Handbags at dusk and home while the birds are singing

I'm aware that this blog hasn't really been living up to it's name recently.
So in the name of Amsterdam Adventures I'm planning on getting out there more often and finding some. I've been busy reminding myself that there's a big city just outside my door that is only partly discovered, so from now on I'm going to do something new at least once a week and will write about it. Promises, promises...

I kicked off last night by visiting the new Amsterdam Tassen Museum Hendrikje on the Herengracht for a launch by handbag designers Hard Roze. This wasn't my idea, as I'm someone who has never really given handbags much thought, but a friend invited me and hey, my Amsterdam-discovery mission has to start somewhere. The museum is housed in a beautifully renovated canal-side location(if you're ever looking for the perfect place to take high tea this has to be it) and we got to see the young designers' range as well as lots of weird and wonderful bags in the permanent collection.

That was the civilised part of the evening. From then on things disintegrated into a blurry bar-hop, and I'm trying not to think about the permanent liver-damage that may have been caused. We ended up drinking bad scotch in some dodgy jazz bar off Leidseplein then (bizarrely) trying to buy an apple at 5am. My bike must have a homing device on it as I managed to find my way back to my apartment, lock up the bike, remove my lights, climb the stairs, unlock the door, lock myself in and sit upright on the sofa. I woke up two hours later (8am) in the same position. I wasn't really looking for this kind of adventure when I set out for the evening, but I reckon I'll remember the experience longer than the handbags...

A soggy week

I'm getting used to having rainwater dripping off the end of my nose by the time I reach home these days, but this week has been exceptionally soggy.

As a cyclist in Amsterdam I'm accustomed to the rain and if I have the right gear on I actually don't mind it at all. However, the rain has been pouring by the bucket-load for weeks now and I think if it goes on much longer I'm going to develop webbed feet.

But for a change, it was lake water that was responsible for getting me drenched on Thursday. I organised a group sailing trip to Aalsmeer for people at work and for once the rain stayed off and the sun made an appearance. Made no difference though, as the waves were coming over the edge of the boat and smacking us in the face, much to the amusement of everyone. It's not too comfortable sitting in a puddle of water, but it was too much fun to notice too much.


Last night I went to an open air concert in the Westerpark (just at the end of my street) to see Keane. Of course, it rained all evening and we all got a soaking again, but the gig was great and everyone was in a good mood. I've got a sore throat from singing this morning, but just for a while... it has stopped raining....