Weekend 2

P.s... I did write this on Sunday... work has just got in the way! Next update soon!

This weekend was my second full weekend in Amsterdam - and was significantly more busy than last weekend!


This week has been really good - I'm fully settled in, my bank account is sorted and I have a social security number!



Thursday I had expat drinks at the office, met some of the other secondees to Amsterdam. Travelled back to the city with a few of the expats, ended up at a BBQ instead!

On Saturday it was pouring with rain for most of the day...so me and a Canadian expat met up with a couple of her friends and cycled over to Roest (in the pouring rain) in the north east corner of Amsterdam. It's based in an old warehouse, which has a 'beach', and is right on the water. Most of the stalls were eco food/products as well as a lot of vintage & food stalls.

This weekend was the last weekend of the Amsterdam Fringe Festival, so we took the opportunity to go see a 'best of the fringe' play...it was called 'Beloved'. I'm not sure any of us actually really knew what we were going to see - see The Beloved!! It was in the basement of a bar, which was pretty cool, lots of retro film posters and aeroplane seats in the bar, but the basement was pretty dark and the audience was about 15 people...! It was all a bit strange really, but I feel cultured now, and am glad I managed to make the Fringe Festival!

We then went for a tapas/paella (and sangria!) dinner. After that we went to go see the film Lovelace (with Amanda Seyfried) and that was a pretty crazy film too!

Sunday revolved around food a lot (again!), we (me and an expat) went round an art market, then went to Neighbourhood Food Market in the West (and saw Westerpark) and then went shopping!







Ooh, we also went to a few open houses as this is the last weekend of the Open Monumentendag 2013 so we went and had a look at some of the old houses on Herengracht.

Sorry the formatting is slightly crazy, I took so many photos this weekend!

So far...

I'm a week and a half into my 6 month adventure and have completed a few, all though not many of  My To Do List!! Some of the things don't really lend themselves to good photographs.. aka bread and sprinkles!

My main accomplishment is the purchase of Edna, my bike (see previous post!). On Saturday, on my trip to pimp my bike out (with a milk crate and another chain & lock...wild!), I came across a bridge full of love locks - one way looking down to a church, the other to a classic Amsterdam canal view. It was really sweet!

Love locks - Amsterdam

Sunday - I went to visit a hockey club, cycling the 25km round trip (getting very, very lost in the process!). Luckily it ended up with me seeing Riekermolen windmill - and it actually was sunny! 

Riekermolen, Amstelpar

 Amsterdam is a complete maze. You can think you're walking in a straight line, and maybe have turned right once...next thing you know you're back at your flat! Everywhere you turn is a new sight/view/experience which is amazing! It's pretty similar to London - but significantly cheaper!  :o)

Blog numero uno!

Hi,

Welcome to my blog! I'm an accountant, but by trade rather than by nature! I'm currently on secondment from London to Amsterdam for 6 months, starting last week!

I'm planning on making this a blog of my thoughts, my pictures and a way to document my time spent in Amsterdam, which so far has been absolutely amazing! 

Work has put me up in an uber-cool studio flat, near a tram, plus I'm now the proud owner of a 'Grandma' bike - I call her Edna...

I have a to do list which I want to complete/add to over the next 6 months, I've completed some, the others I might wait until people come over -it's so exciting! Shame I have to go to work...... -It seems to get in the way of the weekends!!!
I've already visited an office outskirts of Utrecht...totally glamorous...! 

Louise

Edna, my 'Grandma' bike