First there is the sunshine. Then comes the snow. Back at home I imagine the daffodils are not happy.
Yet where we are this week, the tulips seem fine. There they are, where they are meant to be. Because the chief and I are in Amsterdam.
It is a short break, but a welcome one. It is the first trip abroad we have made together since the lockdowns began.
Venice of the North
And so we find ourselves in the Venice of the North, With its network of canals and historic gabled houses, you can walk for miles and not be bored.
We wander narrow winding streets; buckets of cut tulips for sale on every corner; hundreds more just about to burst into flower in large pavements tubs.
This city is a place of contrasts; pretty shrubs shooting up by walls of grafitti; a risqué museum next to a homely pancake parlour.
Then it all seems so quiet for a city. Because here cars are discouraged. Unlike the humble bicycle.
Rules of pedal power
Here thousands of push bikes are placed at strategic points. You hop on at one place and leave it at another.
As far as I know, some rides are free. Yet, if you opt for pedal power there are rules to abide by.
Like not using a mobile whilst on the move. Like having a bell, or a horn. And, importantly, it is forbidden to ride a bike whilst drunk or stoned.
On that subject, the place does have a whiff of marijuana about it. Or at least that’s what we think the smell is.
Because, let’s face it, it has been so long since student days – and even then, neither of us could really be bothered with that sort of thing.
The Van Gogh museum
What we can understand, though, is the excellent Van Gogh museum where we view the famous ‘Sunflowers’.
Well, one of them. Because this prolific Dutch artist created five different variations of that particular painting.
Vincent may have been a deeply depressed man, but his bright yellow and orange colours are cheering. Unlike the weather which is cold and sleety.
We hear it is the same back at home. Where, apparently, the MacNaughties are having a rare old time.
They are being cared for by our daughter who is holding the fort along with her uncle, my brother.
Bennie the terrible terrier
Both have volunteered to mind doggies and keep an eye on granny – and texts tell us all goes well.
Apart from a chewed sitting room rug. Bennie, my naughty Norfolk is still living up to his terrible terrier tag.
They are all missed, but it is good to be away. We eat sweet waffles and snack on small meaty bitterballen.
‘Stamppot’, meanwhile, a mix of fried mashed potato, vegetables and cheese, is rather like our own rumbledethumps.
Going on for a million people live in the centre of Amsterdam, but the influx of tourists make it a very busy place, even in early April.
All those bikes. All those people. The doggies would be very confused…
