Etten Leur to Amsterdam

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A few days have passed since our last blog, we cannot help that for the internet is not everywhere available. But here we are again and a lot has happened. The situation with Liz has not improved so we went for a visit to the Doctor to find out what we have to do to get her better. Jola helped us with making an appointment and soon we were waiting in the waiting room of the clinic. We were treated by a very nice Doctor, so Liz invited him to take up practice in Australia, but he declined. He gave Liz antibiotics for there was an infection and he called it wondroos. There would be an improvement within 24 hours and lucky enough there was. Liz felt more at ease after this consultation. We also had a problem with the phone , Robin gave us in Australia, to use here with an European Sim card. But the battery failed and did not load. While we went to Amsterdam, Hugo would have a look around for a cheap phone at KPN,, a phone company in Holland. As promised to the Family we would be there on the 25th of May. The traffic was enormous. We had left Etten ?Leur later in the morning on advise from Hugo, you miss a lot of traffic, well I hate to see the traffic outside the early hours, for it was four lanes wide and packed. That gave many Oh,s and Ah's from Liz but I think she will get use to it, I hope. The reception by Gerda and Dolf was as at Jola & Hugo, terrific. They were standing ready with coffee and cake. It takes longer to find a parking place here as the whole trip to Amsterdam. Lots to talk about of course,we stayed there for lunch but then had to leave to visit my Sister that had her birthday two days ago. We had not seen her apart from on the web cam you can imagine that it was a nice welcome there as well. Lucky Nolly did most of the talking, that gave us a little rest before we would see the rest of the Family. We were in vited for a dinner at an Australian restaurant in Heemstede, called the Southern Cross. The plan was to go passed Carla & Hans and the two boys Sander & Arjan and from their house to the restaurant. Nolly would drive in front ,absolutely the wrong idea. You cannot do that in Holland. She was gone while we had to wait for a few cars, could not find her and finnished up on the Freeway. We found a small spot where we with the help of our Garmin found the right way to the the Family Klinkenberg. After the three times kissing, what they do here in Holland we had some refreshments and more talk before we went to this reataurant. The owner is original Dutch but has lived for years in Sydney and now has a place here in Heemstede. A very nice interior, with Australian place names, signed shirts from famous Australians, that have visited this place. The food was of course Australian. All sorts dishes o.a. Kangaroo steak and Barramundi. Very nice prepared. That took most of the evening. Hans took us back to the car, it was already late when we drove back to Amsterdam where we were staying. Two tired people that night that slept well. Next day we spent in Amsterdam. We had a nice breakfast,, it was as we were in a hotel. Later Gerda & Dolf took us to a market somewhere in Amsterdam. We were very shocked not to see any European people there. It was as if you were walking in the Middle East. Even the clothes and the food on the market was not Dutch anymore. There is just no Holland there. A pity I did not have a camera with me but there will have other times to film that. We finnished up in a very big garden centre. There we had buns with croquets, very nice ones and a beautiful cup of coffee. A pity the weather was not that friendly, that made us spent the rest of the day inside. We had a very nice stay with our friends in Amsterdam, All of them are very interested in our lives in Australia, special the young ones. Next day we threw ourselves back in this hectic traffic to get back to Etten Leur. There Jola & Hugo were waiting as well as the washing machine. Lots of washing to do for we have to get ready for our big trip through Europe that starts this Sunday. So it is ByE Bye for now till later Liz & Allan.

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