Packing Up

We are now in the midst of saying our goodbyes and packing up. I'm feeling the excitment, finally. My last day in work was last Friday. What a feeling it is to throw out all the crap I've collected in my drawers over the last three years. I didn't even mind giving back my iPhone, not even a little bit. I said my goodbyes to my desk and a few of us headed to Hannekes Boom, a lovely bar close to Amsterdam Centraal station. It looks over the water with a fabulous view of the old customs house and the Nemo Science musuem. Safe to say we didn't recognise the one that was one too many but I do recall saying to someone at some stage that this was the 'tipping point'. It was.

The Saturday night was himselfs going away drinks; a house party. I was seriously struggling from the night before but I made a good go of it. I managed to stay awake and functioning until 3. Although, I do admit I was found around this time curled into a sleepy little ball on the couch cuddling my iPad. I have to say that I admire the way the Dutch think about the gifts they give. Basically, 'the boys' came up with giving himself a care package; a Munich survival kit. He got good Dutch cheese, Utrechtse brewed beers along with a Munich guide book and a first aid kit. I can't imagine Irish men being that thoughtful. Although saying that, they did give him a Playboy and some wet wipes. Boys will be boys I suppose.

Sunday we went cycling over to the pancake house to sure our hangover. The area there, Rhijnauwen, is beautiful and covered in bunkers from both world wars. Himself said the area was an important strategic point to defend from the Germans and that all the bunkers were built here with the Rhijnauwen river acting a natural barrier. It's quite a spectacular place and just twenty minutes cycling outside of Utrecht. It was also nice to just be outside near some nature and animals. Amsterdam is covered in green parks but nothing beats the actual countryside. We were able to cycle past fields of cows and sheep. At one point we stopped to take a picture of sheep walking in single file along a stream. We were talking about how if one sheep gets an idea to do something the rest of them will do the same. Although, being a sheep, you wouldn't get ideas very often so if one of them did think of something, you'd do it like.

Happy in Holland

Myself and himself are leaving Holland in ten days. Confirmed. We'll both head to Munich where he'll stay for 7 months and I'll go on my way from there. This countdown period is killing me. I've been saying lately that I wish leaving day was either tomorrow or three months away. One or the other. 

But the plan is to come back to Holland, specifically Amsterdam. I'm not done with the place yet and i feel sad leaving. The last couple of weeks has seen me show a couple of visitors around the place and that always makes you look at it in a different way. Even himself, who's Dutch, said so after giving some Irish friends of mine a cycling tour of the city. Amsterdam is just one of those places with a particular personality. I find it hard to put my finger on it. It's super relaxed and there's always something to do. Actually, it's the kind of place that no matter what you do you are missing out on something. Which makes paying the expensive rent annoying because you're never in the fecking house. 

To give you a taste of what I'm talking about, I made a list below of the nice things I've been up to the last couple of weeks. 

Pluk de nacht

Twice this week I've made a visit to this special little outdoor film festival. It was named as one of the top ten outdoor cinemas in Europe, right behind a hot-tub cinema in London, I think. But then, it would be tough enough to beat a hot-tub cinema. Both times I hadn't a clue what was on the agenda but it hardly mattered. Thursday evening we turned up at 7.30 to get a place with our reserved deck chairs even though the movies don't start til the sun goes down. No matter. You can bring your own food and drinks and chat away in a lovely, lively atmosphere. They play great independent movies, let you play interactive games on screen and with the crowd and even have a bllind-date, two person deck chair. Bliss. 

De parade

Tough one to explain. It's a pretty random, circus-like, theatre festival with a lot of alcohol, good food and music. Oh and not to mention a silent disco. The entry is a pricey 15eur but you won't regret it. Even if you don't attend the many little short performances you will soak up the lively atmosphere in Martin Luther King park on the Amstel. 

Cocktails at the beach

In Holland, if you are lucky enough to get a few good days of beach worthy weather then by all means, go. Dutch beaches are great. The best ones, I think, are more to the north but require time and effort to get to. After a long day at work, I would suggest catching the train from Amsterdam Centraal out to Zandvoort (30 mins at the most) and setting up base at one of the many, many bars there. We sat from 7 til well after the sun went down and even had a paddle in the cold sea.

Pancakes 

Having a Dutch boyfriend, I have the luxury of spending some quality time with a real-life Dutch family in their natural habitat. This weekend I went along to the birthday celebration of my boyfriends grandmother, congratulating not just her but the whole family on her new age. Yeah, I don't get it either. Anyway, we went to a beautiful little pancake house, 'Theehuis Rijnauwen', in the Utrechtse countryside just outside Utrecht. We sat bravely out under a watery sky and watched as people went by on the river in their kayaks. Gezellig. 

BBQ in the park

Doesn't require much explanation. Pick a park, get yourself a disposable BBQ, some snacks and beers and call some friends. Done. 

Multiple boat rides on the canals

The best way to enjoy Amsterdam is from the water. The city seems even more relaxed and beautiful from this perspective. Twice now I've booked an electrical powered boat, max 6 people, to spend a couple of hours. In one word; fabulous.

Festivals 

A colleague of mine read to me the other day from a newspaper; 'Amsterdam's level of festivals has stabilized for the first time in 4 years.' Yup, that's what it said. Not the economy or house prices or crime levels. There were 4 dance festivals alone in Amsterdam last weekend. Myself and herself went to 'Loveland' and were probably the only ones in attendance not under chemical influence. That was fine, we danced ourselves silly for 6 hours in a row on top of swimming pool to Fedde le Grand and DJ Sasha. That's how we roll. 

The above make my decision to return after my travels easy. I do love Ireland but Amsterdam, and indeed Holland, is a special place. I'll be here for a while yet.

...but let's see how things pan out because you never know after all...