MERM: Nov. 1- 7

I didn't take too many snapshots while Mom was here because I knew hers would be better and I had to keep my hands free to pull her out of the bike lanes (just kidding).  Here's a sampler from our week together, with a list of activities and a few pictures:

Friday: Wandered around my faculty, Chinatown, Dam Square, and the Red Light District at night.

Together at last!

The houseboat we stayed on was AWESOME.  Dave and Annie, the people who run the place, are from Manchester, England and always had a story to tell.

The other houseboats make guests go down to the tiny cabins after a certain time, but we could hang out upstairs whenever we wanted.  There were always peanuts and tea available. 

Saturday: Got our phones and bank stuff straight, wandered around some more, took a bus tour, checked out the library (separate post soon!), and ate dinner at Hannekes Boom, a cool little shack-y restaurant by the library.

We could see the NEMO (science museum) from our boat.

We also had a view of St. Nicholas Church, Centraal Station, the Sea Palace restaurant, the library, and the music conservatory.

This is in the kid's section of the Bibliotheek (library).  It's called the Mouse Mansion.  It's 3 meters tall and IS THE COOLEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.  It's essentially a dollhouse for little stuffed mice, and the creator also wrote three books featuring characters in the house/ the house itself!

Honestly, pictures won't do this thing justice.  Here's a link to a better selection of photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/79925372@N00/sets/72157633108453621/with/8597318323/ 

Sunday: Funenpark, Roest, Eye Film Museum

We took a walk around my neighborhood before brunch and Roest, that super-cool restaurant thing I live by.

CAT

A guy told us that this bird shows up every morning, usually with a friend, and that the woman who lives in house to the left feeds them dead baby chickens.

Onward to Roest!  Bread, cake, muffin, beet salad...there was also a pancake, quiche, and mint tea involved.

Can never have enough pics of this place.  Here's the girl's bathroom:

We took a ferry to the Eye Film Museum that night and saw Dial 'M' for Murder in 3D as it was one of the only films in English :)

Monday: Utrecht

Utrecht is another city in the Netherlands.  It's a short train ride away, and is absolutely gorgeous.

Courtyard of the Cathedral

What

is

THAT

Tuesday: more city wandering and another trip to the Eye to see Blue Jasmine.  I had class so it was a chill day.

Wednesday: bus trip to the north, night in the Pijp

We took a bus to a few different towns in the north.  They were quiet and quaint and cute as a button.

Marken- a former island now connected to the mainland by a dike.

"Klompen" may just be my favorite word in Dutch.

Sheep are silly.

WWII monument

We got a little lost and were basically wandering around neighborhoods taking pictures of people's yards and houses.  Oops.

Found the harbor!

Traditional Dutch tourist food: pancake and fries w/ mayo.

Volendam- much more touristy than Marken, but they had a shop where you could take a picture of yourself in traditional dress and get your feet "kissed" by fish (the fish eat the dead skin off your feet).  Not sure about the correlation between old Dutch harbor and kiss fish.  

Edam- probably the prettiest of the towns we visited that day.  Got to visit a candy shop and a little tea place as well.

After the day of tramping around the north, we went for drinks at my local pub, T'Ij Brewery, and then headed to a neighborhood called The Pijp (Pipe)  for more drinks and a nighttime wander.

Thursday: I had class all day and Mom went to Leiden, a smaller town with the university that LIBBY WILL BE GOING TO NEXT SEMESTER, HOLLAAAA!  Got to have coffee with Mom and Sara, so my two worlds collided :)

Friday: up at 5:30 a.m., rushing around Centraal Station, a teary good-bye.  A great week for sure!  I wuv you, Mummy :)