Observations 7/31

7/31
1. When you are young And skinny, you can wear a white Mini skirt with black leggings!

2. There is no surgeon general in Holland. Smoke up everyone you have national health care to take care of you!

3. One never need ask for a side of mayo for your fries. Waiting patiently while your fries get cold, soggy, eaten. Fries always come with mayo in Amsterdam!

4. The Dutch do amazing things with tomatoes. Always get the tomato soup!

5. It is difficult to truly experience Amsterdam if you are unwilling, unable or afraid to ride a bicycle!

6. Embrace frizzy hair. It drizzles, sprinkles, rains or pours several times a day. Everyone looks a bit disheveled!

7. When the sun comes out, it is blinding!

8. Whining babies are just as annoying when whining In Dutch as they are whining in English!

9. If you have frizzy blonde hair, ride a black granny bike, and have on dark colors, you will be stopped multiple times a day and asked directions in Dutch!

10. No one actually speaks Dutch besides the Dutch!

11. Stoned teens are just as stupid here as they are at home, maybe more so!

12. I regret never having had a bachelorette party in Amsterdam!

13. There is a plaque on the side of the hotel where Chet Baker died of an overdose!

14. Never ever ever stand in a bike lane in Amsterdam! Always look before crossing a bike lane. Getting hit by a bike that weighs 40 lbs traveling at 20 mph is gonna hurt you a lot more than the rider who jumped off long before hitting the ground!

15. If above happens to you, you will be the one at fault. Bicycles ALWAYS have the right of way over pedestrians!

16. This is the perfect city in which to have a Gay Pride Parade! As it happens this Sat, I am sorry I am going to miss it!

17. You can ride a Vespa with a huge Chocolate Lab.He will sit on the floorboard with his tail dragging along on the street!

18. There is a bike with a cart on the front. In the cart are 3 small kids, in the back of the bike is a child add on bike, and a baby seat on the handle bars. This is a Dutch mini van. Add another bike for mom w 2 kid seats and 9 people travel in style with no emissions, no cost, and they are ALL smiling! Go figure.

19. There is no such thing as a bike helmet here. I wonder what the statistics are. No one seems very worried. I guess everyone knows the bike rules the road here.

20. Flowers are everywhere. They sure have figured out horticulture!

A note from Linnea

I am so excited to go to the villa that I have once been before as a little cell in my Mom's stomach. I don't quite remember it, but I am sure it will all come back to me (just kidding :)). I can't wait until I can step outside the airport in Amsterdam; it will feel so different to be on another continent. To experience a different culture will be a new reality for me. Everything will be different: clothing, language, food, arcitecture, and art. Although the most exciting thing will be to sustain my incredible relationship with my Mom's family and my loving Godmother. Although I will miss my Dad, I am happy that I get to have this great experience.

Could be Anne

It is moments like these that let me know with certainty that Anne Marie is here with us!

Santa Margherita, Patron Saint of Cortona

As Linnea said at a party recently, "I was made in Italy!"  Cortona is where Anne and Larry went on their honeymoon, and we all know what happened on Anne's honeymoon. We also know who showed up 9 months later. We return 13 years later to the exact same house where she was" made."

It's not a coincidence that St. Margaret is the patron Saint of Cortona.. Santa Margherita had a very saucy start before devoting her life to God.. She also lost her mother at a very young age. So it makes sense that our beloved Maggie(Margaret) Nea's Godmother, is joining us as we head to Italy.

I know as we all prepare to go we are excited and joyful, but we also have heavy hearts... We all know that there is a huge hole here, that Anne should be with us......Maybe she will be there,,stay tuned ;)

Travel quote of the day

" There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler who is foreign."-Robert Louis Stevenson

Katy, Maggie, Denise, JoAnne, Phyllis and Linnea do Italy

Gearing up, shopping and making final arrangements! Not an easy job getting 6 people on the same page.I am sure there will be loads of great stories of our adventures, so stay tuned.