Lest you think I am miserable

Though I find Amsterdam a bit challenging at times... there are also those days that I enjoy it tremendously.

Here is a sample of my last 24 hours:

I found a Starbucks in the city!  Yes, there is one at the airport and one at the train station - but this one is just a 10 minute walk from my house.  And they spelled my name right!

I have a new friend, Jort.  He is short and stubby, has terrible breath, and a crazy mohawk.  When I have a riding lesson that about does me in, Jort consoles me and flashes me a big-toothed smile.

Why are bells ringing all over the city?  The bridges are raising for the big boats to make their way through the canals.  Always exciting!  Never get tired of seeing this.

Perhaps my greatest discovery in a long time... the Shellman Gallery, where all furniture and decorative objects are adorned with shells.  This is not a small gallery, by the way, which has me believing this isn't the niche market I expected, but a major presence in Dutch home design!