Thursday

Last night we ate Indonesian, a lot of it.  We walked through the rain around the corner to a small restaurant and pilled inside at a small table.  The sky was opening up similar to standing underneath a waterfall and the idea of being inside at a cozy table made it more appealing.  Especially when they just seemed to be bringing out plate full after plate full.  In the end there was no way we could finish it all. We stumbled out and walk it off, a lengthy walk that took us down to the Red Light District.  Amsterdam is famous for it and must do a good business since there were hundreds sitting in every window and yes the entire place is illuminated in red lights!

With all the cute girls giving the guy’s that special wink and seductive glance to pull them in behind closed doors, we felt like the center of attention.  As Mike put it, “she must really like me, she gave me that special look!”  That’s the look that will last for fifteen minutes and cost you fifty Euros for a quickie.  I keep suggesting they could splurge for my birthday present right there if they wanted to?  That’s when I got a different kind of look from the group.  We slowly walked along both sides of the canal where they were out in full force and decided at midnight it was enough. We headed back up to Princengracht, where our humble abode is. 

 Today the weather was once again bordering on torrent rain, but oddly enough we never felt any.  With dark rain clouds overhead, we saw sunlight maybe a handful of times, as the wind blew.

 I did this small 12x16 under changing light, so I’m not sure if I want to bring more sunlight into it or just have it stormy.

 The rain clouds are clearing out as I write this with the next few days to be sunny.  Christian our apartment owner across the atrium, told us about a small village north of Amsterdam, where the buildings are all made out of wood from the 1700’s.  Most places like that burned down, that’s why they used brick instead to build them back up. Any ways we might rent bikes and venture out there, as he put it, there are no tourists there! 

Richard Boyer