In Which We Follow Meandering Canals

Well I am just feeling REFRESHED. Twelve hours of sleep later, I awoke to loud knocks on the door and then, with no answer, someone entering my room. A little perturbed, I called out "HELLO?" and was met with a profusion of "oh I am so sorry! I just came to change the towel! I am so sorry I am so sorry!" and the gentleman proceeded to change my towels while apologizing and then left the room. It made me laugh a little bit, and with that, there was no going back to sleep. A good thing, too, as I'm meeting John for lunch in about 30 minutes.

Briefly: Amsterdam is LOVELY. John and I wandered about for hours last night, following canals and pedestrian streets. The smell of the marijuana drifted up to us every once in awhile, but really, when I first arrived I fully expected it to be a city that just REEKED (at least in the tourist section) but it was not to be so! It's actually just a regular ol' gorgeous little city that happens to have some stuff legalized that we don't! Shock.

Another thing that was slightly shocking: Amsterdam stairs. Farmer John warned me, but REALLY, they are INCREDIBLE. We went over to his friend Robin's apartment last night where she and her lovely husband Dennis fed us delicious cheese fondue and a cheesy berry dessert, and getting up and down to their top floor apartment was an exercise in balance and finesse. No wonder they both practice yoga - they HAVE to in order not to severely injure themselves in their own apartment. I kid you not, they are actually this steep:

And! Here is an awesome picture of Farmer John, Robin and Dennis. The BEST thing about this photo is that in it, Robin is demonstrating the best way to take a photo - apparently it's what all starlets and models use. You suck in your gut, strike an asymmetrical pose, and then instead of smiling (I think) you instead exhale with a little "pooh" sound and hold the shape your lips make (I'm not sure if this is entirely correct - I was pretty sleepy at this point). I'm liking the glamorous smile she's sporting in this photo a bit better, though.

And now off I go again!