Total sissy domination. Part one.

My sister arrived yesterday to great fanfare and a very large sign. Our reuniting caused many smiles among the others at the airport. Yes. I finally made Dutch people smile. Miracles never cease. We hit the ground walking as soon as she got to the apartment, showered off the gross airplane air and changed clothes. LeeAnne, what was your first impression of my apartment? "Tall windows and very peaceful," she says. Thanks for that.

We went on a canal boat cruise in the late afternoon, which is something I hadn't done yet, and it was so worth it! We sat outside and took in the different views of the city. I hadn't appreciated how different the canal houses are and how interesting the architecture is until I saw it from that low angle. We saw a private boat with a wedding reception on board, with the bride and groom dancing to the trumpet played by an old guy in his own small row boat sailing alongside the big one. It was charming and weird -- just like the crazy city I call home.

After the cruise we walked around the center and over to the red light district. Eew. That is all I can say about that. Just icky. We wound up walking all the way back to de Pijp and getting take-away Idonesian food from a place around the corner from my house. We were looking at the menu and (great) review in the window when a man who was just leaving started talking to us about how great the food is and where we are from and happiness and joy, blah, blah, blah. It was incredible. My sister gets the Dutch to talk within five hours of arrival. She says, "I have a smiley face." So unfair... The food was amazing and I was proud that we ordered off of photos of food on the wall without not really knowing what it was we were eating.

We got up early this morning at took the ferry to the monthly flea market in North Amsterdam. We actually took two ferries, but the first one was wrong, so it doesn't count. The market was great -- huge and a little dingy. I think it must of been what Expo was like before it got all fancy. I brought home a few more vases (naturally) and some other ceramics of the mid-century persuasion. LeeAnne bought a bowl covered with Dutch ration stamps from the Nazi occupation of 1940 - 1945. The back has a inscription that says something like, "There was no bread. The Germans starved us." It is so cool and will be a good history lesson for JJ and Annie. What other kids get to learn about WWII through a bowl their mom bought in Amsterdam? And there were some small pancakes involved as well.

After the market, we went back to town and went to lunch at Mel's house with Peter, Guy and Martin. As usual, it was amazing. The conversation was interesting a challenging and the company was sterling. We got home about 8:30 and LeeAnne planned her route for tomorrow. She is now asleep on her cot while a thunder and lightning storm rages outside. I don't ever want her to leave. It is so easy having her here in my life. We laugh and talk and joke around just like the best friends that we are.