through the Jordaan looking for my favourite broodje shop for old cheese broodjes. It is most frustrating as I find it one year then totally fail the next in fact I have been known to find it one day and lose it the next! (dependent on Trappist beer consumption the night before) Anyway I located it first time today only to find it still closed whether it was late opening or they are on holiday I don't know so it might have to be a Broodje Bert to go tomorrow.
Off then in the usual cloudy threatening rain conditions to the back of CS to take the free ferry, something I haven't done in 40 years of visiting Amsterdam. As we went across (on the shortest crossing - I don't remember where to, or rather I did know but I have just got in from the Gollem and can't now remember) it started raining so it was a quick coffee on the other side then back to CS.
By now it was pouring down so I took the another of the ferries this time to IJplein together with four elderly, but very lively Geordie ladies who were trying to get to the recently moved Botel. Sad to say they were on the wrong ferry (thanks in part to my assistance) so with the sound of some North Eastern expletives ringing in my ears I went for yet another coffee at the kiosk at IJplein, the subject of a superb write up in the free paper today incidentally, while they went back on the same ferry to CS and thence hopefully to NDSM Island.
Back at CS the rain stopped so it was down to Rosmarinsteeg via a few bars to the stamp shops to get some elusive items for a couple of customers. Looking at Hotel Brouwer on the Singel en route (UKBL to note) looked OK but the Thai massage (and other services no doubt) right next door could cause problems when returning home pissed.
Further rain forced me to spend time in The Pilsener Club before returning to the hotel to change before heading out to eat. Chose the Pancake Bakery for some reason - I didn't like it last time and it was little better today.
Found myself sharing with a guy from Kansas City and his young daughter. Odd bloke, he didn't have a car and they didn't have a TV set (the little girl virtually laid bare the family history). He didn't let her have the toy gun that came as part of the gift with the 'police pancake' then told her to face the wall in silence for a minute for interrupting when he was speaking! Was glad when he left but I suppose it takes all sorts...
As always finished the evening in the Gollem - Surreal (Cyril) the barman was back with a black eye and cut cheek he had no memory of suffering (must have been on the Trappist) and spent the rest of the evening (until about 20 minutes ago) chatting to a Jewish guy from Detroit who bought a round and a spiritualist from Devon who didn't.
Am posting tonight instead of tomorrow as I am hoping to get an early train to Alkmaar and getting up after tonights beer consumption will not be easy.
I had hoped to start posting my 'daily graffiti sighting' again, I saw two excellent ones today but can't now remember either - will look again tomorrow.
Night all
Swins diary 2008 day 2 - 12th June
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Re: Swins diary 2008 day 2 - 12th June
Swin wrote:...an early morning walk around the Jordaan before breakfast, while the streets are deserted and the piles of dog shit are still fresh...
...
Looking at Hotel Brouwer on the Singel en route (UKBL to note) looked OK but the Thai massage (and other services no doubt) right next door could cause problems when returning home pissed.
...
Further rain forced me to spend time in The Pilsener Club before returning to the hotel to change before heading out to eat.
Fprced Piseners are the very worst!
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