I’m back from a hectic trip to the Lowlands which was absolutely draining and I’m still recovering from all the stress and lack of sleep. Friday AS. and I left at 07.45 to go and pick up the van, we had to be there at 08.00. About half an hour later we were on our way to the tunnel where we arrived way too early [10:50]. That wasn’t an issue because we could take an earlier train since the ticket was a so called ‘Flexi Plus’ ticket which gives you priority check-in on the next available train…

People just pitch up normally and see if there is a spot available and since the train is hardly ever fully booked it’s quite easy to get a spot. We took the first train which would leave at 10.39 which seems like a long time to wait but they start loading the train 15 minutes before departure and everything is slightly rushed in a way. The system is brilliant and within 15 minutes from loading point the train will leave exactly on time and it only takes about 35 minutes to get to the other end.

We arrived in Calais – France at 12.10 and had to go to Antwerpen via Brugge and Gent, from there Breda, Utrecht, Amsterdam which would’ve taken about 4.5 hours at the most, if we would’ve been earlier that is. I’d totally forgotten that it was Friday afternoon, so first of all it was Friday-before-the-weekend rush hour and secondly there was way too much truck traffic on a four-lane road which goes all the way from Calais to Antwerpen. While their speed limit is mostly between 80 and 110 k/h there is no point in overtaking one another on a busy road.

But they did… and each time they did, it would cause cars to queue up in the left lane, because it takes them about 15 minutes to overtake. I’m sorry but I’m missing the point of doing that and holding up all other traffic. If there would’ve been a third lane, yes, go for it… but this doesn’t make sense to me. By the time we were near Gent we were stuck in solid traffic jams all the way to the North of Antwerpen and again between Breda and Utrecht. So we arrived at the storage in Amsterdam 1.5 hours later than planned at 19.30.

AS. and I started to load the van straight away, later joined by TH. and CH., the job was done in 1.5 hours. We went to CH.’s place to unwind and have dinner: a lovely meal of smoked eel and salmon, salmon potato salad, shrimps, fresh bread and of course herring: I only had six of them that evening *hehe*. The next day CH. and I went shopping for all the stuff that I can’t get in the UK. CH. bought me a really cool gift: a Moleskine City notebook [I collect cool notebooks], something I’ve had an eye on for ages but it’s quite expensive.

View Korte Prinsengracht, in the distance the Westertoren

View Herengracht taken from Brouwersgracht

It was a lovely day to go for a stroll around the city and this time I didn’t leave without taking some pictures for a special someone. I had to go to my favourite shop to get some tiny things there: de Hema… I’ve never had such great service as to this day and I wasn’t the only one who noticed, then again at the Xenos where I had to look for some cooking equipment I got the same excellent service. Thank you people for making my day when I was in a rush to get all the things that I needed, you’ve been fantastic: I left both places with a huge grin on my face!

A typical Dutch street organ

My favourite shop, they might come to the UK *yay!*

CH. and I had a drink at a coffee place next to the famous Flower Market enjoying the view and making fun of tourists. While we walked back home [we had walked around for five hours], we passed a church where they’d organised an antique market so we went in to have a look. Some of the stuff, that was for sale for ridiculous prices, is still to be found in my mums cupboards… I think I will go over some day and ask her if I could have some pieces, not to sell but to use it, she still has some Chinese crockery: rice bowls, spoons. All collecting dust…

The Flower Market: flowers [and bulbs] for special tourist prices: waaaaaaaay to expensive!

Having a hot chocolate and a ham/cheese tostie

We went out for a meal that evening at the Northern Star, a typical Amsterdam cafe which serves Dutch pub grub. The next morning we left at 08:15 and drove all the way to the Belgium border in one go where we took a 10 minutes break and hit the road again to Calais where we took the 12:50 train. We arrived at the storage in the UK at exactly 15.30 and got help from DB. and LB. JM.’s two sons. All was done an hour and a half later. Unfortunately when we went to fill up the tank, AS. dented/scratched the brand new van when he hit a low wall that was impossible to see.

Typical Amsterdam cafe

Typical Amsterdam cafe, I don’t drink cat piss beer but this was nice *hehe*

It will cost him the deposit, however the storage guy said it was his second van that was damaged by that same wall so he’s going to have a word with the owner of the petrol station. It’s been a hectic three days and I’m busy again working on a freelance assignment involving Flash at the mo that needs to be done by the end of this week so I won’t have much time to post on here. I’ll be busy over the weekend sorting out boxes and throwing out stuff that I no longer need. I need some structure in this chaos! How’s yours?

Parallel to Dubbeleworststeeg [Double Sausage Alley: don’t you just love Dutch names? *hehe*]

The Royal Palace with Atlas carrying the Globe

Driekoningenstraat

The only street in Amsterdam where the lights have crowns…