A Wandering WeyrCat...

Nemo Science Museum, Amsterdam Netherlands  Official Photo of the verdigris ship-shaped building, designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. Built above a tunnel, the curvature of the tunnel acted as a foundation and was also the inspiration for the curved shape of the building itself. In a kind of mathematical mirror image of the traffic descending into the tunnel, the architect designed a building that seems to rise out of the water. NEMO We finally made it to the Science Museum! We traveled by Metro so we came out via Amsterdam Centraal, the most beautiful train station I've ever seen. Mosaic and gilt and bas relief everywhere! The boys had a blast in the bubble section! And we're fascinated by the telescope! They outgrew their Mama in a forced perspective room, which doubles as a slide if you are 5.  They used blocks to build colored shadows.   And tried to complete an 8,650 piece tria...

The temperature clearly knew when the month ticked over, as evidenced by a 7°C drop in daily temperature. On Dec 3 we even got some kind of light hail or brief clumpy snow. It didn't stick, but it was surprising! December 5, Sinterklaasavond (Sinterklaas Eve) Sinterklaas arrived in Amsterdam by Barge a couple weeks ago. Today he'll ride his white horse to put candy and toys by the shoes of good boys and girls. We put carrots in the shoes for his horse.  Learning Dutch! Ik spreek en beetje Nederlands!  I've been using Duolingo to learn some basic Dutch, and have made it a priority to practice every day. I've maintained my streak of 50 days! Covid-19 (via New York Times) Dec 20 Just days before Christmas, the U.S. is being hit by a fourth wave of coronavirus infections. More than 125,000 Americans, on average, are testing positive every day. Hospitalizations have increased nearly 20 percent in two weeks. Most of the world’s vaccines provide almost...

(This content is a repost of an Instagram, for certain loved family members that do not have Instagram.) By: DianyDeCorazon in Sao Paolo, Brazil On: 23 December, 2022 Link:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CmgqKE6uwrH/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= People look at that show!!!! This tree is breaking the Guinness Record! Made in Portugal by 75 ladies from the Parish of the United Residents Association of Appeal have been working on these comics since May!. the tree is 17 meters high and has over 7,000 granny squares! I loved it so much! Thank you dear @luisaantabreu for sharing with me these beauties! MERRY CHRISTMAS MY DEAR PEOPLE! MAY IT BE A NIGHT OF UNION, COMMUNION AND HAPPINESS WITH YOUR LOVED BEINGS! BLESSINGS Photo is from @joaobaiaobaiao @amua.2009 beautiful work they do

2022 June 04 We went to ARTIS: Amsterdam Royal Zoo ,  also known as Natura Artis Magistra. It opened in 1838 and is the oldest zoo in the Netherlands. It's also huge (14 ha). It has Botanical Garden status too because it has over 700 trees of 200 species.  There at many places to take gorgeous photo ops, and the weather was just perfect.  Japanese Macaque and their weird unnatural cave structure. The first animal the boys saw, so they were enraptured. One of the monkey enclosures has a huge mesh tube to a jungle island. The overlook was lovely with a wild feel. The flamingo lagoon was straight up out of Disney.  For dinner, we went to De Carrousel Pannenkoeken. Lovely pancake restaurant built around an antique Carousel. The horses no longer rotate but children can sit on them for photos. The inside is decorated as a Carousel and the outside booths are wicker and comfy. The menu is extensive and our wai...

26Nov, Hobbit's First Day of (Real) School! ...was Rough. He was nervous of speaking to the teacher and had an accident and didn't have spare pants to change into. We played up the other things he got to do, like playing in a cardboard boat and got a Sinter Klaus gift. He's made a sort of friend, and loves reporting the new words he learns.  The second day, he said he cried because be missed us so much, but the third day was better, though he had another accident. (He had spare clothes with him, at least.)  Covid-19 The end of November brought stricter Covid-19 restrictions in the Netherlands.  The following restrictions will come into effect on November 28, and will remain in place until (at least) December 18 (from IAmExpat ): * Enforced opening times of 5am - 5pm for catering non-essential businesses and events. * Enforced opening times of 5am - 8pm for essential shops. * Face masks and 1,5-metre distance mandatory in public indoor areas - ...

We took a ride on the Museum Tramlijn Museum TramLine! Our 1927 Wooden Tram #454 (whom I've nicknamed Toby The Tram) is part of an Electric Railway National Monument in Amsterdam. The line itself started in 1876 and was horse-drawn, and was electrified between 1900 and  1906 . It's still a working local Rail line. At Railroad Crossings without lights and barriers, the Conductor has to get out and physically stop traffic. The line only runs on Sundays, April through October. Their website has lots more information in both English and Dutch. There's a pamphlet too, but only in Dutch.  The beautiful wooden two-axel Tram we rode was built in 1927 and she and her brethren remained in service until 1968 .  Historic 1915 Haarlemmermeer Station, at the terminus of the line. The station became a museum in 1975. It was declared a National Monument in 2020. The line (tracks) are considered part of the museum.  Going...

  CLICKBAIT!!  Ok, not really but kinda. I didn't really move to Amsterdam (shh, don't tell my 4-year-old) but to Amstelland . What is that? Historic Amstelland   - by  Historisch Amstellend   By "Amstelland" we mean today the area south of Amsterdam , with the most important places: Amstelveen, Diemen, Duivendrecht and Ouderkerk, all of which are older than Amsterdam. We no longer count the city as part of the area. The name Amstel comes from the old Dutch name "Ame-stelle", which means "place by the water". That is the original name of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel. The oldest mention of Amestelle is in a deed from 1105, in which Wolfger is mentioned as sheriff of Amestelle. Amstelland was for centuries an uninhabited peat swamp that was brought under cultivation from the 11th century. The Amstel was the mining base.  by nl.Wiki Around the House It's going to take some adjusting. For one thing, I'm short. Like, 5'3" (160cm) and the Net...