creep generate arid

"All large tasks are completed in a series of starts."  Neil Fiore 

Well. we headed for the Rijksmuseum yesterday morning, deciding to walk in spite of our concierge warning us against it.  It took about a half hour to get there without much problem-  we were lost until the darn place just magically appeared in front of us.  So we headed for the gate with our tickets in hand, but were stopped short by an officious looking person.  We showed our tickets nad she dismissed us and told us with a snort-  yeas, those people have tickets too- and pointed to a long line we were directed to.  So off we went to find the end of the line.  Down to the street, around the corner, down to the end of the block and around another corner--- people three and four across waiting to enter!  Rumor had it it would be 2 hours to complete the line as it stood, and TY does not *do* lines for anything, so0 we decided to go to the Van Gogh Museum right behind it.  Trotted along and  found another line waiting to enter there-  and they said perhaps 2 hours there too.  We encountered a third line that was shorter, maybe just TWO blocks long, waiting to enter the Rijksmuseum restaurant. 

 Enough of that, off we went to find a pub or bistro or plain old bar to gather strength.  And a bier.  Accidentally wandered into a dark spot with funky taxidermy and the requisite stuffed peacock overhead.  The waitresses were three young girls that looked like models, the food was prepared by an Indonesian guy we could see at the stove, and it was a perfect place after the morning of frustrations.  We stayed a long time and then headed back to the hotel, walking through many shopping districts and a ceremony at the Dam Square for VE Day.  After a week of ceremonies and crowds, I had kind of lost interest.  I got to the room and crashed, waking up only in time for dinner.

Remind me to tell you about that when I don't have several tall blond people waiting to take over this lobby computer!  And pictures to follow. Suffice it to say that the supplied toiletries here are by Hermes, I have stepped into somebody else's life for these two days!

So, today we are gonna fool everybody.  We are headed out at 8:30 to re-join the line at the museum (with our $40 worth of tickets in hand.)  Hopefully we will be within a reasonable distance from the entry today, because this is our last day and HOW CAN I EXIT AMSTERDAM WITHOUT SEEING THE 'NIGHT WATCH'?