July 26, 2016- Stedelijk Museum and Wandering Around Amsterdam Some More

Today we woke up earlier, but spent the morning writing the blog (April) or resting (Bill). We had a breakfast at the hotel in our room of fruit, cheese, yogurt, and some croissants we had picked up at the grocery store the day before. The fruit here is unbelievable. The berries are so delicious they could almost be an ambassador to get new immigration if the country wanted it. The blueberries are so firm that they practically pop in your mouth. And the flavour is so strong and delicious. What happened to our produce in North America?

We walked from the hotel towards the museums, stopping at the Belgian bakery, Le Pain Quotidien, in our neighbourhood for lunch. It was delicious.

Cobb salad, bread, fruit salad, soft boiled eggs, Belgian waffle, and tea.

Near the museums, we stopped and withdrew some more cash (drugstores and grocery stores generally don't take credit cards here). We looked for a pharmacy to get some more painkillers because April's neck and upper back are still tense, though improving. We only found a sort of compounding pharmacy that had some really complex system of obtaining items that we couldn't figure out, so we left.

We went to the Stedelijk Museum. This museum was purpose built, but looks kind of like it wasn't. It houses modern art and design pieces, many being temporary exhibits. There were the usual suspects, canvases painted just green or just red that you suspect you could also do yourself (but somehow the artist sold it to someone, so they have some kind of skill that we lack), super sexual neon signs and paintings and photos, weird videos by some Canadian guy that were like being trapped in the middle of someone's psychotic break or acid trip, and some furniture and old spoons. We looked around and then left after a couple of hours.

I wonder if the Romans would agree that this has just been 2000 wasted years?

Bill took a trip, swinging on this swing watching a bizarre video by a Canadian artist.

Mmmmm snake eating itself. This acid trip just went bad.

Why don't they sell lamps like this?

Warhol photos.

Ok, ok I'll admit it. I'm less than perfect.

From the inside of the museum, you can see the old exterior of the museum which is now enveloped by the new exterior after the extensive renovations to bring it up to code several years ago.

You forgot to kiss my soul.

I promise to love you.

We walked to the hip De Pijp neighbourhood which we had visited days earlier. We found a pharmacy and loaded up on some painkillers and blister band-aids and of course had to buy a bag because we hadn't brought our new canvas bag from the day earlier with us.

We went to McDonald's for dinner, just to compare it to Morocco, France, and Japan from past travels. We thought that the Dutch would have this one locked down because they have such great meat, dairy, and produce, not to mention bread, but we were wrong. The big tasty chicken and big tasty beef were not very tasty. The fries were average and you have to buy either ketchup or weird fry sauce which is like dill flavoured tartar sauce if you want anything with them. The Coke was average. We don't know how they stay in business here when there's so much else to eat that's superb.

We walked home through De Pijp and followed a green belt that led to the shopping area of Beethovenstraat. We wandered down it a few blocks (everything was closed except restaurants because it was the evening). We stopped in a grocery store and bought individual sundae containers to try back at the hotel, since we have two spoons in the room from the tea.

We walked back to the hotel arriving home a little earlier than usual. The ice cream (one caramel, the other strawberry) was pretty good, but not on the level of France or Italy (not that we're complaining, it's still way better than back home). We worked on the blog, April worked on her haiku blog, and we rested.

The Bilderberg Garden Hotel is in the perfect location for us. It's quiet, safe, and comfortable, close enough to museums and Vodel Park without being in the midst of chaos. The only complaint we have so far is the cleaning. It's been spotty at best and last night we came back to our room to find our electric toothbrush in a somewhat full glass of water. It still worked, but we were chagrined that the cleaning person would have risked our toothbrush and couldn't understand why this was done to begin with (the front desk woman was just as confused, but then asked if I had actually done it- no! why would I call you if I had?).

Our marble bathroom.

We're on a beautiful tree lined street.

The bed is pretty comfortable. We've been sleeping well.