EuroTrip 102516

It's currently after 10pm here in Amsterdam and I am desperately holding slumber at bay. Helen and I left home a little over 24 hours ago. My phone still shows a Montclair time of 4:06pm but it feels like 4:06am. A seated sleepless night on a 757 followed by hours of walking, required a brief supine rest once we gained access to our hotel room around 3pm local time.
While waiting to board at EWR's Terminal C, we enjoyed conversation with a couple from The Netherlands. Sociable, cheerful and sensible they seemed to embody the essential Dutch character, and that impression has only been reinforced. Proceeding down the ramp to enter the plane, I noticed the man in front of me was easily 7 feet tall. Whether or not he was a Netherlander, he bore the hallmarks of  a tall race. I see many women here who are 6 feet tall.
Amsterdam airport is sprawling but hospitable. People speak English and are helpful. Mall shoppers could go crazy in the high end stores, but we had more pressing concerns. Customs was a breeze, as was getting our phones set up with European SIM cards.
Once outside, my overall excitement was tempered by the sodden sky and late Fall chill. The temperature wasn't so bad but there was a noticeable haze that persisted through the day. A palpable sense of wonder soon overtook me when I saw a Tessla taxi, and another, yet another. The other taxis were mere Mercedes. Our VW Passat wagon would have fit in perfectly here. In the absence of SUVs, similar sleek wagons proliferate. In the city, bikes are everywhere leaning in clumps against buildings and hurtling past pedestrians.
Our first meal was in a charming place in a park-like area near a canal. Any place is near some canal - they are everywhere, bisecting the city into 90 islands.  The restaurant was fashioned out of carnival carts and merry-go-round cast-offs. There seemed to be nautical elements as well.  They specialize in crepes. Needing protein, I opted for the bacon and cheese - rather like a soft eggy pizza. The highlight of our mid-day was a free jazz concert in the hallowed halls of the Concert Gebouw. The famed acoustics were not designed for an amplified big band and chattering drums. The jazz I love involves an individualistic approach, a vocal sound no matter the instrument. It was nevertheless a delight to roam the halls and various side rooms which reinforce my notion of the Dutch culture as harmonizing and inclusive.
Our second and last meal of the day, right here in the Hotel Vondel, featured a starter of a wooden board with various kinds of smoked fish. Delicious! My main course was stamppot: potatoes, carrots and onion mashed together and a large moist piece of salmon. As is her want, Helen sought a personal variant of a menu item, here, "lasagna with forgotten vegetables", heirloom veggies, not ones pulled from the fridge's nether reaches. The waitress was perplexed but then the chef appeared -  in proper chefly attire - and explained that the lasagna had been made in advance, but he would be happy to create a pasta and vegetable dish with a cheese to suit Helen. The grilled vegetables were amazing (Helen passed to me her peppers) and had me taste something that looked like red eye gravy but which I identified as parsnip purée. The chef's accommodating spirit was not the only one we encountered in this beautiful city. Tomorrow we visit the Rijks Museum, top on our list, but whose exterior we discovered today is absolutely stunning.