Dambusters...

Playlist

Mathilde Santing - Mathilde Santing

Herman Van Veen - My Cat and I

Focus - Hamburger Concerto

Golden Earring - Switch

Up at 4:45 and out into the dark at 5:20, making our way down to the bus stop for a day trip as a surprise to Anne for her birthday tomorrow...

To the airport, where a coffee and croissant/apple and cinnamon cake gave early sustenance before boarding our plane for Holland - leaving right on time and arriving slightly early...

A walk on, walk off scenario and straight to the platform to purchase return train tickets to Centraal Station - by 10:30 am (9:30 UK time) we were emerging into the bright Amsterdam sunshine - and below freezing temperatures...

We took a stroll down to Spui and stopped off in a little bakery to enjoy our second coffee and cake of the day...

A quick split to shop for (a) music and (b) stuff Anne likes...

Your correspondent was to be found at "Fame Music" just off Dam Square, with a goodly amount of stuff in his arms, however, the Exec Producer, with her own arms empty, arrived and Executively Produced a few items back on to the shelves...

Nevertheless, rather more expensive CDs than usual for Mr CBQ by Madredeus, Allan Holdsworth and Herman Van Veen, made their way into the collection, before we walked on to the Jordaan district...

The Blethering Fish (rough translation) provided shelter from the cold and the opportunity to partake of some tasty Dutch beer...

...followed by more walking as we sought out one of our fave spots in the city, Het Molenpad on the Prinsengracht...

We were on the opposite side of the canal from our target and, as luck would have it, also situated there was a rather fine second hand music store called "Second Life" - Golden Earring and a second Herman Van Veen collection were acquired at very low prices - just as well too, as all 40 tracks on the HVV set were already contained on the previous set bought at "Fame Music"...

I am an idiot...

On over to Het Molenpad and a tasty lunch and beer ensued, Mr Quartet enjoying some raw steak mince on a roll with mustard and salad...

Mmm, mmm...

The walking continued as the sun got lower and the chill got chillier...

In the main shopping street, new watches were acquired - we already both have several watches...

Towards the Rembrantsplein, a wee present for sister Pam was also acquired...

Not far along from the Rembrantsplein, heading back into town, we passed another record shop, called "Record Friend" - a vinyl specialist, with a giant working model of a turntable in the window, complete with hand painted, equally giant version of the mighty King Crimson's first LP...

Further coffees were required by now and we stopped into a wee place near the Nieuwmarkt with a resident Black Cat in the window...

It was around 5:20 or so by now and the wind was beginning to bite - but we were still enjoying our flying visit...

We eventually found a restaurant for dinner - one of the many around the Leidseplain, purposefully choosing one which offered Dutch cuisine...

But not until after we'd found the Hans Brinker Hotel, where we stayed on our first visit to the city, back in 1982...

Called "Kop van Jut", it offered it's very own beer, of which, of course, I had to partake to accompany my delicious Steak Frites...

As we approached 7pm, we walked through the city back to Centraal and caught our train back out to Schiphol...

..where a seemingly interminable wait awaited us...

The flight was around 30 minutes late in departing including a good 15 minutes of taxi'ing before finally taking off and heading back through the night to Edinburgh...

Once through a huge queue at customs and onto an Airport bus, we walked back up the hill to Crispycat Towers, arriving around 10:30 to a rather vocal Meg the Black Cat...

A packed, enjoyable day...

 

Highlight of the Day : Day trip to Amsterdam and back...