The day had finally arrived...a 10 day visit from GreeMa!! On Tuesday, June 9th, we woke Ben up early from his nap to go pick up Mom Z from the airport. Look at how big those smiles are below!! Ben was over-the-moon thrilled to be seeing and hugging GreeMa in person, and I think GreeMa was equally excited. It was really precious to watch. We made it back home, and Mom Z started unloading all the goodies she had brought with...clothes, books, toys - pretty sure Ben thought it was Christmas without the silly wrapping paper to slow him down . ;) We had pizza for dinner, and around 8 p.m. (which is normally Ben's bedtime), GreeMa suggested we take a walk. We slowly said, "um, sure". Got back around 9 p.m., and Mom Z was shocked to see how late it was! The sun was still shining in the sky - she thought it was maybe 7 p.m. at the latest. Oops, that European sun tricked her... :)
Greg went to work on Wednesday, and the rest of us got ready slowly and took the tram to Leidseplein. If you remember, Mom and Dad Z had visited last fall, but we traveled so much and were on the go so much, Mom Z just wanted to take it a bit easier this time and enjoy more of Amsterdam (oh, and see a windmill). So, we spent the morning just strolling down Leidsestraat, looking in the cute shops along the way. We stopped for coffee and pie at Metz & Co cafe. The Metz building was completed in 1891 and was the tallest commercial building in Amsterdam at that time. In 1973, the cafe was designed on the 6th floor, offering superb views of the city. Pictures from the cafe are "illegal" - as a courtesy to the other guests. But, since we were the only ones in there, I snuck a few anyways. After our sweet treat, we walked a bit further to the Bloemenmarkt - the city's floating flower market on the Singel canal. It's always a gorgeous walk through the market, so many beautiful flowers!! Mom Z was very sweet and bought a huge bouquet for us - she was pleasantly surprised at how inexpensive flowers are here! By now it was time for lunch and naps, so we headed home. Both Ben and GreeMa napped, and we spent a nice, quiet evening at home together.
Thursday morning was rainy, so a good day to be indoors for Ben's Little Gym class. GreeMa loved getting to see Ben in action - and I do mean "in action"! Boy, does this kid like to run! By the time we left class, the weather had cleared up (typical Amsterdam), but it was still a bit chilly. We took the metro home, and Mom Z took us out for lunch at the little cafe (Cafe Thijssen) near our home where she and Dad Z had enjoyed some amazing tomato soup last fall. She was hoping she would make it back, and Ben and I would never say no to yummy tomato soup (or a free lunch). :) She was right - this was probably the best tomato soup I've ever had!! And, a good chunk of Dutch brown bread to dunk in it too - ah, heaven! We were all quite happy and full, and therefore we ALL took naps that afternoon.
That evening was date night! GreeMa and Ben had their date at home, and Greg and I got to enjoy a nice evening out in the city. First, we met with the Roy family, who were on their house-hunting trip for their move to Amsterdam. The relation is this: my good friend Teresa's boyfriend's brother's family. Got that? We had been able to answer some questions for them via email before they arrived, and we were happy to spend a few hours together seeing how the hunt had gone and sharing the joys and frustrations of Amsterdam life in general. (Funny side note, we suggested they look at a place that was vacated by our friends who had left in March for Denmark. They saw it the next day, loved it, and that is where they now live! Sometimes I think I live on a TV show or something with how unbelievable some of these stories are!) And now, it was date night time. We had been wanting to try the famous Indonesian "rijsttafel" since our house-hunting trip in February 2008! (Indonesian cuisine has had a big influence on the Dutch since they began colonizing Indonesia in the 17th century.) So, we ate a late dinner at Sama Sebo. Rijsttafel means "rice table", and it consists of around 20 small dishes such as rice, chicken satay, vegetables, prawn crackers, and fried plantains. We knew it would be a lot of food, but our mouths literally dropped open as they just kept bringing more dishes to the table. The staff was very fun and helpful, explaining what each dish was and pointing out the few "dessert" dishes to be eaten last. It was fantastic!! Well worth the wait, and we were absolutely stuffed as we waddled home. To top off our Dutch night out, Greg's bike was still at Central Station. So, we took the tram there to pick it up. He started walking it as we walked together, and then one of us was being silly and suggested that he should drive it while I rode on the back - which is a very Dutch thing to do! A bit scary and a tad uncomfortable from my perspective - trying to balance myself sitting sideways with my feet extended from the wheel - but pretty fun regardless! We both giggled the whole ride home... :)
