Leaving Amsterdam...

As soon as I arrived here Friday... it felt comfortable. Not "home", perhaps, but *home-like*. Embracing and both stimulating and familiar. Perhaps it was the casual dress, the, um, scents... but as much that I have many past fond memories here (especially with patgreene, who was on my mind frequently this weekend). And knowing where things are, and how transit works, and where to go.... it's like visiting Washington, DC for me in that sense.

At midnight Friday I went to the airport and met sarahh. It was delightful seeing her in her former home... new aspects of her come out that I hadn't seen. And it was a pleasure to meet halimede and her partner R, who gave us all a ride to/from Schiphol airport again yesterday, where we met karenbynight arriving from the US safely.

Kathleen stayed alert, moving (we must've walked 7-8 km yesterday...) and generally non-cranky, despite jetlag... it was impressive. And we celebrated her birthday over here! (grin)

She and Sarah are staying here for the rest of this week, while I'm in the KLM business lounge waiting for my flight back to Spain... back in Rio Tinto by this evening.

And... happy birthday today, grynz !