This was our main destination on Monday - the
American Consulate in Amsterdam near the Museumplein. Though my passport didn't expire until April, we needed to get it renewed for the residency permit. The consulate was a crazy place. Kind of like a vault, or maybe a prison, to get into. We had to get through the first gate, get wanded, go through a second set of gates and surrender our bags. I was glad to be a US citizen because I got to forgo the first cramped room of people waiting for their visa applications and go to the next cramped room without a line. The whole process really didn't take that long. We would have been in and out in less than 30 minutes but a gentleman asked if I could witness his signature on some papers. I said sure. Well, I had to wait 25 minutes for the officiant to get to us, mainly because there was a rude American (after me in the American services line) complaining about not being able to pay for his passport renewel by check, though no one in Holland uses a check. I was thanked for "doing my service" by the consulate official and we were on our way! Mr Van Eckl something or another will be forever linked by his property transaction.
Since the boys and I had to make this unexpected trip, we decided to see some things while we were there (it's a long way and costs $28 by train).
Vondelpark was walking distance from Museumplein, so that's where we headed. We found a small playground where the Eliot swang on a bar and Miles played in the sand. We had to leave when Miles - the brute - poured sand on an unsuspecting 11-month old. I was so embarassed. We went further into the park and saw lots of
box bikes (this one was perfect for dad and his two twin toddlers). and found a cafe with a large playground in back. The boys played and we ate a tosti (grilled cheese) and a ham sandwich. We watched
a flock of pigeons steal a sandwich from an unsuspecting toddler who burst into tears (of course). It was reminiscent of
The Birds. We saw 2
great blue herons while walking through the park.
Since the boys and I had to make this unexpected trip, we decided to see some things while we were there (it's a long way and costs $28 by train). Vondelpark was walking distance from Museumplein, so that's where we headed. We found a small playground where the Eliot swang on a bar and Miles played in the sand. We had to leave when Miles - the brute - poured sand on an unsuspecting 11-month old. I was so embarassed. We went further into the park and saw lots of box bikes (this one was perfect for dad and his two twin toddlers). and found a cafe with a large playground in back. The boys played and we ate a tosti (grilled cheese) and a ham sandwich. We watched a flock of pigeons steal a sandwich from an unsuspecting toddler who burst into tears (of course). It was reminiscent of The Birds. We saw 2 great blue herons while walking through the park.
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