i am sterdam

CR and I have been staying with my dutch family in the most lovely town of Weesp (about a 15 minute train ride West of Amsterdam). Weesp is about 600 years old- give or take, and it has a population of about 18,000. I do not speak dutch, but I feel strangely most at home here. there is something about the daily life that I can not capture elsewhere. the family we are staying with are my mothers cousins (and age), but are about the coolest and trendy of the family. their english is fabulous. we live in an old brick house on a canal. as I child I thought I was like Anne Frank... and truth be told, we are set up in a lovely room in the attic (this time a 3 floor walk up- my calves are killing me). every night we eat and drink like we are in a 5 star restaurant. they have also taken us all over the country side to various pubs and sites.

highlights: trying every beer on the menu, wandering in utrecht, figuring out the train schedule, shopping in amsterdam, canal tour in the rain, trying on wooden clogs, wishing I'd bought some, thinking in orange, red light district, buying another round, still wanting to live here, another patio, windmill up close and personal, everything small, bike riding inspiration, family, and my attic room.

tomorrow...a little bit of shopping and meeting up with some of CR's friends. family dinner, and then packing to be off again. I plan on sitting on a patio and soaking as much of it in as I can...