So lets see, what have we missed?
Well while I’ve been up to my fuzzy mop in yawn-worthy project ….. the summer has started (allegedly)

Mum visited… and we went to the Keukenhoff… photos on flickr

Tuilps from Amsterdam

We had Queens day, which despite its National Drama, and some more personally experienced drama, was a lovely time.

I went back to work and things just moved along…..

I will say that living here lends a lot of time to thinking and planning, which is in my opinion something I am glad for. Being here I have learned to really listen to what I think or feel about a situation, to depend on my own reaction and thoughts and to stand up for what I want. I always put others opinions on what I should do or how I should react as the more important. I second guessed and self doubted as if it was an Olympic sport that I was in training for.

Here; I am my own person, of my own making. I loved that when I came here first I could almost begin again, as a 30 yr old If I wanted to be decisive and confident I could be, and no one would be able to judge me on previous experiences or on past failed endeavours.

So all this thinking and inner confidence building up has produced quite the effect, to my mind anyway, and be prepared for the next few months, as the fruits of my thinking time come out and shine.

So that’s the Elf? What of Amsterdam?

Well Amsterdam is as it ever was, I’m enjoying the summer, the longer evenings and the sun on my face on my way to and from work. My *new* bike, purchased in February has proven to be the most fabulous purchase ever, I love it so much. Cycling the 19km round trip is a breeze and in hail, rain or sun (I don’t do snow) I cycle to work and everywhere besides. Actually I have gotten extremely ‘dammer about it, as was pointed out by a “newbie” who remarked that I cycled the 2min walk to my local Sunday brunch spot, and why not, isn’t it even quicker by bike!

Cycling does give me a fantastic freedom, I never wanted a car and I wasn’t pushed on learning how to drive. But once I got over the paralyzing fear last summer of the first few months, and especially since the new dream-bike, it has just really improved my life quality. Even with the crap bike, in the winter I missed cycling, I missed the exercise and the brain stimulation. So now I am *getting* to ‘dammer proficiency (I’ll never be a Shaun who whizzes kamikaze style) but I can pedal my own!

Summer is definitely in bloom with many of my friends pregnant I know 3 couples now eagerly awaiting bundles of joy and poo! Even some of my utterly wonderful gayer-boy  mates are contemplating procreating, which makes me really happy. I have to say, a nicer bunch of people you couldn’t find!

Im really looking forward to this years Pride, we have a few of the family participating in the Drag Queen Olympics and then we are going to set up camp at our vantage point early, so we can brunch and rink in the sun, and await the passing boast bedecked in carnival and nearly naked beings!

My apartment had its own dramas this spring, after one particularly bad spring storm there was a leak from the roof, which bypassed the upstairs apartment via their kitchen wall, and ended up ALL over my bed. It was so bloody annoying, although not as annoying as dealing with the agency. Quick note for anyone that is moving here, contact me regarding agencies, they charge like a mofo and do nothing to help when you need them.

So for now I will leave you, I have to say I’ve missed blogging, I may not get back to the Lenten Post a Day rhythm I had. But I will be back, as my plans and the summer unfolds I promise you now at least two posts a week!

Drinky Links and Amsterdam Cool need an airing too!

Elf!

It was a real pleasure to cycle to work this morning, and I promised myself that I will take a morning/day off and do my route to work with a camera soon. There are so many cool shots to be had in the morning bike rush, if I can get my hands on a decent camera I know I’ll make some of the photo-bloggers mouths water.

All topped of with plenty of stops along the way… I especially want to go back here for breakfast on that day!

(Of course this day off can be scheduled with anyone’s visit, just pick a weekday morning and bring nerves of corrugated iron, if not steel, and we will have a blast)

So imagine my delight when the sun was still shining at 5.30pm, I took this as a sign I was not to work late and quickly donned my very glamorous cycling gear (Trackie bottoms and a sweatshirt) and hit the streets to cycle home. It wasn’t as much fun as this morning, obviously people we no longer “sunshine happy” after a day at the office, and the good will and smiling of the morning commute had petered out.

All strains petered away as I cornered onto my street and heard the first Westerkerk Evening Carillon of 2009!

I haven’t heard it since October, at which point I did video it with the aim of sharing it here, but like many blog posts at the time it gathered dust.

So now I’d like to share this magical thing with you. It might be the memories of the notes flowing across the summer warmed canal that makes it so special to me but still I’d like to share.

To me it rings out in such a way that if you sit and listen you can imagine living here in another time, I think of all the historical figures that would have listened to its melodies, Anne Frank and Rembrandt van Rijn as examples.

