June 30, 2025
Both boys woke around 3am and came into our room last night. We were sure they wouldn’t be able to push open the heavy, slightly uphill door that leads to our room, but Ollie’s determination gave him super strength. Kyle went with Ollie back to the kid’s room so that the four of us could all go back to sleep– there was no way 4 people would fit in our bed. They weren’t able to convey what made them wake up but hoping this will be an isolated incident. Bri said she could hear the smaller boat tapping against the side of the bigger boat all night long…
Len woke me up this morning with a start, “Mama, its MORNING!! Get UP!” It was a little before 8ish which I considered a win as the sun rises at ~5am ish here. Not all windows and portholes have shades on the boat so light seeps in rather easily. We’re a bit nervous for the 16+ hour long days when we head to Norway in a few weeks. Both boys asked Kyle and I separately to immediately begin another game of Risk. Kyle displayed unbelievable patience and stamina and taught them how to play again this morning. The boys loved the concept of forming alliances and being sneaky to then break these alliances. Lenny, slightly confused but majorly enthusiastic, would proclaim, “We have a disagreement!”
We all walked to a nearby coffee shop to start the day. The boys walked together strategizing their alliances and Risk moves. Bri and I noticed a huge outdoor flea market in the street behind the coffee shop and learned they have it every day except for Sundays. Kyle stayed in the coffeeshop with the boys for a bit so Bri and I could peruse the market. We were overwhelmed with the clothing choices and excited by the piles of vintage Levis. Rather than dig through the racks of clothes that we knew we didn’t have time for, we instead bought a few vintage rings and promised to return to look through the clothes when we had more time. After meeting back up with the boys and making our way in the direction of the bike rental shop, a vintage boys’ jacket caught my eye. After a brief negotiation with the dealer, I bought a reversible Italian Jacket for Ollie which I am way more excited about than him.
The boys were both SO excited to see their ride for our time here in Amsterdam. Their bucket seat in front of the bike gives them a better view but has proven more difficult to ride for the driver. Kyle is first up with driving the kids’ bike while me and Bri are on our own solo e-bikes. We also rented a regular, non electric bike for the boys so we can work to teach them both how to ride their own bike during our 9 days in Amsterdam.
Our first stop was a playground where we had a picnic lunch. The boys played on the “ninja course” and Lenny had a memorable bathroom emergency. We then made our way to an amazing playground just a few blocks away from our house– fully shaded, clean bathroom onsite, water bottle refill station, “Spiderman swing” and a ninja course. We’ll definitely be back to this one.
Bri and I went to an Ashtanga yoga class in east (oost) Amsterdam in the afternoon. It wasn’t advertised as a hot yoga class but the temperature of the loft space made it feel that way. It was a peaceful afternoon activity save for parts of the bike commute where we had to cross a street that had bike, car, pedestrian and train traffic running in both directions. Meanwhile, Kyle took the big bike back to the bike shop to pick up the kid sized bike and bring it home in the bucket He also stopped for fuel so we can try to get out on another canal cruise.
Artie and Pauline came over to spend time with the boys while me Bri and Kyle went out to dinner. We had cocktails at a spot around the corner, Hidden in Plain Sight, and assumed we were in no rush to get to dinner. I had a white Negroni made with Jenever at my Dad’s recommendation, Bri a hibiscus/peach/vodka cocktail she loved and Kyle an old fashioned. The sun setting after 10pm creates an illusion where it always feels earlier in the day than it really is. We wrapped cocktails at ~9:15pm and then began a walking tour of Amsterdam in search of a restaurant that was still open and serving food. The only places still open and accepting diners were kabob shops in the center of town. Instead, we scrambled at the grocery store to grab a few pizzas to eat at home. We had a few snacks and a drink on the deck of our boat while Artie and Pauline finished putting the kids to bed.
