Friday, August 3, 2012
French breakfast at Gebr Niemeijer with Chris and Nate: we shared assorted pastries: bread basket extra with fruit salad, 2 berry scones, 2 pochons (cherry and peach), 1 granola (which was really mostly yogurt with a little granola sprinkled on top). We also ordered something that I don't remember but our receipt says "eenvoudig jonge boerenkaa." Total: 34.10 euros. Hotel. Bought tickets to the Van Gogh Museum from the hotel concierge. Walked to the museum. Avoided waiting in a long line to buy tickets to the museum—nice. At some point today we laughed over a joke we made up: the idea of a breadmaker frustrated because of lack of success who says, "No one understands my pain!" Tram back to the hotel. Rested. Returned to Front Runner to return the Pantofola D'Oro Loreto Low Men shoes I bought yesterday because I had tried on only the left foot in the store, and I had forgotten that my right foot is slightly bigger than my left foot widthwise. The right foot was so uncomfortable that I could not keep them. Front Runner did not have different widths (I think larger widths did not exist), and they accepted returns with only store credit, so I found another pair I liked and exchanged. The new pair is New Balance CM620P in 7.5 US or 40.5 EUR, width D (medium) in pool green with white, 89,95 euros. The service at Front Runner that I received during my original purchase and during this return was excellent. Dropped shoes off at the hotel room. Met with Chris and Nate. We walked to the Zeedijk street party where we met with Jan, Neil, and Duane and had a few rounds of drinks. During the festivities I noticed a couple nearby trying to take a photo of themselves, so I offered to take it for them. After I took the photo my jaw sort of dropped when I saw a piece of paper emerge from the front of the camera. The camera turned out to be a Fujifilm Instax. A moment later he urged us into a photo position and took a photo of us and gave me the instant photo. How sweet! After several rounds of beer, we trammed to (Spui?). Neil's friends' birthday party. Met Maartin, Misaiel (sp?), George, and others. Many Spanish speakers. Afterwards we went to a nearby street party which was packed with partygoers. I got an emergency meal but cannot recall now what I had eaten. The music stopped exactly at midnight, and the rain started at about the same time. Walked back to the hotel, said good night to Neil.