Busy busy busy!!!

By the end of the day yesterday we were both exhausted, so I didn't get around to posting....

We spent a good part of the day shopping yesterday. We started by going downtown Haarlem. Andrew needed a nice warm coat. The coats we could get in California are just not conducive to this weather!!! He found a nice down coat that is water repellent.   Andrew had bought me a nice warm down coat the day before, so I was toasty warm shopping!  It started hailing several times yesterday...nice to have warm coats!  Boy, I had forgotten what it's like walking in and out of stores wearing all those clothes though!  It's hot inside and cold outside, so you're constantly taking off and putting on layers!

I forgot to bring my camera, so I took pictures from my phone. However, I'm unable to transfer them to my computer for some reason, so I will try when I get back to the U.S.-back  in Verizon's system.

(was able to transfer pictures from my phone to laptop-so here they are!)

Next we went to the Media Markt (which remind me of Best Buy in the U.S.). We bought an iron, a pot for heating water, a hair/beard trimmer (for Andrew!), a sound system for the IPAD/IPOD, and a phone. 

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The time difference here: Amsterdam is nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard time (California). We found that it's getting more difficult to adjust the older we get (LOL!).

Tomorrow morning we get the keys to the house, so we're bringing some of our belongings over there. We're having a bed and table delivered tomorrow, so we'll be working into the evening putting the bed together.

Today, I am taking a jaunt downtown Amsterdam to finish up my Christmas shopping, so I will post more later!

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I took Tram #5 to Museumplein and just walked around for a while. The sidewalks were covered in ice, so I had to take it slow!  I saw The Van Gogh Museum:

This park is next to the museum:

There is an ice rink next to the Rijkmuseum!

Chess anyone?!?!?

Back to the flower stand area!  I asked Natasha the other day about all the graffiti I've seen. She told me that they do not have a "gang" problem....it's kids doing it.....

This is on top of a building!

Albert Heijn is a chain grocery store, we've done quite a bit of shopping at them:

Inside the Magna Plaza shopping center, close to Amsterdam Central:

Leaning buildings!!!

Another bike!

Fruit stands are all over the city!

Central Station!

A parking garage just for bicycles!

I took the Tram back to the apartment, dropped off the few things I had bought then set back out to the Albert Heijn by the apartment to buy dinner and marzipan custard filled dessert (Saint Nicholas cake)!