Rotte = Muddy River -- Rotterdam, Holland

I'm starting this post from Maud's kitchen/dining room Rotterdam. Dolls without faces (or very minimalistic faces) stare at me from the clean corners and Dutch books fill the shelves behind Maud.

Or would be staring. Had they eyes instead of dimples. 

Maud works on her book about games for kids. Although she is very distracted and I'm not sure how she's accomplishing anything, even with all the ruler waving and disgruntled noises.

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm just... ummm... writing." 

"Do you know netball?"

"No."

"I'll buy you fatty milk on the way home from work."

"Win." (girl knows what I like)

"We can plan to leave for Amsterdam at 8:00 tomorrow so that I'll be ready by 8:30."

"I'll have a sausage breakfast for us."

"Is that my computer making so much noise? Jeez."

"Indeed. He's a loud motherf*cker." 

How does her brain move in so many different subjects so quickly? Even with my coffee and sausage and relatively good night's sleep, I can't manage to keep up. Arrrghhh.....

Gizmo whines to be let in.

Then Gizmo whines to be let out.

Then Gizmo whines to be let in.

Then Gizmo whines to --

Concentration...

"What do you want to do when I get back tonight?"

Nope. Just not happening this morning. 

I'd hoped to hitch to Antwerp on Wednesday, but the weather was soggy and drivers were disinclined to help out this hapless hippie, so I went to the Coffee Company and wrote a blog. Then spent the rest of the morning wandering around Rotterdam and relishing the deliciously soggy weather.  

Rotterdam

• Second largest city in the Netherlands, hanging out in the province of South Holland
• Received its name because it had an umm... dam constructed in the 1260s over the umm... Rotte River. Creative Dutchies (of course, my university town of Grand Junction is so named because it's the junction of two rivers. And my childhood town of Rifle is so named because a trapper left his rifle by a creek. Creative Coloradans). But even though Rotterdam has so many dikes and dams, I would still feel rather unsafe living in it. As the majority of this industrial city happens to be below sea level. 

 p.s. "rotte" means muddy river.  Rotterdam = muddy river dam

• One of the largest and busiest ports in the world (only recently surpassed by shanghai) and known as the gateway to Europe because of all the rivers and trains running through it. 
• Even with its philharmonic orchestra, theatres, zoo, poetry/film fesitvals and carnival, Rotterdam is still known as a "no nonsense business city". The saying in Holland is, "Amsterdam to party, the Hague to live, Rotterdam to work." I think a German equivalent might be, "Berlin to party, Munich to buy expensive things, Frankfurt to work."
• Is also famous for sports. In fact, Rotterdam is fond of calling itself, "sportstad" -- city of sports. It's particularly famous for its marathon, tennis tournament and car races. Athletes from Rotterdam are always winning at the Olympics and things. Athletic Dutchies.
• Transportation is bloody expensive. Gasoline is bloody expensive. Food is bloody expensive. 

Times when I miss Albania...
 

Holland is famous for its cheese.

Holland is famous for cheese other than Gouda (bet ya didn't know that. Bet ya also didn't know that Gouda is pronounced "Howda").
 

If you're a cheese fiend visiting Holland, make sure to try the following:

• Gouda ('cos it's Holland)
• Graskaas (cheese made from milk of cows who've only just returned to the field after winter0
• Edam (super fatty, salty cheese)
• Maasdammer (nutty tasting, holey cheese)
• Boerenekaas (farmer's cheese. I think this is Maud's favorite)
• Frisian clove cheese (has cumin and cloves)
• Leidse cheese (filled with cumin!)

Tee-hee

Maud took me to another "forest" complete with lake for an afternoon cappuccino.

In Holland, cappuccino is often accompanied by whipped cream. This is also done in Vienna, but my lakeside Dutch cappuccino was served with whipped cream on the side -- in a small shot glass over alcohol.

I approve of Dutch cappuccino...

Belgium is tomorrow. First stop Ghent, second stop Bruges and then back to Maud's house just outside of Rotterdam.

I know I'm supposed to be on a diet for my psoriasis... but BELGIUM. That's chocolate land. Argh. I think I'm just going to enjoy a few more picnics before returning to the states. A few more chocolate-filled afternoons.