Friday, December 31, 2010

Travel Day: Amsterdam to Hamburg

Happy New Year! Six hours or more to go in Winnipeg but in Hamburg the fire works are still blasting off all over the city! This morning I awoke in Amsterdam for the last time to Nico's alarm after a better night of less snoring from our "dear friend" who had actually put his phone on silent but continued to speak loudly during the night to someone.

For some reason, it was still a rush to the train station. Everything is always a rush! I had realized last night that there was an earlier train that would get me to Hamburg in less time. Less time spent on the train is good. I missed the first train to Schipol but caught the next which only took 15 minutes to get there. I was able to activate my train pass and get on board the train in surprising time - only to hear an announcement that the train was having mechanical malfunctions. The doors were all locked and would not open except in one car, and they had no idea when the mechanics would arrive to fix the problem. I went back to the train counter to ask for another itinerary. Next train left at the time of the original one I had planned to take. So much for rushing and having to say a frantic good-bye to my friend!

Transferring trains was no problem: Holland trains say everything in Dutch and English (and I think German). But German trains only make announcements in German for the most part. So I got off one stop early. But caught the next to Hamburg Hbf with a little help from Jorinna and some nice people at the station.

Finally in Hamburg! So nice to see the first person I walked with on our first day on the Camino de Santiago de Compostella! On May 11, 2009, we met at an albergue in St. Jean Pied-de-Port where the hospitalera and her son lived with 14 cats (or at least 12). The next morning, Jorinna and I walked over the Pyranees and I gave her my MEC hiking pole with its little wrapping of duct tape (you never know when you'll need it). I lost her and then saw her again three weeks later in Leon.

This time I got to meet her entire family and all the pets! Dogs, cats, rabbits, and TWO chinchillas - finally I get to see these legendary animals live and in person. My former co-worker had only shown pictures of hers but tonight my room mates will be squeaking and not snoring! This will be a most wonderful and welcome change of scene!

Celebrating New Year's Eve in Hamburg was so much fun, albeit low-key. After a wonderful dinner (sauer kraut, curly kale, and potatos (I know my dad will want an itemized list - but I'm leaving out the meat - HA!), we melted lead talismans in spoons over candles and spilled the liquid into a bowl of water to tell our fortunes. Apparently I will have to be careful and I will experience heartbreak. Oi vey! Just what I need! Next, we headed out to the park across the street to light sparklers and watch neighbours setting off fireworks. Light shows were also going off all over the city and there are still bangs and pops going off in the night more than an hour into the new year! Then I played Auld Lang Syne and Schtille Nacht on the violin for my hosts and off to bed with the chinchillas.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Last day in Amsterdam

Today was last chance to see as many museums as possible: two! We got up early and had to wait in line for the Van Gogh Museum to open. Then saw many, many Van Gogh paintings. I spoke French almost the whole morning, getting a good grammar lesson from Nico!

Then we walked to the museum of colonialization the name of which I can't remember - Tourin? Something like that. Has an examination of all the countries the Dutch ever colonized (and oppressed and exploited). Some amazing displays.

Then a fabulous dinner of traditional Dutch food followed by an Oliballin (a ball of dough deepfried in oil) and mulled wine! Now home.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Museums and friends

Yesterday it was wonderful to meet with Rien who made a train ride in from Eindhoven to meet Nico and I for the afternoon. It was great to see my two camino friends again - it had been a year and a half. Rien showed us the flat where he lived in the 1980s, studying and listening to New Wave music and being ultra cool! He also gave us advice on what to see and do. We ate at his favourite pub and then wandered around. When we checked in to the Amsterdam Downtown Hotel finally, I was happy to find that my violin was still there in a corner of the dining room where I had left it. Those of us who arrived too early to check in had to leave our things and go for a walk until they opened. Then we three wandered some more and ate some more, this time at a restaurant serving traditional Dutch food, much like Rien's mother used to make.


