Amsterdam: Highlights (November 25 – December 1)
Although American Thanksgiving was just a typical Thursday in Amsterdam, we did a few things this week to get into the holiday spirit:
On Wednesday afternoon, we went with friends to see Frozen 2. In the Netherlands we look for the “OV” or original version of American movies, which keep the English dialogue and use Dutch subtitles. We watched it on an enormous Imax screen and indulged in all the popcorn and treats.
Norah and her good friend, Trinity.
On Friday, Jill hosted an American Thanksgiving with several friends and we contributed three dishes, made with love in my ill-equipped Dutch kitchen: homemade cranberry sauce, a raw brussel sprout salad, and Alison Roman’s mashed potatoes (which are ridiculously rich and delicious.)
For me, cooking tastes of home and getting all the details right, with metric to ounce conversions and questionable translation skills, was quite the successful feat. We even used our bakfiets to ride all of the dishes over to her house.
Eli, designated carver.
Norah and Ben’s personalized place cards.
We also indulged the kids a bit and decided to let them celebrate a little bit of Sinterklaas at home this week. Ben was super jazzed after a school celebration and came home singing all about lekker, lekker, lekker pepernoten, delicious gingerbread.
He was totally committed to leaving a shoe (which will do in a pinch, when you don’t have any clogs at home) by the fireplace for Sinterklaas to bring chocolates. Norah, with the help of google translate, wrote a beautiful Dutch letter to Sinterklaas too.
We figured, what the heck, and sure enough, the kids woke up to a chocolate treat in their shoes! We figure we are safe because it’s doubtful that Sinterklaas, with merely a steamboat for transit, rather than a sleigh and magical reindeer, will be able to reach Evanston next year!
This reads (loosely): Dear Sinterklaas, My sister and I have left our shoes out by our chimney. We hope that you will come and give us little gifts. We love your horse and hope that he feels well and ready to go back to Spain. We had chocolate letters and they were so good. In this house, you are loved. We hope you will come. XOXO, Norah and Ben. PS: We speak English and a little Dutch.
The carrot in the shoe is for Sinterklaas’ horse.
It is hard to believe, but we have just two weeks left in Amsterdam before school is finished and we begin our last leg of travels. This week, we’re going to pick one activity we didn’t yet do and one we want to do again and try to fit that in before our time here is finished.
