The Western European Blitz: Day 15. Exiting Amsterdam. Heading Home.

Day 15 - 10.04.19

Exiting Amsterdam. Heading home

Well what do ya know. The sun is shining. Quickly lets pack up for the last time and get one more 17 minute stroll in.

Vondelpark is such a beautiful piece of land so close to our AirBnb. Plus Coffee Concepts, our favorite coffee shop is right at the doorway in. Ingrid grabs us a couple to go and we step into the park.

T’ Blauwe Theehuis (The Blue Tea house) is a café in the park. It’s painted a bold royal blue with a couple of tiers of tables and chairs outside. We grab a high top and order some breakfast. Fried egg over toast, fresh fruit parfait with granola, bacon and a croissant with butter and jelly. Also ham and cheese is provided. The French put the ham and cheese in the croissant with the butter and jelly. We didn't do that. We’re not French.

There is time for a quick loop through the park. Its a busy infrastructure of paved paths for bikes and dirt walking paths. There are pretty bridges over little creeks and large ponds. It’s an early sun. It doesn’t quite have the power to take over so there is still due and water from last nights rain on the trees and plants. It’s shaping up to be a wonderful day. Great. time to head home.

For me there is an anxious feeling to get home similar to what it was to leave for Madrid. It has been a sensational trip and I would certainly continue to the next destination if that was our choice. At the same time, the pace that we set and the amount we accomplished has meeting wanting a little down time and simple house projects. Oh and of course we long for the Zoo de McPhee.
Thanks Amsterdam!

We are not allowed to sleep on the plane per Ingrid’s jet lag instructions. Well, I have had two large Heinkens as a send off so I partake in a quick nap immediately at take off. The rest of the flight is full of movies but, absolutely no more naps!

We are lucky enough to spend our last true night on this epic trip with some of our best friends and their awesome kid. We reminisce about all we had just done and catch up on all we missed over some delicious pink champagne. We brag about our champagne knowledge, share stories, and make some Trump jokes (while being slightly terrified) until we hit the slumber hour. Tomorrow, we’ll be home.

Isn’t this what travel is all about? The experience yes, but also remembering the exhilaration and feelings of amazement to touch down in a foreign country for the first time, lay your eyes on Sagrada Familia, get lost in the Gothic quarter, travel to the top of a mountain and tour a 1,000 year old monastery, or literally travel the French county side by train, dine in Paris (and lose feeling in your toes), sip champagne in Champagne, dance to Ray Charles and traditional Jewish wedding tunes in the same ancient dungeon bar, smoke some weed in the red light district, and talk futbol with Germans through the canals of Amsterdam, meet and laugh with complete strangers from the other side of the world!

I’m glad I was talked into chronicling our days abroad and crow barred into sharing it with who ever was willing to follow along. Thank you to those who have. What an experience!

I have to say it would have been completely out of my scope of possibilities with out my wonderful travel companion. Love you, Inga.

Until Next time.