Of course this is where the “beauty” of single glazed wood frame windows come into their own, it plays throughout my 3rd floor apartment, as if only for me

The Westerkerk stands pretty much at the top of my street (if you don’t count the Prinsengracht separating the two) and as I got off my bike and chained it up was beaming listening to the tune. I looked down toward the the end of the street and noted I wasn’t the only person enjoying it. Many of the patrons of one of the local bars, Cafe Chris were out with their beertjes listening too.

I quickly went upstairs and tried to capture it on my rubbish camera phone, so forgive the orientation of the video, and the sub par picture, but the sound really does work! Had to take it several times as it picked up every conversation had on the street.

Carillon Westerkerk from Elfinamsterdam on Vimeo.

And here is an inside view of what is going on when a carillon is played

And last but not least, a little clip of Tulips from Amsterdam, taken from the top of the Westertoren when it was being repaired in 2007.

I want to climb the tower soon, its 85 metres high  and was completed in 1638. In fact the local bar I mentioned earlier played a part in its construction, and was reputed not only to be the local bar of Rembrandt, who stopped there for a tipple or many on rout from his studio, but it was also used as the payroll office of the workers building the tower.

There is a unique gents restroom in the premises which I am happy to show you when we go for a beertje sometime!

See you there, hopefully the bells will be chiming!

4,000 are estimated to be parked by Centraal Station

Bikes at CS Amsterdam

The bike I got last year, was cheap, and not from a junkie.
Having not cycled for 18yrs, I was a bit nervous and didn’t want to fork out for a new bike that I might not use.

That fear was unfounded, I cycled almost every day the 14km round trip to and from work until Dec 1st.
I gave up in the real winter as black ice on cobblestones, steep bridges and lunatic cyclists all make me nervous.

My old bike was a grand starter, and it earned its price in saved tram fares in a couple of weeks, however after the first month, I found crouching to be a problem, my knees and ankles ached. I hadn’t heard of this as a side effect of cycling.

It seems I was cycling a death trap.

I forgave it the fact that the brakes were dodgy at best (most efficient way of stopping was jumping off) and the saddle seemed to be made of nails covered in cement (my rear looked like a permenant victim of a paint balling kamikaze attack) but I was reluctant to “just throw away” the €50 I spent on the bike. After not cycling for 2 months and living with out the ankle, knee and butt pain I swore that this year I would buy a new bike.

Valentines day saw me and my lady roaming the bike shops of the Jordan.

I get the usual look when I explain, I’d like a small bike, with gears and *gasp* handbrakes that work. Back pedal brakes, while cheaper and easier to maintain, are not for me…. cycling back ways is not my instant reaction when faced with on coming traffic, and I am likely to sail out in front of same traffic screaming and grasping my non-existent handbrakes.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that in Amsterdam with bike traffic jams being more frequent than car traffic jams, bikes would be really cheap. Let me dispel that, they are not, well especially not for pint sized, handbrake wanting foreigners. New bikes average around €600/€700. Second hand ones start at €75 but most good ones are around €200 for back pedal and €300 for handbrake.

The bike I got looks a bit like this it has brakes that work, 3 gears, a decent saddle and its so great to cycle.
I no longer feel like I’m pulling a dead cow up the road after my bike!

So I began cycling to work again, only on the first morning I realised my old route was being dug up by the Gemeete, Amsterdam’s version of the Corpo, and they are about as helpful and productive as same. It seems this is budget spending month so every road is being dug up for the sheer hell of it. Fun!!

I had to devise a new route, and my mum was impressed this one doesn’t take me through Dam Square or the red-light. Doped up Tourist dodging on your way home from work is not as fun as it sounds.

This is my way TO work and this is my way FROM work. The are 6.6 and 6.9km respectively and better still doing this every day will burn about 800kcls a day. (4000 a week) and I’ll be travelling 67.5kms a week. Not bad! Plus saving €20 a week on transport!

The route is still lovely along the Amstel, and some morning I am going to take my camera along and get some photos!

My Spanish Colleague and I are planning a beer cycle home some evening, visiting local establishments between the office and the city! Photos from that are likely to be wobbly.

PS I listen to Morning Ireland (the wonders of unlimited data for €9) on my mobile so if you are listening to it between 7.30 and 8.10 (from 1st sport to 2nd reading of morning papers) think of me cycling along the Amstel

Didn’t realise that I pass Het Rembranthuis each morning, lol what a blind mofo I am.
Found some other good shortcuts that are useful, I like that (after 6 months) I understand where most things are in relation to others… bout time really.

