It's Winter, so we're claiming this as our excuse for minimal blog updates.
A quick update is on the cards, covering October through December in one post, yep, that's how riveting our lives have been.
From Paris, we took a Eurolines bus to Amsterdam, and stayed in a hostel. After a few nights, they had separate boys and girls rooms... hello, we are married? And freaked out when the hotel prices in Amsterdam no less than doubled over the weekend. We rang kiwi friends Nick and Karen in desperation, please can we crash for the weekend? Long story short we never left...
October
Rick was super awesome and landed a job within 2 ish weeks, full time Chef at the Majestic restaurant on Dam square. Along with part time photography jobs, he's a busy boy.
I was less awesome and landed a job within a month, part time shop lady at River Island on Kalverstraat. To make up the other two days I had free, I scored an internship with uber talented Dutch designer Conny Groenewegen. Even though I've done my dash as an intern, I'm keen as to learn anything I can from a successful small business, and Conny's incredible knitting creations.
November
Working and trying to find a house, we did the maths that around half our income would be spent on rent alone, never mind travel to work, food, water, power and all those other luxuries.
Nick and Karen offered for us to stay in their spare room and board with them. We humbly agreed, they have been life savers!
Also we celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary! Wooo! Rick organised the night, we biked into town and had a progressive dinner. Starting at Feijoa bar on Muntplein, only to our dismay they didn't have any feijoa's OR feijoa vodka. Then dinner and a jug of Sangria at Rose's Cantina (Mexican), and finished at the Mint hotel, with dessert and another glass of Red with a view of Amsterdam 11 stories up. Basically we just love food, so it was our perfect night!
Also we celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary! Wooo! Rick organised the night, we biked into town and had a progressive dinner. Starting at Feijoa bar on Muntplein, only to our dismay they didn't have any feijoa's OR feijoa vodka. Then dinner and a jug of Sangria at Rose's Cantina (Mexican), and finished at the Mint hotel, with dessert and another glass of Red with a view of Amsterdam 11 stories up. Basically we just love food, so it was our perfect night!
December
Nick and Karen left for NZ, and my hours picked up to full time over the silly season. We both worked late on Christmas Eve and got home to Skype family until 4am. Christmas was strange... We opened some presents, the best one being the care package from Rick's Mum, Milo, Cadbury, Starbursts and all the other NZ deliciousness. Our American friend Katy came around for an eggs bene brunch. Rick had to work Christmas 3pm until midnight, so I was all by myself that night. I cooked dinner and had a few wines and watched House episodes... Christmas 2012 will have to be a big one!
Below is a pic from Dam Square, with the huge Christmas tree that was a gift to the Netherlands, love from Norway. And the one below is one of the many Christmas stalls at Leidseplein and us getting in on the Rookworsty goodness. These Europeans sure do have class.
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| Dam Square Christmas Tree |
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| Leidseplein Rookworst stall |
