We were up at 5:30 a.m. this morning so we would have time to finish packing and have some cheese and Nescafé. The taxi van arrived about 7 a.m. and the four of us were off to the airport in Larnaca. None of us had any problems going through the various check points today! Yay! Before we left I quickly went into one of the book stores and bought a novel to read on the plane. We left Cyprus about 9:30 a.m. and once in the air they brought us a not so good breakfast—coffee, eggs, cheese, and a roll. Later they came by with coffee and cake which was rather dry and tasteless. We landed in Amsterdam about 1 p.m. We said our good byes to Mike G. and Emily as they are catching their connecting flight and going on to St. Louis today. We were staying in Amsterdam for a few days so we went through passport check and customs and out into the main part of the busy airport.

We searched for the sign for our pick-up that we had booked. No one in sight. So we went to an information area where they called the hotel for us. The hotel staff said they hadn’t agreed to furnish transportation from the airport but luckily I had a printed copy of their agreement. After a heated exchange in Dutch, we were told that a taxi would be coming to pick us up and take us to our hotel.

Once at the hotel, the desk clerk said they erase any deals that are more than 3 months old (we had made our reservations past that date) and that was what had happened. Mike and I agreed we were glad I am so careful about making both online and printed copies of any reservations. We were on the 2nd floor of our hotel and Wow were the steps ever steep! They had told us that there was no elevator and we would need to be able to carry our luggage up some steep stairs and were they ever correct. Our room was small (not unexpected as that is typically the case in these old hotels in Europe), and it was VERY hot!!! There is no air conditioning in this hotel and they are in the midst of a heat wave. Hmmm! This should be interesting. 

Once we put away our “stuff” out we went to walk around. It was SO lovely here—we were right next to one of the canals with a bridge over it and there were bicycles everywhere! It was just how I thought it would be. We stopped in the Westerkerk part of the Jordaan area where Mike had a beer and I had a glass of wine while we sat and watched the world of Amsterdam swirl around us.

After awhile we walked on down the street and decided to have dinner at the Oude Wester Pancake House. Mike and I both had savory pancakes—Mike had one with meat and drank a beer and I had a spinach and feta cheese one with a glass of wine. We strolled back to our room and then disaster struck. My body did not approve of the food we just had! I was violently ill with vomiting, etc. Well no more savory pancakes for me! 

After awhile we watched some television and then attempted to sleep. It was not getting dark here until at least 10:30 p.m. as this was summer and we were so far north. Along with that there was a lot of noise in the streets—tonight was the world cup game where Holland was playing for the title. They lost but as the Dutch people told us—win or lose they were going to party and set off fireworks and they did!