Dutch Bucket List (Vondelpark Wading Pool)

Splashing in the wading pool at Vondelpark and Beatrix Park. √

Gosh, I didn't think we get to fulfill this wish until July, when the weather gets better. But it's been glorious this weekend, and so we made our way to one of our favorite Amsterdam spots for cooling off.

Almost three years ago, here we are splish-spalshing in the same wading pool. We had just arrived in Amsterdam on June 1.  

They were so little! Happy memories with their Nana.

Wintering

A big thank you to my friend, SC, and her entire family for treating us to a couple of unforgettable moments during our stay in Morocco.

I mean, really. Who gets to attend a private party on a roof terrace in Hivernage--the new, cool, chic part of Marrakesh--then go to a private estate the next day (yes, we'll just call it an estate) for an exquisite and delicious Moroccan lunch in the beautiful Palmeries. We did, that's who.

SC is fellow mom at the French Lycée, where we became friends and running buddies a couple of years ago. Our friendship led to me writing up the website content for her new company, KSAHAR (website coming soon!) and, eventually, to getting together in Morocco last month while all of us were on school holiday.

SC is French-Moroccan and grew up in Casablanca. Her parents made their way to Marrakesh where they own a highly-touted design and furniture company in Hivernage. I'm so excited for SC to launch KSAHAR, which merges the artisan quality and authentic materials of Africa, and beyond, with the innovative, chic furniture designs of her partner, an established Dutch interior designer.

SC and her parents were so very gracious, and we are grateful for the opportunity to spend time with them and to enjoy a unique local experience. And we are all the more appreciative given that SC is pregnant with her third child and probably could have used a little R&R while we were in town. Merci beaucoup! Bisous!

From the roof terrace, you can see the walls of the medina. 

At the shop in Hivernage:

The Palmeries:

Lunch is served:

Thanks so much, SC! 

Dutch Bucket List (The Most Liberal City)

I confess. I have a lot of literary crushes: Michael Pollan, David McCullough, Robert Massey, Alice Munro, to name just a few.

Upon moving to Amsterdam, I added Russell Shorto, whose books on Amsterdam and New Amsterdam (aka, New York) have been praised by critics worldwide.

McCullough

McCullough

McCullough

McCullough

McCullough

McCullough

McCullough

Admittedly, I've been so busy reading fiction and writing and doing mom stuff that I just got around to reading this darling by Shorto, which has been on the bucket list for three years:

I now have such a better understanding of Amsterdam's contributions to the modern world. And I'm stunned by some of Shoto's personal anecdotes, which eerily mimic my own experience here in Amsterdam. I've paid so much closer attention to my surroundings because of this book.

As we all hopefully know, New York was settled and founded by the Dutch. We are in the process of moving from Amsterdam to what was once called "New Amsterdam" before English settlers took it over from the Dutch and named it after a city back in England: York.

I mentioned in a previous post that I figured my bucket list would beget an even bigger bucket list. Shorto has written another widely acclaimed work about the Dutch islandcalled Manhattan, and this book, of course, is now on my reading bucket list. You can count on the fact that I'll be reading this one before I land in my new home.

Finally, as mentioned above, Robert K. Massie is one of my favorite authors. I read his book on Peter the Great way back in the early 90's, and DS gave me his book on Catherine the Great when it first came out in 2011.

Regrettably, I never got around to it. It's been on my reading bucket list (and on my nightstand) ever since. It may not be on my Dutch bucket list, but I did finally get around to starting it recently.

I'm half-way through, and wouldn't you know it, but the Hermitage Museum here in Amsterdam (sister museum to the world famous Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia) is launching a new exhibit all about you-know-who: Catherine the Great. It starts June 18. Guess what I've added to my bucket list?

Dutch Bucket List (The Train Museum)

Train Museum in Utrecht. √

You can guess this wasn't on my bucket list. :-) However, I was excited to take the kids this past weekend, along with a couple of their friends. They've been begging to go, ever since visiting it once before with another family.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun I had. This railway museum is so well done and, seriously, I'm still reeling from the train simulator. (note: unsure how to insert the "puking" emoji).

A little nod to the chaperone: a Deflt train car.

Dutch Bucket List (The Tulip Fields)

Stop and smell the TULIPS. √

Today, June 1, marks our third-year anniversary in Amsterdam. We're leaving soon (sniff, sniff), and even though we've explored The Netherlands extensively, our bucket list is still rather long.

It seems like the term 'bucket list' has suffered from a bad image lately, criticized because people fill up their buckets with all the things they'd like to do and then never do any them. I understand this point of view, although for the most part I think I'm pretty good at seizing opportunities to fulfill my life wishes. Off the top of my head, I think my novel is the one BIG thing I haven't competed yet, which is probably because I'm too busy doing the other things on my list, but that's a topic for another time.

For now, I'm focused on my Dutch bucket list. The whole family has items on this wish-list, kids included, and I plan to post once a day as we check things off. Some of our wishes are simply that, a desire to check something off. On the other hand, some of our wishes aren't even concrete but are much more meaningful, such as a desire to relive an experience or conjure up a feeling that reminds us of Holland. Some of our wishes are to do something for a second or third time. We'll see. I don't think we know the full scale of this list, as I'm sure the list will beget a more extensive list.

Bicycling through the tulips is a quintessential Dutch experience, and admittedly I have a small obsession a few tulip souvenirs--my favorite of which is this vase.  The window to do this is brief, a six week period in the spring while the tulips are in bloom. I've done it once before, with two amazing women I had the joy of sharing two of my three years here in the Netherlands, and it was high time to come back with the family. So, just days before leaving for Morocco, we got out and did it (poor DS even had to fly back to NYC that day, only to turn around three days later and fly to North Africa . . . .crazy!).

We logged a 4 hour loop, first through the fields, then out to the North Sea dunes for a picnic lunch, and finishing at the ever-so popular Keukenhof Gardens.

Windy wind. Unless we were on them, our bikes spent much of the day like this:

In the middle of the tulip fields, one stumbles upon Keukenhof Gardens--a formal showcase of tulips and other seasonal flowers, which is only open in April and May. It's a big tourist destination, for good reason. The park is a delight of gardens, cafés, playgrounds, and windmills. Each year they center their creative gardening efforts around a theme, and this year was the Dutch Golden Age.

I just love these Amsterdam houses and canals. Holy crocus.

It's a good day when your outfit is identical in color to a vibrant spring flower.

See you tomorrow with Bucket List, Wish #2