Random Ramblings

Hello, all!! The day is winding down here. It's almost 5pm here, and twilight is in full swing. It's dark as night here by 5:30 on a clear day like today. Back during the 2 weeks of overcast cloud cover, it was easily "night" by quarter to 5!! And it doesn't get light in the morning until close to 9am. We're talking short days people. But the upside of that is of course long days in the summer. But that's too far away to think about now.
I made my official... perhaps it would be called my "coming out" party in Amsterdam recently. You know how small hotel rooms are, right? Well, I take a morning shower after I go down to where breakfast is served. I have my clothes laid out on the bed so I can watch "The A-Team" or some other American '80's show as I dry off and get dressed. Well, the towel hits the bed as I look out the window checking the weather. I glance across the street at the "Fit 2 Fit" (Amsterdam's version of Bally's) and there are several young women in the aerobic class at their window waving and applauding. I look at them and wonder "What are they doing?" Yeah, I know I'm pretty slow sometimes. A "ding" goes off in my head (no pun intended), then I grab a pillow to hide the show's "star" and slither behind the curtain. Well they're still enjoying themselves over there, so I step out and take a bow still clutching that pillow! So, I now realize I'm living in closer quarters than I'm used to. Curtains open for light should be done judiciously!! I've been told that people have seen and been seen in several stages of undress. I'm just happy it was a women's aerobic class, and they were waving and clapping and not pointing and laughing!!
Went out on the street today as I usually do. Most of you I believe, would have difficulty navigating a bicycle down these narrow streets let alone your cars. There is so much more to occupy your mind. Cars, bikes, scooters, pedestrians, workers, and spaces are all tighter. Being aware of your environment is key especially when you are new here. You gotta be "Jason Bourne"... knowing how many "moving elements", direction of travel, speed, are they walking (can they stop fast), biking (harder to alter course or stop), on a scooter (you'll get knocked down and scrapped up), or in a car (your ass is a speed bump). Then you have stores you want to check out, wind you have to deal with, pigeons (swine pigeon! - - for those familiar with Inspector Cleuseau), parked bikes in your way...it can be an obstacle course out there! Space is at a premium here, and you come to understand that everywhere. The streets are narrow. Parking is narrow. Most restaurants and many stores are about 5 feet wide and 50 feet long. They have washer-dryer combos and conventional microwave oven combos. No, not two small ones side-by-side. One, that does both. And while I have not used them yet, I think I can get a tube sock in one of their teeny-tiny clothes washers and cook a vienna sausage in the oven. Okay, it's not that bad, but things are on the reduced side here. It's cool. Yet another experience, discovery, adjustment to be had.
Speaking of breakfast earlier....they ask you for your room number and then have you sign something so it will end up on your bill. Well, one morning a man, and I'll use that term loosely, was on duty in the breakfast room, tending to the buffet, tables, and silverware. As soon as I hit the door he asked me for my room number in quite an unusual voice and manner (think Chris Kattan as "Mango" on SNL). A few minutes later as I had both hands full with a plate of food and glass of juice, he cleared an area of food at the pastries and asked me to sign the slip of paper. I asked if he could bring it to the table (as others had done) once I put my food down. I never heard such a big sigh followed by a robust (but squeeky) "Whatever" with Miss Thang attitude!!! There's this guy on Tyra Banks Next Top Model that Radhika watches (and yes I confess to sitting with her on occasion when I have already clipped my toe and fingernails and didn't get involved in anything else fast enough). They call him, I believe, Miss J? That was this dude, only he was white and Dutch. That's another thing you learn quickly over here...service is...different. I mentioned that in a previous post, so I won't rehash (no pun intended...I haven't "hashed" yet, so I can't rehash...oh never mind...this is Vince's territory). We ate at Hard Rock a couple of nights ago, and we were overwhelmed by the server asking us what seemed like every 45 seconds in a high, lilty voice "Is everything okay here???". After 2 weeks of Dutch restaurant service, we had become accustomed to seeing tumbleweeds roll by before we would see a server! I half expect to see skeletons in restaurants sometimes, still sitting at their table waiting to be served (the REAL bony, dry skeletons) or for their check (skeletons with a little meat still left on their bones). Radhika actually saw a hair push it's way through my scalp, turn gray, and fall out at the pizza place down the street between drinks and the meal.
Well, that's it for now. I'll try to remember the bank story, and finish up the apartment story next time.