MARCH 30, THURSDAY

AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam is only a half hour from Haarlem, barely farther than the ride from Swannanoa to Asheville. The train was on time and comfortable.

We arrived at the huge Amsterdam train station and walked out of the station to the harbor and took a free ferry across to the Eye Museum, a film museum. We decided not to eat lunch there and took the every five minute ferry back again.

And then we walked and walked all day following Henny’s suggestions of places to see. We saw her street when she first came to Amsterdam 20 years ago across a canal from the Anne Frank house, we saw her favorite small antique store and ate lunch at her favorite cafe and then visited the huge church that she suggested we visit.

We stopped again for hot chocolate and finally found our way back to the train station after six miles of walking. I ached, but we had had a marvelous time. When we got back we bought French fries, really Dutch fries, crispy with special spices and two different home made sauces. Absolutely delicious and better than McDonalds fries. That was our supper. I collapsed in bed. It was a Henny day, discovering what she liked so much about Amsterdam and Haarlem, a perfect day.