Lowlands

In Amsterdam temperatures had dropped even lower than in Paris. The superfast TGV took us to the Dutch capital in three hours or so (breakfast in Paris, lunch in Amsterdam), where our trusted friend Denise and Anjes (!) awaited our arrival. Seeing Anjes there was such a wonderful surprise! Denise, who had to go and support her mother in faraway Limburgia, had to leave soon after dropping us off at her apartment overlooking the IJ, but she left us with a well-stocked fridge, warming heaters and the feeling we were very welcome indeed - thank you Nize! 

We trudged into town (by bus) to Get A Few Things and met up with some of the characters from Rembrandt's The Night Watch - a painting we will certainly go and see while we are here. We also visited our favourite 'cat cafe' of all in Amsterdam, along one of the canals.

Having had a Dutch dinner (bread with ' Dutch'  things like leverworst, speculaas spread, ' eiersalade', appelstroop and ' oude kaas',  we all retired to 'our' rooms. Tess and Yarrow are doing homework (very disciplined they are!).