Friday was Mom & Son Museum Day. Nope, not me and Ben - I don't think I would still be sane after trying to take a toddler to museums all day. :) Mom Z and Greg's first stop was the Anne Frank House. It was purely luck that they were visiting on what would have been her 80th birthday, and they got to see the original diary that was on loan to the museum for the day. Very cool. I was glad that Greg finally got to visit after 14 months of living in Amsterdam...that has to be almost illegal to live here that long without seeing the AFH. Ben and I did get to intrude on their day; we met at the Pancake Bakery for lunch. There was no way Ben was going to let them eat pancakes without him. :) They had a busy afternoon - Van Gogh museum, Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein (looking for and found art to purchase), and the Begijnhof. Lots of walking in the beautiful sunshine. They came home for dinner, and then decided to head out again for an evening visit to the Rijksmuseum. The Rijks is open late on Friday evenings, so it worked out perfectly. They had a great day together - enjoying the weather, appreciating the art of Amsterdam, and catching up.
It was Saturday morning - market morning! We strolled through the market for all kinds of yummies, including the fresh-squeezed OJ - Ben's favorite! Then it was on to Mommy's favorite - Winkel appelgebak (apple pie) and koffie verkeerd (latte). Super lekker!! Although, I have now created a monster...Greg says to me, "this is amazing! Why didn't you mention this before?" For the record, just about every Saturday morning that we are in town, I suggest that we grab pie for breakfast. Hello!! I have been there numerous times, so I know how good it is!! (Since this visit, we recently walked by on an evening walk and stopped in for a piece to go...I really have created a monster...no complaints from me though!) :) The rest of the day was "Mom Z & the other Mom Z Day". Mom Z and I walked to the 9 Straatjes (9 Streets) for some shopping. We had lots of fun looking in all the cute little stores and even found some things to buy! Surprising, right? :) On the way home, we spotted an open table along the canal at Spanjer & Van Twist restaurant. We ordered some drinks and hummus and just sat, chatting away and soaking in the warm sunshine. A perfect afternoon in my book!! Spent the rest of the evening with the boys relaxing at home.
Sunday, June 14th was the day Mom Z had been waiting for - to see a windmill up close and personal. We took the train to Zaanse Schans and spent the morning and early afternoon exploring. The weather looked a bit iffy at first, but brightened up as the day went on. GreeMa had fun buying some toys from the friendly toy man, mustard from the mustard mill, and appelflap for a grumpy (tired) Greg. Mom Z and I even braved the very steep and narrow stairs of the "De Kat" windmill - a mill that is still in use today grinding raw materials to make pigments for paints and is widely believed to be the only mill of its kind. Greg let the Cheese Lady be our guide to the Cheese Farm, and I enjoyed the unique clogs even more this time when we visited the Wooden Shoe Workshop. How funny is the one that looks like a foot - that is one giant toenail! GreeMa was quite pleased with the day, and we were all ready for some R&R at home.
Sunday, June 14th was the day Mom Z had been waiting for - to see a windmill up close and personal. We took the train to Zaanse Schans and spent the morning and early afternoon exploring. The weather looked a bit iffy at first, but brightened up as the day went on. GreeMa had fun buying some toys from the friendly toy man, mustard from the mustard mill, and appelflap for a grumpy (tired) Greg. Mom Z and I even braved the very steep and narrow stairs of the "De Kat" windmill - a mill that is still in use today grinding raw materials to make pigments for paints and is widely believed to be the only mill of its kind. Greg let the Cheese Lady be our guide to the Cheese Farm, and I enjoyed the unique clogs even more this time when we visited the Wooden Shoe Workshop. How funny is the one that looks like a foot - that is one giant toenail! GreeMa was quite pleased with the day, and we were all ready for some R&R at home.
