Wednesday 28/5/2014 – Time to Go Home

Tags

2014, airport, Amsterdam, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday

Another wet and rainy day today. We visited Anne Frank’s house in the morning (very interesting but no photos allowed) and had lunch at the pancake restaurant where both of the younger children decided to go for an “animal pancake” and got lovely soft toys – a cow/pig for Lx (we couldn’t decide which is was! I think it’s a cow) and a penguin for Dx.

Home to watch another film (with their new toys)…

Scott needed a little catch up time with his apps

…before a yummy tea and time to get our taxi home.

We managed to find a grand piano at the airport for Sx to while away a bit of time. It wasn’t quite as tuneful when he wanted to get the others involved for a duet – so I decided that it as time to head for the gate.

Home at last – to find that in our absence the oven has stopped working and the electrics in the house need checking out! TIme to start the countdown to the next holiday I think…

Tuesday 27/5/2014 – And the rain came down

Tags

Amsterdam, iphone, iphoneography, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday, rain

Today in Amsterdam the plan was to go to a local theme park. The hire car was booked, the theme park tickets were bought, the plan was made for the morning and what tiem to leave…but unfortunately one thing we couldn’t control was the weather.

It was so wet…I barely got my camera out (only briefly for a couple of photos when Dx and I went on the little train round the park)

When we got back to the car 6 hours later, I discovered that the “waterproof” coats the children were wearing had not really coped with the constant downpour. it was a good job they had several layers underneath – and some dry clothes in the car.

Suffering withdrawal symptoms from lack of photos all day, I took some with the iphone out of the window on the way home…

Monday 26/4/2014 – Markets of Amsterdam

Tags

Amsterdam, Holland, market

We went to the market just round the corner for the kids to see if they could find anything to spend their holiday pocket money on. After much deliberating Sx bought an army hat (for the movies he makes) Dx bought a little magnet animal which wobbles and Lx bought a very elegant (but easily breakable) fan. Gx couldn’t  find anything he wanted.

 

We also tried some little pancakes – which were so good we went back for seconds!

And I earnt myself some “good Mummy” points with the boys by buying them some hot chicken legs from the Kip stall.

Back to chill out and watch a movie (and for the adults to have a nap! I am sure its the kids who are supposed to need them!!)

We went to one of Amsterdam’s famous pancake restaurants in the evening. Unfortunately the weather had now broken and it was pouring with rain. But the kids soon forgot the wet streets outside when they saw the size of the pancakes! And Lx loved her “princess pancake” which came with earrings, a necklace and a handbag. Dx had a “pirate pancake” which came with a little pirate ship to go in the bath.

The first photo of my brother and I for about 40 years! We have ones of the whole family but not of the two of us. My next project is one of me and both my brothers when we all meet up in the summer!

 

Sunday 25/5/2014 – Windmills of Amsterdam

Tags

2014, Amsterdam, Holland, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday

Today was forecast as really warm – but ended up the same if not a bit greyer than yesterday (forecast showers!). Today we had a big trip planned on the boat…all the way to the windmills. Lx and I never went to the windmills when we came last year so we were keen to see them. So after a quick play on the keyboard…we set off.

We stopped for lunch opposite before going to explore. Unfortunately all the windmills were shut when we got there and all the activities for children had all closed for the day too but we still enjoyed having a wander past them

In the lock we had to pay and the fee and ticket were exchanged with the lock keeper by means of a clog on a fishing line!Holding the boat against the wall in the lock

Stopping for lunch….

Don’t worry -this is just the boys filming their latest movie!

 

 

There was a little bit of much needed napping going on during the return trip

 

 

Saturday 24/5/2014 – Waterways of Amsterdam

Tags

Amsterdam, boat, holiday, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday

Today after a quick breakfast,  we had a trip out on my brother’s boat. It was supposed to only be for a couple of hours as the weather was due to get bad in the afternoon. But the sun shone all day so we just kept going all day! (Sorry there are LOADS of photos!!)

 

This was the quirky little place we stopped at for lunch      

 

Friday 23/5/2014 – Airport

Tags

airport, Amsterdam, holiday, photoaday, photography, photos, postaday

Straight after school we were off to the airport. Matt gave us a lift up there but then I was on my own – my first trip abroad with the kids! I still don’t really know what I am doing with printing my own boarding pass and check in – it’s all changed since I used to do it regularly. We managed to get us all – and all of our luggage – to Amsterdam, into a taxi and to my brothers for a few days away.

He loves his new hat and he looks SO cool in it!!

Sx spends half his life with his arms up in the air and me saying “elbows DOWN it’s too crowded here” so I thought it was about time I got a photo or two of it…

Waiting for the gate to be announced

er….just to be clear…no, we don’t love the rain – we want a sunny few days!

At the gate…

Collecting luggage

Waiting for the taxi

Thursday 25/7/2013 – Time to head home

Tags

2013, 365, Amsterdam, childhood, children, daughter, family, holiday, Holland, photoaday, photography, postaday

…But not until the evening so plenty of time to buy some beautiful bargain shoes in the market(and some cheery sunflowers as a thank you), to dance in fountains, swim in a pool (Lx only!) enjoy a beer in the sunshine (not Lx!!), make a dash for it in the rain and buy some turkish bread to bring home as a souvenir (sadly no photo of this 😦 )

 

Wednesday 24/7/2013 – Pancakes and Princesses

Tags

2013, 365, Amsterdam, childhood, children, family, Holand, holiday, home, landscape, photoaday, photography, postaday, UK

     We met Barry after our trip round town for pancakes beside the canal. Lx had a special princess pancake which came with a “surprise”. She especially loved the earrings! She said she wants to gt her ears “poked” soon. I think she meant pierced! Then we met up with Susan and Tomas again for a walk through another park and a last drink before saying our goodbyes to them.

Wednesday – 24/7/2013 Gables

Tags

2013, Amsterdam, childhood, children, family, holiday, Holland, home, photoaday, photography, postaday, UK

A lazy morning in Amsterdam staying home and watching a video of the Anne Frank story prior to trying to visit her house (only to be deterred by the queues – what a great excuse to have to come again though!).

In the afternoon we set off for a little walking trip round Amsterdam. Suddnly I found myself interested in architecture. There are so many amazing buildings, so many individual styles. Apparently Amsterdam is famous among architects around the world – I can see why.

how mad is the building above – the roof slopes…

tramlines

Tuesday 23/7/2013 – Beach Babes

Tags

2013, 365, Amsterdam, Beach, childhood, children, cocktail, family, food, Holland, home, meal, photoaday, photography, postaday, UK

Today in Amsterdam we were off to the beach! Just 20 minutes by train and we were there. Wall to wall sun loungers, brown bodies and sand.

 

We broke up the general horizontal relaxing with (at various times) beers, sangria and pancakes.

 

As the day came to an end my brother joined us for dinner at the beach. A wonderful restaurant serving THE most delicious champagne cocktails

(although Lx was luckily just as happy with her coke!)

We had to leave before the sun had truly set to catch the last train home – but it was still beautiful.