Amsterdam, my only friend...the end...?

Wow -- nearly two weeks have flown by since I left. So its time to do a bit of catch up work. So much to tell...well here goes. Amsterdam was purposefully my first stop as it was purely for vacation sake. I remember a video that they showed on the plane the first time we stopped over there heading to Spain. I instantly put Holland near the top of my to do list.

It was everything I expected and more. The food was fantastic...the women were eye level...and the water was Everywhere. However, its a great place to speak Dutch. Its almost an arrogance (as it is in the states) to speak the native language. So I quickly tried to pick up on as much as possible.

Here are a couple of my favorites (please don't hold me to the correct Dutch spelling)

- "Halo" -- greeting -- usually said loud and merrily (by everyone - I speak softly in this city...go figure)
- "Fluiter" -- Small bier -- Grandpa Eger would have loved this place -- you can drink these all day, its about 6-8 oz max in a specially shaped glass (they actually have over 15 sizes of beers -- all with a different name - its fricken nuts)
- and my favorite Dutch expression "Duiey, Duiey" -- bye bye (also said loudly and usually with about 17 other words and forms of saying goodbye, see you around, til later, and oh, I'll beat you up if I ever see you here again -- so much arrogance)

Yep, that's what I learned. "Hello...small bier...bye bye" Again, the beginning of my vacation.

I've attached a couple of random pictures of mostly the canals, a really cool tree along one of the canal streets, Holland at night, and lastly, my three Ayyy-rish brothers (from another mother). I did my absolute best to get up to Dublin and out to Naven to have a "wet one" (in their words) but it wasn't possible (I'll have to do that trip in the Spring). They loved how much pride I took in my 12.5% Irish heritage and that I drank Guiness like it was chocolate milk.

Hope all is well there!

-Neil