April 30/New Moon

A travelogue of sorts.

Writing from my Amsterdam Hostel pictured below. Tomorrow is the new moon and yesterday, at the end of this cycle, during the phase of the waxing crescent, was a series of unfortunate events. It felt frenetic to move from the small town of Utrecht where I landed after my long flight - Seattle to Amsterdam via customs in Reykjavik. From the Amsterdam Airport I took a train and arrived about 3 pm, in time to check out the beginning of King’s Day, a national holiday in The Netherlands where the people wear orange, play music, and sell their stuff in the street all to celebrate the King’s birthday. The overlap with King’s Day was by chance. I will make some TikToks of things I have witnessed as soon as I have the internet connection strong enough to do so. In the meantime I will tell you that I have loved the public transportation. Daunting to approach at first but only one real mishap, a wrong bus, leading to a few more, a fall, a left and then found fanny pack, there were a couple of others, that I can’t quite recall now. But that is the beauty of traveling. And it all has turned out in the end.

Here is the tiny pod in which I conquered my Jet Lag (thanks to Andrew Huberman)

Here is Castle de Haar. I rode a rented hostel bike here. I love the very populated Amsterdam countryside. Bike path heaven.

Amsterdam Central Station where I met Henry.

Henry Kacper and I at Zaanse Schans with the windmills and the crowds.

Our traditional Dutch meal: mashed potatoes with sour mustard sauce and applesauce, goat cheese croquettes, baby pancakes, a baked curry and caulflower dish.

Our hostel outside of Vondel Park in an old school building, Lemony Snicket all the way.

More soon.

Much love, Tina