Day 168: Biking in Amsterdam — Vondelpark
Woke up and put back on our same old clothes. No sign of our luggage.
It’s annoying, of course, but it’s also so not a big deal for us. If this were our one-week vacation? And we had all our outfits planned? Maybe. But as it is, I had already worn this outfit the day *before* we lost our luggage too, so it’s really nothing new for us.
We were lucky to have spare contacts in our carry-on (will make sure to always have those from now on) and didn’t miss much else. Undies got washed in the sink and blow dried.
We did school this morning — threw in a few customized word problems…
Big groups get unwieldy so we divided up this am, with Teddy taking James to explore and Willa and I walking around with Nate and Julia.
It turned into something of a mini shopping spree because the stores are all so cute and I never have a chance to actually go in places like that and browse (see: James throwing himself on paris shoe store floor screaming, “I HATE places like this!”)
We were in the Nine Streets neighborhood, known for its charming cafes, boutiques, etc.
In one vintage shop called Laura Dols, I got a sweater (it’s been chilly) and Willa got a gold purse. Nate and Julia got Wiley a sheepskin jacket!
I also got some cool earrings at Parisienne — a place I will be dreaming about because it had such cool variety at not terrible prices.
We also randomly popped into the Houseboat Museum, a tiny museum in a real houseboat on the river. The perfect little stop for a 7-year-old (and her mom and aunt, who love old-timey charming dioramas).
Finally we stopped at a grocery store to pick up picnic items for an afternoon at Vondelpark.
I also needed provisions like deodorant.
But when I got to the register with about $50 worth of olives and cheese and salami and anti-perspirant, I was informed they didn’t take credit cards. This is a major commercial grocery store! It didn’t accept credit cards! Only cash or debit!
Of course I had no cash nor ATM card. Nate paid for it all.
(Friend and local resident Stephan Hein told us later that it was because the Dutch don’t really culturally do credit cards — they’re about paying with the money you have. Interesting.)
Eventually we walked to the park with our food and some wine and picked up some bikes that Teddy had helped us rent (he and James were already riding a tandem of their own around the park!!).
Willa had her own bike, which was kind of stressful in the crowded park with people — almost all grownups — zooming by in every direction. I didn’t totally trust her to stay calm and in her little lane. Sure enough she had two spills. Not hurt either time and in both cases locals came to our rescue to check on us and dust off the bike. Willa was surprisingly chill about falling.
The park — wow — stunning. Probably the nicest (Retiro in Madrid?) city park we’ve been to. Lush lawns, twinkling ponds, tall, full trees, clean roads, etc. It was really spectacular.
We found a grassy spot among the picnickers near a big wooden play structure, and chilled out for an hour or so. Brandi and Ava showed up too.
Eventually Julia and Nate peeled off to do their own thing for a while while the rest of us biked to another part of the park — a playground next to a biergarten, where grownups can have a drink while the kids played in the sandbox and in this giant climbing thing.
That would have been lovely — and it mostly was — except James got VERY upset that he couldn’t climb to the top of this structure.
Inside was a mess of ropes, and the reward at the top was a giant silver tube slide.
Willa and Ava were up and down it a thousand times but he would get very nervous at the crowded, wobbly ropes and the height, and freeze from fear.
He was sobbing — and not in a whiney, tired, hungry, jealous way — he was legitimately devastated and furious that he couldn’t do it. We’ve seen him get like this only a handful of times, and as a parent it’s kind of fascinating. A competitive temper and self-imposed pressure.
Finally Teddy coached him to the top and he seemed sheepishly satisfied.
To leave the park and return the bikes on time we needed to hustle, but Willa’s handlebars were wobbly. Soo…Willa rode on the back of my bike and Brandi put her little bike in the front basket with Ava. We were quite a sight riding out of the park!
After we returned my and Willa’s bike (got a refund on hers), Willa went off in Brandi’s basket with Ava to have dinner the three of them while I rode on the back of Teddy and James’s tandem back into the canal area in search of more provisions and dinner with Julia and Nate.
Three of us on one bike flying through the streets of Amsterdam! Will not forget that anytime soon.
We had a great, cozy little Amsterdam dinner at AV Wees, including some bitterballen, which are basically breaded fried meatballs. James had ginger ale and tomato soup.
When I picked up Willa from her restaurant later, Brandi informed me that she had ordered a New York strip and eaten the whole thing!
Willa and Ava ended the lovely evening by dissolving into tears fighting over this polaroid photo of Willa and James that Ava had taken the day before.
It was a low point for Willa, in my mind. She’s matured leaps and bounds, and in an instant regressed… I was annoyed and mortified. Needless to say there was a whole-walk-home discussion about it between mom and daughter…sheesh, people!
At the least the walk home was lovely. Dusk in Amsterdam (which is at 9:30 pm).
But then back at the hotel at 10:30 pm — a call from the front desk — OUR BAGS WERE HERE!!!!!!!