On Monday morning, we left for our one night get-away to Den Haag and Scheveningen. Ben was in heaven getting to ride on a train with GreeMa and show her all of his Thomas stickers. We arrived at our family-friendly hotel on the water in Scheveningen around 10:30 a.m. We dropped off our bags and then wandered down the boardwalk just a bit, looking for a spot to eat our snack. The skies were gray, but the temperature - even by the water - was very comfortable.
After snack time, we took a short tram ride to Den Haag (a.k.a. The Hague). The Hague is the political capital of the Netherlands, home of the Dutch Parliament and the International Court of Justice. Our first stop was lunch in the Plein. I know we just had a snack, but it was a little one. :) Then, our first real tourist stop was the Binnenhof courtyard and Ridderzaal (Hall of the Knights). This Hall is used ceremonially by the Queen for the opening of the Dutch Parliament in September (called Prinsjesdag) and for other state occasions.
We rode the tram back to Scheveningen and checked into our hotel. Relaxed for a while, then walked along the promenade as we searched for a spot to have dinner. We found a great seafood place right on the beach, and we all enjoyed an amazing fish dinner (even Ben's fish sticks were pretty tasty!) with an amazing view.
Tuesday morning was sunny, but a bit cool and really windy!! We walked along the boardwalk the other way - away from the Pier, towards the lighthouses. Got some really pretty pics of the water.
Greg was gracious enough to walk Ben around while napping so that Mom Z and I could see what I was most excited to see - the Girl with a Pearl Earring painting by Vermeer in the Mauritshuis. This house was built for Count Maurits in the 1600's and was left to the state after his death. It has been the home of the Royal Picture Gallery since 1821 and houses a small, but important, collection of paintings by the Old Masters. We had planned to meet Greg at 3 p.m., which would give us over an hour to enjoy. It was not enough! There were so many great works here to admire, a definite must-see for anyone planning to visit Den Haag anytime soon. :) I did get to see "my Girl" - and she was fabulous!! We quickly finished our tour and met Greg for coffee in the Plein while Ben continued to snooze. Naturally, about 10 minutes into our relaxing, a protest began - banging loud drums, shouting through a megaphone. Um, not as peaceful as we had hoped, and Ben woke up shortly after, so we continued on...
We walked along the Hofvijver lake and saw a wonderful view of the Parliament buildings. We made our way through some tiny shopping streets to the Old Town Hall and the Grote Kerk, dating from 1539. Ben had been so patient up to this point, so our next spot was green space for some running around time. We found the beautiful and quiet Paleis Tuin (Palace Garden). We saw the Noordeinde Palace (the Queen's official work palace since 1984) and a few other pretty buildings in the park. We then walked out of the park to get a view of the Koninklijke Stallen - the Royal Stables. This division of the Civil Household arranges transport for the members of the Royal House. No peeking inside any of these Royal buildings, but still pretty regal from outdoors.
Before we made our way back to Scheveningen for the evening, we found the Vredespaleis (Peace Palace), home to the UN's International Court of Justice. Some history...in 1889, Den Haag hosted the first international peace conference. This palace was completed (with 1 million British pounds from Andrew Carnegie) in 1913 to house the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which became the ICoJ in 1946. The sun was shining at just the right angle to make it difficult to get a great photo, but it was a really impressive and beautiful structure.
We rode the tram back to Scheveningen and checked into our hotel. Relaxed for a while, then walked along the promenade as we searched for a spot to have dinner. We found a great seafood place right on the beach, and we all enjoyed an amazing fish dinner (even Ben's fish sticks were pretty tasty!) with an amazing view.