A mate of mine had a very bad experience with taxi’s this weekend, while moving some bags via taxi (something she told the dispatch office about upon ordering it) the taxi driver that arrived was not a happy bunny. She packed the taxi, being careful not to damage the taxi, and on the way he was rude and abusive. She panicked and just wanted out so kept quiet until the end where on her rush to get the stuff out she said to him that she just wanted to “put as much distance between them” this seemed to be the wrong thing to say (amazingly). He than began kicking the boxes and hurling abuse, the last piece of which was, I hope you die tonight. Charming!!!

I’m a softie, two things each year guaranteed to bring a tear to my eye are the Leaving Cert and its results day (its such a rite of passage) and the First Day of School. Listening to RTE Radio 1 the other day I heard a recording of Gaybo reading a poem by John D Sheridan about a child’s first day at school. Have a listen if you know of a little one that headed off, or pass it to your mammy, you know she’ll like it.

Loving the neighbourhood of Straat & Dijk – Haarlemerstraat and Haarlemerdijk, its where a mate of mine is moving and its really cool. Actually as its a 3 min bike ride from me its just as much my neighbourhood. Another thing I love about Amsterdam Centrum, its just so cool everywhere. I mean so is Dublin but things just seem more accessible here. Perhaps its just that after so many years in one city do you stop looking around, get stuck in a rut?

Still liking the cycling, its helping that I can listen to the radio (RTE/2FM) in one ear on the way.
Been trying to pick up the courage to come home through the old town, its lovely, I did the route once with Christine but its scary and there are more people wandering out in front of you and more risk of coming off the bike. Still eventually I will get the courage up

On the topic of accidents, went to see Catherine on Friday, she had to have the amputation.
She was in “good” form, but she’s such a private person that it would be hard to know really how she’s doing. I think she’s pretty amazing.

Ok I have more than this drivel to put out on the interweb, but I wanted to make a post and my brain is fried, I’ll try some photo posts this week too.

TTFN!

Weather’s been great (mostly) looking out the window at the sun.

We had a strange few weeks, my colleague was in an accident two weeks ago, nearly lost here leg. A British bus driver pulled out and turned without looking for bike traffic and crossed a bike crossing mowing my colleague Cathrine down, she tried to jump out of the way but it was too late. If you can read dutch click here

Despite the accident I am still cycling, I now take a shorter and while a little scarier, an actually safer route to work. Oh and I found a way that the last (and most hated) dangerous crossing has been cut out of my trip. I don’t know yet whether I will continue cycling after Aug 17th…. we’ll see, I think its good for me but its not easy and I like my legs.

Going home on Friday after 7 weeks! My longest without seeing my mum in quite some time… looking forward to seeing whats been done with the house.

We had Pride here this weekend and Catriona’s 30th birthday, we had a great weekend despite being locked out of the house for a short while and having to pay 100euro to get a new lock fitted.

Check out more here: Album 1
Album 2
The weather while being lovely is quite heavy, and I’m quite tired all the time. Its nice having Padraig here, I think he’s a little disappointed there’s not more people to go out with at night but its not really a student town (during the summer) so most of the people out are older and working mon-fri.

Still trying ot get into the work mode, not sure its happening …. I like it here just not sure of the job! Its ok, actually you know… the work is grand, the atmosphere here sucks tho. I miss AA but there you go!

I now take a new route to work, Pink Line!
Through the dreaded Dam Square … gasp! Actually its a dam (geddit) site easier to navigate in the morning than Stadhourskade!
So now I get to cycle through Dam Square and the Old Town (redlight) every morning, then along the Amstel, passin Carre and Maigre Brug before joining with the old route (see below) from Weesperzide

——

So, this is my way to and from work!
Green is to work and Purple is way back home!

Its really cool…. I cycle along Nassaukade – pretty straightforward, lots of traffic tho and a fair few traffic lights and then across the Amstel and down Weesperzide (along the Amstel – really pretty)

Once I get to the end of the Weesperzide, I cycle through the Amstelplein (where the tallest building is Delta Lloyd and Phillips are)

This is where I get to the scary parts are, lots of traffic and roundabouts and people walking out in front of you. Then Spaklerweg and then the worst part…. crossing a dual carriageway that has no crossing lights, however the traffic does have lots of view of the crossing bikes (or bike – I HATE doing this crossing alone).
Once thats over , then the bockety cobblestones of H.J.E Wenchebachweg and to the office (7.2km and 25-30mins)

The way back I follow the same route (no crossing this time… just a roundabout and then on along the Amstel to the Stadhourdskade bridge and under, to a complicated little turn, just a few trams, oncoming traffic and bikes to navigate…. then across the bridge at Saraphatistraat and aloong Weteringschans, through Leidsplein (scary junction) and along Marnixstraat, I can continue along Marnixstraat but I usually turn up Elandsgracht and through the streets to Rosengracht and across to Bloemstraat! Home! (8.5km, 30mins)

Not bad exercise all the same!