Landing in Amsterdam

It's finally clear - it's a gay parade.

This day was off to Amsterdam with John arriving the following day.

On the cycling beer bus.

We played soccer until 10pm with two local campers who were very good. They don't seem to speak English, then come out with whole sentences. One Dutchy in the pool, after me telling him the time, says "Do you ant to say when it is 8 hours", so he'd know when to go back for dinner. Not bad for a 10 odd year old. One father hits a ball with his son counting up . Some of the words sound so closish, like six seven arkt for eight, twelve thirteen and five-teen. Even the "nay" for no, is like "yea or nea." A bill is the reckening like the day of reckoning. Germans say donker shern (like that), Dutch say Dunk yer vell, then the Belgians later on say Dank You. The granpa says his car runs on "hash". I think he means "gas". When we were riding people would call out "you gobble" or something. Everywhere they're saying things but we've got no idea.

Today we went for a final swim. The big guy tried to take Ollie's board. Ollie ended up in the deep end trying to avoid him. Then he was almost drowning while the big kid simply grabbed the board. I dived in to hold Ollie and take the board away. Kids have no idea. It's scary. Maybe Ollie would have been fine.

Eveyone was piling onto the canals

We pack up, and Marie's finishing some washing up. I asked where my ring was, and she looks a bit horrified, explains she's left them behind, and runs off back to the wash up area. When she doesn't come back for a while, I thought oh well, we can just get cheapo replacements. Finally she comes back. Someone handed them into reception. We relax again, and buy them a bottle of wine to thank them and leave it with reception. I've given Marie my wallet, and now am really horrified as she has no pocket, and we'd be truly up the creek without that. Marie is really annoyed when I ask for it back.

Skate hero

The boys watched a movie til we hit the Amsterdam, rolling along the freeway all the way. Even about 10k's out it was still farm lands and green spaces. Found the camp ground at last. It's a shitfight to get to reception. People are everywhere. There are tents all over the  place. The smell of wacky tobaccy comes from every 2nd tent. The toilets have the special bluish lights. A nice place otherwise.

Walking to the free ferry into town, a quick crossing, and we're in. All the streets were packed. I noticed a couple of pink gay for a day t-shirts. Then we found out it was the big pride parade today. So everyone getting ready, and all the crowds at the camping finally made sense. It poured again. We stopped for some mini desserts.

Getting back to the camp, we met 2 guys from Paris, 2 girls from Germany wh ocooked a pile of meat.