Dennis, Seriously

The first day we were here our snug little two story concierge hotel was almost lifted off its foundation by the winds of a winter storm blowing in from the North Sea.

Last night, same thing. Except this time, we know the storm's name: Dennis. 

During the night Dennis screamed and hammered against our windows, yammered and yowled louder than the drunks exiting the "brown bar" across the way, but had quietened down enough by this morning that we could walk to the National Maritime Museum and arrive not completely drowned like rats. 

In the photo above, Bruce is standing in the amazing inner courtyard of the museum. 

Ships' decorations. To me they are strongly reminiscent of fun-house figures.

These ones even more so.

With the weather continuing to threaten and the clock running on our iAmsterdam cards, we made a dash after lunch and saw two more museums: 1) the Canal Museum (Het Grachtenhuis) which very simply and clearly explained how it came to pass that A'dam had all these canals configured like concentric half circles ... turns out these decisions were all made in the 17th century (one early in the century, another in the middle and another late) to manage the city's exceptional growth during its Golden Age, and 2) the Cromhouthuizen, another fine old house used to display the fancy belongings of long-dead rich people. 

Just as we exited the Cromhouthuizen, the skies opened. We were half an hour on foot from our hotel, with no good alternative but to walk in the soaking rain and driving wind. 

But, it is just fine to arrive like a drowned rat to one's snug hotel room with nothing to do but get into some dry clothes, drink the beer we just bought at the Albert Heijn store and maybe heat a pizza if I can figure out the European oven ...

It's been a great vacation so far.

Thanks for reading!

Karen

Travel tip: "Bonne Femme" is a
Dutch side dish translated on English
menus as "potatoes with three kinds
of carrot" but they really mean
"potatoes with carrots, green beans
and mushrooms." Just a heads up.

Ship decoration:
crabby sock puppet