amsterdam site

Return to Europe

October 2003

On the 24th of October we started our move from New York to Europe. First stop was Nuernberg in Germany where my friend Alin and her child Valerie were baptized on the 26th of October. I have the honor to be Valerie's godmother. It was a beautiful ceremony though we were still very jet lagged and the German language came back very slowly.

My parents picked us up from Nuernberg and drove us to Dresden where we were welcomed by the rest of my family. We stayed there for a few days before moving to our new quest of finding a city to live and work in. There were many on the list and we wanted to have a look around.

November 2003

My sister Susann moved to Hamburg right after we had left Hamburg in 1998 for the US. She has made it her home and loves the place. We never miss the opportunity to visit her and the city of Hamburg. It was a fun weekend as always and Doug even got to go to the Hanseboot, a boat show in the old harbor of Hamburg.

From there we started our city tour and job interviews, visiting Bremerhaven (l), London (m), Southhampton, Amsterdam, Rotterdam (r). I admit we stuck to the northerly wet towns, don't ask us why. After a month of travel we went back to "base camp" in Dresden, where we rested and contemplated for a few days.

At the end we had to decide between London or Amsterdam. We went with the latter, because in truth Doug wanted something completely different. He was ready for his own shop and ideas came flowing on SYDE. So with this new plan we packed our bags once again and took a train to Amsterdam.
top

The first month

December 2003

We found our apartment within days and were able to move in on December 1st. Well, it was an empty apartment for one month. We actually had to buy a futon, a bench, a small table and the very essential kitchen stuff just to survive for the month of December. Of course it was gray and cold every day of that month and the days were very short. We found ourselves at the movies a lot and tried to brighten the apartment with tulips and a small Christmas tree.

top

The move

Finally on the 31st of December at 8:30 our container arrived in Wakkerstraat. We were lucky that at 9:00 my parents arrived who wanted to visit us and offered to help move in on the last day of the year. With the help of them and the ingenuity of Dutch moving systems we were finished with the move in just three hours. There are hooks on each gabble of the house. You can rent a wheel, rope and net from any car rental place. We placed the wheel on the hook, the rope around the wheel and the net at one end of the rope and three people at the pulling end of the rope. One person always stood at the window receiving the net and pulling it inside and unloading. It was not an easy task, but certainly easier than moving anything up the steep narrow stairs of Dutch houses. We also had two customs people overlook our work and open every single box we moved in which made for some chaos once we were done with bringing everything inside the house.

We still got most of it sorted out and by New Years Eve celebrations we were able to sit down at our table on our chairs and make Sushi. We were all pretty tired. We went for a walk into the city center at night to see the celebrations and later toasted on our balcony under a colorful sky. Thank you mom and dad! Then we watched our new neighbors out on the street all hugging each other and exchanging wishes for the New Year 2004. We were glad to see the warmth of our neighbors and just months later we got to know them a lot better, becoming friends.

Top

Our home

The following pictures were taken on one snowy day in Amsterdam. The first picture is a view from our balcony and the last was taken at the nearby gracht. Nothing stops a real Dutch from taken their bike, in rain (they have the talent to cycle with an umbrella in one hand and the mobile phone in the other), storm, sun or snow. I followed suit, starting the integration process, except I was the only one wearing a hat, scarf and gloves. We also tried to put more than one person on our Holland bike. But two people was really the limit!

Our apartment is also typical Dutch, a living-thru with big windows in the front of the house and the back of the house. From this big space which includes a kitchen aisle and lots of closets, you have access to a few little and tiny rooms, the office, toilet, bathroom and a "sleeping niche". Seriously the "bedroom" fit nothing else other than the bed bordered with walls on all three sides leaving only the footend to enter the bed. It was a bit claustephopic. We spent most our time in the big space which we divided with furniture into a living area, dining area and kitchen area.

Top

Visitors and friends

My parents came for New Years 2004	My grandparents came for a visit in May
Armin and Susanne visited us in July	Our friends David and Karin

With a sloop through the canals of Amsterdam

At the end of May we rented a sloop to see Amsterdam from the water. It was the most beautiful day and we all enjoyed the ride. We did about a three hour tour through the canals; had coffee, champagne and cake; and went beneath really low bridges. All in all the perfect start for the summer. Happy birthday to Doug and Grandma.