Thursday

last night in this lovely hotel.  We leave at 4:30 a.m. with a breakfast box for the trip to Moscow.  We have had a great time here. Today took a coach ride to Delft to see the factory there.  So interesting how they make the molds and paint them, using charcoal to mark the pattern on the pottery, (like stamping for quilting) which is a black paint, which when fired, turns the beautiful blue shade..it is cobalt in the paint that turns it blue.  The pieces in the factory were most beautiful and also expensive.  Then off to a little place where cheese is made...and where there are windmills.  Windmills lift water, and grind grain, or chocolate.  No electricity is produced.  We had a light lunch there and then off to Volendam.  What a pretty place. Small streets, small houses and quaint.  It is by a lake.  Weather perfect again.  We had a marvellous dinner back in Amsterdam.  There are tourists everywhere...many Asians. Amsterdam is not as pretty as I had thought it would be and it is quite dirty.  But it is a big, bustling place full of life and activity.  Saw the Movenpick hotel where we are staying September on our river cruise.
Interesting this afternoon while having a coffee in a bar.  The waitress was carrying a tray from which a bottle dropped.  The resulting glass breakage hit one of the paying guest cutting her.  I didn’t see where, but I think it was in her leg.  The glass just flew with amazing force.  One of the other guests rushed to her aid, and assessing the situation bandaged her up with provided bandages.  He must have been a doctor as he rushed right over.  Did 8467 steps today, and 12,788 yesterday.  This having fun is killing me.