Farewell to Ilmington and Hello to Amsterdam

Well we were up way earlier than usual this morning and it was below freezing and the car windows were solid ice!  We finished putting everything in the car and were pulling out of the courtyard at 7:20 AM.  Neither one of us had much to say this morning and I know we were both very sad to be leaving.

We had not driven north very far before so the Birmingham airport was a new destination for us and we needed to return the rental car.  We were able to find it with little trouble and unloaded all our "stuff" from the car...2 large pieces, 2 carry on size pieces, I had a purse and another bag full of things I bought and Kay had a big purse and a coat.  The guy comes and inspects the car and tells us we need to walk to the airport because the bus isn't running yet....we look at each other and laugh.  Okey dokey then.  So off we go in 25 degrees with the wind blowing about 20 mph with all this junk across cobblestone type streets for what was actually about 3 blocks before we could duck inside and gasp for warm air and a chair!  The KLM counter was practically empty and for some reason when I tried to use the kiosk to register my luggage it wouldn't give me the option (oh no) so I went to the counter.  I checked both my bags and the carry on size was almost at the end of the conveyor belt when Kay yelled to stop it because her carry on was overweight.  KLM has a weight limit on carry on bags and tags everything you take on the plane.  My girl stops the belt and brings my bag back.  Kay is frantic and trying to find things that will fit in my bag which is expanded as far as it will go.  We put a few more things in and actually get my bag zipped but she is still over the limit and trying to find things she can throw away....the girl who did my things was trying not to laugh.  We finally get all of this done and look for a place to have some breakfast...we are exhausted from being up so early, walking half of our step goal before breakfast in the cold and wind and stress.  We stop at Costa Coffee which is to England what Starbucks is to America although there are a couple Starbucks here but not nearly like at home.  I got coffee and Kay had tea and we were able to regroup although Shrekie was still a bit stressed.

The airports here are strange in that you are not given a gate number when you check in.  They are big on queues here so they have big boards with the flight numbers (after you go through security) that are listed by departure times and they tell you how long you will stay in this area before a gate assignment is issued.  There are seats here and it is in the middle of the shopping area (imagine that).
Within a few minutes of the time boarding is due to start, the gate number is put on the board and everyone races to the gate.  Again, another thing that is different is that when you get to the gate, it is not open but sealed off.  They scan your boarding pass and check passports as you go in so when they begin boarding, that is already done.  Once you are in this area, you are not permitted to leave.  Kay and I both upgraded to economy comfort for $6...you can't beat that but found it amusing when we did board that all but one of the other seats were empty...nobody wanted to pay the $6?  Interesting.  Anyway, it was just a bit over an hour flight and we were off on time and the announcements were in Dutch first then English.  It was a beautiful day when we left England albeit cold but weather in Amsterdam the pilot said is about the same temperature but scattered showers.

I was very excited to see the tulips fields from the air as we approached although the pilot said it was the North Sea below us while we circled a couple times...still fun as I could see the wind turbines in the water just off shore.  When we got off I couldn't believe how crowded this airport was...yikes!  First we were parked on the tarmac and bused to the terminal.  We walked what seemed like miles to get to baggage claim to get our bags then more to find the taxi service we made used for our reservation.  Again, we wait in a queue for the driver to come in and call for us.  When he does Kay realizes that she can't find her tablet...she is in a panic and the driver says he will wait.  When she leaves I start going through things and found it....Shrekie has issues with misplacing things but all turned out well this time.  We finally get on the road and I see my first real windmill and then a canal!  My camera was packed in Kay's carry on so most of the photos from the flight were on my phone and I posted on Instagram.

We are staying in the city of Haarlem which is just outside of Amsterdam proper about a 10 minute drive from the airport.  The driver pulls up and gets our things out of the van and Kay says we need to walk to the hotel from here which is around the corner.  The streets are again cobblestone or brick with several curbs and luggage just doesn't roll that well over these surfaces dodging bicycles that are speeding at you and crowded sidewalks.  She was correct and it was very close...thank heavens!  We got checked in and got to our room and after our cottage with each of us having a separate room it seems like we are in a tiny box!  It really is a standard "European" hotel room.  They don't have hotels here with two queen sized beds...it is two singles.  We get settled and the clerk down at the desk gave us a map and explained the activities that were happening this weekend since this is their Flower Festival.  Tonight is the flower parade which is like the Rose parade in CA in that the floats are all made from flowers.  We walked around and took bunches of photos as I was taking it all in since this is my first time here.  It is so different from England and you really have to watch out for the bicycles as they ride fast!  They ride their children in ones with carts and we saw a dog too in one.

It's not a cruise ship cabin!

No one here eats early but the place was full by the time we left.

There was a party in the tables outside where this went...hardy bunch sitting outside in the cold.

The ceiling in our hotel atrium

The bridges are fascinating and they have traffic lights!

Another 3 wheeler Dave but I don't think this one is a Morgan!

Teller machine

Ratouille.....the original?

Weighted bridge

My favorite bicycle so far

We were hungry so decided on a place near the hotel called Toujours and what a great choice it was.  Most menus here are in Dutch...if you stare at them long enough you may get the gist of what it is...but then maybe not but our wait staff was so much fun and were so impressed with out choices...Bitterballen for an appetizer...I explained we had it in Aruba and loved it, then wine (we bought a glass each first, then a bottle) and we got the steak which was called a "roast".  We also had bread with herb butter and everything we had was soooo good.  We were starving since we hadn't eaten since the airport in Birmingham.  We took the remains of dinner and the balance left in the wine bottle back to the room...did a pit stop and then went out to explore some more before the parade was due to arrive a few streets from the hotel.  It was cold and was sprinkling rain off and on so we decided to stop in a tea room that was on the parade route and get some hot chocolate and a waffle with strawberries and cream...OMG...it was soooo good!  By the time we finished the parade was starting.  We enjoyed it even if we did get wet and it was cold.  The smell from the floats was amazing even if we were not exactly sure what the theme was or what it meant.  The parade route was packed with people.  We stayed until the end then walked along the water back to the hotel.

It was a long, long day and we were both so tired but it was so much fun.  I also had the added thrill and excitement of being somewhere new for the first time.  We weathered the storm and managed to get from England to Amsterdam so well done us!