Last night, we shared a dorm with two other men, one who came in really late, snored a bit, left for several hours, came back, and continued to snore until after we left the room at 8:30am. The other room mate received phone calls from some woman (yes, you could hear her across the room his phone was so long) every 30 minutes or so, at least 5 or 6 times during the night. And his phone was NOT on vibrate. We resolved to speak with him if it happens again tonight.

This morning we enjoyed the hotel's  complimentary breakfast and hit the road for a Beguinage - a courtyard or park area the surrounding houses of which were occupied in the 1600s by women who wanted to live in community but not be nuns. In modern times 93 women still live in the flats and it is a safe and peaceful place for them. There's a chapel there and religious art and simple statues in the courtyards. It's a very peaceful and beautiful place, particularly with the light snow dusting the green grass.



Then we found the Amsterdam Historic Museum just a block away. Then we met one of my Iceland trip friends, Jan from Leiden for lunch and ate at an Italian resto ina less touristy area. It was really nice to see Jan again and remember our epic hiking trip in the west fjords when he and Ruurd had worn jeans and got completely soaked. I had loaned one of them my mitts to stay warm. We had a wonderful visit and then had to head to the Rijksmuseum of Art (many, many Rembrandts) before it closed. Huge line-up, as there's airport-like security inside. Rembrandt's The Nightwatch is the featured artwork. The gallery is undergoing repairs but there's still a good collection on display.

Waiting in line at the Rijksmuseum. Nico in his usual guide-book study pose.
Then out to find another resto. We settled on a Nepalese place which gave Nico the opportunity to tell me about his trip to Nepal last spring. Really good food.

Now, wandering the town. I haven't practiced since the Winnipeg Airport and hope to sneak in a few minutes in the Hotel cafeteria this evening.

Didn't get to! No noise allowed after 11pm! Except for the loud snoring and phone-ringing in the rooms. So not fair!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Hit the ground fiddling

Well I haven't actually done any fiddling yet while in Amsterdam. I did at the Winnipeg airport while waiting for my flight to Chicago to leave. First I just want to mention how much I like Chicago. On arriving at the O'Hare airport I was hit by the smell of good food. There was an atmosphere of good will and relaxation. Rhapsody in Blue was playing on some hidden intercom as I made my way to Terminal 1 from Terminal 2. Art by high school kids hung in the beautiful pedestrian pedway. But then on to Amsterdam.



This city is really crowded. You can't stop to take pictures without someone herding you along. Not at all like the barren Portage Avenue of Winnipeg. Getting here, I caught the Amsterdam Central train at platform 1 at the Schipol airport. Only costs 3.70E. Then walked from the station down the main drag to Kerkstraat - bad move. No. 25 was closer to the station than I thought. Got a good workout lugging fiddle and pack but found the Amsterdam Downtown Hotel. Nice place, friendly staff person who offered me coffee and said I could leave my stuff there until check-in time at 3pm. It's now 1:45pm (about 6:45am in Winnipeg) and I am to meet Rien at the train station at 2:30pm. So excited to see two of my Camino friends again!

 


Other things of note: there's a busker in the square in front of the palace: Spanish guitar with amp - he's amazing. Madame Tussaud's has huge line-ups. It's a wet cold here: 0 degrees but bitter cold.



Out of time!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Here We Go A Travelling

Season's Greetings!

I'm starting this blog to keep family and friends informed of my travels since I seem to be having more and more of them.

Currently I am preparing (quietly, frantically) for an upcoming trip to Europe right after Christmas whereby I am challenging myself to get from Amsterdam to Barcelona before the end of January, visit six friends and stop for a week in Salzburg to study chamber music with the Manhattan String Quartet.

Major goals of this trip include seeing Mont Blanc and The Eiger, seeing Mozart's birthplace and rocking out with other musicians along the way. And of course, studying Mozart's Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 and Adagio and Fugue in C Minor, K. 546 with the Manhattans and not making a fool of myself.

Better get practicing!