The rest of the evening was some of my favorite time spent on this mini-vacation...watching Ben run around and giggle as he played with GreeMa in the sand. They ran barefoot in the sand, searched for shells, and chased the seagulls. We were able to (mostly) watch the sunset - reminder that it doesn't set here until around 11 p.m., and that is way past our bedtime. :)
Tuesday morning was sunny, but a bit cool and really windy!! We walked along the boardwalk the other way - away from the Pier, towards the lighthouses. Got some really pretty pics of the water.
We officially checked out of the hotel, and then we walked the other way - toward the Pier and the main "tourist" promende with shops and restaurants. I had been to Scheveningen once before when Betsy and Marc visited, and we had eaten at a yummy pannekoeken place. We were off to find that spot again, but we took a nice long stroll along the water to get there. Ben had a blast playing in the water (with his winter coat on!), letting the tide tickle his toes. The water was really cold, and we saw some crazy Dutch boys splashing around, seriously crazy!! Ben fell in the water a number of times, which just made him laugh even harder. Again, we found lots of shells and rocks, and he was soaked and sandy by the time we reached the Pier and the restaurant. No worries, we had a change of clothes, and in the picture below, he is making his first attempt at a "thumbs up" for our morning!
The pancake place was right in front of the Kurhaus, a luxury hotel and casino built in 1885. What a magnificent building!! We did find the Pannekoeken Huis, and I'm holding my belly below to show how happy and full I was after our lunch. As always, I ordered the "weird" one - with tomatoes, mozzerella, ham, pesto. Tastes almost like a pizza. Greg and Mom Z were pretty sure it sounded gross - until they tasted it. Then, I'm pretty sure both of them were jealous! Good thing I am ok with sharing...but just a little. ;)
Ben was also happy and full and ready for a nap. He must have been exhausted from his morning playing on the beach. We grabbed our bags and made one last stop in The Hague at the Panorama Mesdag. This painting was completed in 1881 by HW Mesdag and his wife on the wall of a circular, canopied pavilion. It is 400 feet around! It shows 19th century Scheveningen, with fishing boats along the water and then the city on the other side. It felt very realistic and was a brilliant and unique work of art to end our visit. We caught the 4 p.m. train home, and enjoyed burgers and Kraft Mac & Cheese for dinner (is that sad that I asked Mom Z to bring some from the States?...a taste of home I guess, which is even funnier because Greg and I hardly ever ate it in the States! And, Ben wouldn't eat it, so it looks like Greg and I will be enjoying 3 more boxes ourselves. What kid won't eat mac & cheese?) To class up our dinner a bit, we did treat Mom Z to the yummiest carrot cake in Amsterdam from Small World Catering Co. Love that cake, almost as much as the Winkel apple pie!!!
Wednesday was a low-key day, enjoyed with friends at the Melkhuis in Vondelpark. It was a fantastic warm day, so we just thought Ben was getting tired and hot as he nearly fell asleep in the swings. We ran a few errands and headed home, noticing on the tram that he felt pretty hot. Fever? He fell asleep on our walk from the tram stop to home, so Mom Z and I decided to enjoy one last bowl of tomato soup before she leaves on Thursday, still delicious and now I find myself craving it - even in 75 degree weather!! Mom Z enjoyed a little European pampering; she had a haircut at 2 p.m. downstairs at the salon. When Ben woke up from his nap, I thought he might have an ear infection - his ears were bright red and he was burning up! Gave him some Tylenol, and he fell asleep on the floor around 7 p.m. as we were eating our Thai take-out. Poor thing. Mom Z got all packed up...we don't want her to go!!!
Thursday morning was "goodbye". :( We had such a great visit with GreeMa; we weren't ready to say goodbye. Ben still had a small fever (but no ear infection, whew!), so we stayed home as Greg took her to the airport. We all loved having her here. Ben learned so many new songs to sing..."This Old Man" and "Baa Baa Black Sheep" are still popular requests. We're just so glad that it will only be a short 6 weeks before we get to see her again in the States for Nick's wedding!! Thanks for visiting GreeMa!!!
