My favorite 5 Tourist Attractions in Amsterdam

I am one of the many people who adore Amsterdam! So I believe it's rightfully considered one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. With its academic establishments, along with more than 40 museums, numerous theaters and many other entertainment venues, Amsterdam is Holland's leading cultural center. In addition, the city is famous for its buildings, laid out in a pattern of concentric pieces in the shape of a fan and built on piles driven through water and mud until the firm bottom up to 20 meters below. 

I love to take long walks and spend time discovering new places, tranquil inner-city spots that tourists usually don't notice (like the Begijnhof). 

I have also checked all the recommended attractions and here are my top 5 favorite tourist attractions:

1. Cycling in Amsterdam is like religion. There are more than 750.000 bicycles in Amsterdam! In a city of almost 850.000 people! With this amount of cycle traffic, you can imagine it is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world, so you are not to miss the chance of enjoying this safe and fine city by pedal power! And a word of warning: if you decide not to bike, you must be very careful since here the bicycles are paramount and all others (pedestrians and cars) are to make room for the cycling kings and queens.

2. Museumplein and its museums. Museumplein is the area surrounding the Rijksmuseum, reaching to the Stedelijk and the Van Gogh Museums. It is the cultural center of Amsterdam. It breaths culture not only thanks to these three amazing museums delimiting it, but also to countless open-air exhibitions, theme markets and a large padding pool used as a large ice rink during winter months. 

If you hate the crowded places, you must try the EYE Filmmuseum. I am a film freak and it so happened that I was there for the Fellini exhibition! I loved it! So, to get there you just have to go behind the Centraal Station and embark on a toll-free ferry ride. It is interesting and somehow undiscovered by the flocks of tourists, so you can take your bike, pedal until you reach the ferry shuttle, take a short but interesting ride crossing the IJ and then enjoy the museum exhibitions or just a cup of tea or a glass of wine while admiring the amazing views over the river IJ and Amsterdam from the museum cafe. Also the museum building itself is iconic. That's all I will say, if you're curious just go and see it!

3. Take a canal cruise. I will only say that Amsterdam's canal belt is on UNESCO's protected list. By taking this tour, you'll have an unexpected view of the underskirts of the city. Plus you get the audio tour that uncovers many of the city's secrets.

4.  Visit the Bloemenmarkt Flower Market. Even if some disagree, the tulips and the clogs are the symbol of Holland all over the world. If you think about buying some tulips or bulbs while in Amsterdam, buy them here in the world's unique floating flower market. If you are a flowers freak, you must not miss the Aalsmeer Flower Auction (Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer). It is the largest flower auction in the world with around 20 million flowers traded here daily.

5. Try the broodje haring. There are fish carts all over the city and if you usually like fish, you definitely should try this small sandwich with bread, herring, pickles and onion. It is traditional Dutch snack and every visitor to Amsterdam should give it a try.

There are many other things worth doing and seeing while in Amsterdam, but these are the top of my list. Some of the other ones are: spend some time at the Waterlooplein flea market; get food, drinks and do some shopping in De Pijp neighbourhood; take a walk in the Vondelpark; play chess in Max Euweplein; visit the Bridge of Love (Staalmeestersbrug) with your better half. And, most important advice of all: enjoy your time in Amsterdam!

Happy New Year to all the Mommies in the world!

I wish you a Happy New Year!
With joy and health!
With time together and true friends!
With happy and healthy families!
With love and peace of mind!
I wish you to reach all your goals in this wonderful year that is coming!
And may you be happy with what you have and what you get!

New Year's Resolutions

I know, making new year's resolutions is somewhat annoying and old, but I love making these resolutions (and, let's be honest, mostly breaking them sometime over the year).
I know it's disturbing every year when I look back on my notes and I see I've not even checked half of them. But every year, between Christmas and New Year's Eve, I feel the urge to make my list. The list of stuff I feel I want to/should do next year. Usually, on my list there's the habitual resolutions: the weight I want to lose the following year, the classes I want to take, the things I want to learn and the books I want to read.
But now, these seem not so important. Because next year, around the month of May, I will meet my daughter. When I think on my list, I can only imagine things related to her: carrying her in the best way possible, giving birth, having her healthy and keeping her happy, being able to meet her needs and so many others... I feel that this year my resolutions will be not about myself. And I think that, from now on, my resolutions will be mostly about my daughter. About her needs and expectations.
So this year, or at least half of it, I can still try to make resolutions about myself. Also, I can spoil myself with presents and I will make some of my wishes come true. I don't really know what's coming, but I have the feeling that all will change. For the best, I know that!
So, come changes, I am ready for you!

There is one resolution that weighs more than the rest of them. 

Merry Christmas!

I wish you all Merry Christmas and may all your wishes come true on this magical day!

Christmas films on TV

I have just seen a Christmas film on TV. The one where Sarah Jessica Parker goes to meet Dermot Mulroney's family. His mother is Diane Keaton and Sarah's sister is Claire Danes.
The thing is that I had seen this film many times before. Every year, around Christmas, they show on TV this type of films, and also this particular one. I understand why they show these films, being the season and all. But what I don't understand is the pull I feel to watch these films over and over again. If they weren't on TV, I wouldn't go and rent them out or buy the DVD just to watch it once a year. Also, I must confess, I don't think this is one of the best Christmas films. There are many others I would have preferred to watch today. But I didn't change the channel, I kept watching until the film was over.
And sometimes my eyes fill with tears, sometimes I laugh, although I know the story, I know the ending, but still... I let myself get involved in the film and I allow myself to be taken away by the story. I want this. I want to be part of these perfect and beautiful stories. They always finish joyfully and everybody is happy at the end. Everybody finds that "someone", they find balance and happiness. I want that. At least for these 2 hours, I want to believe. I want it to be jolly and merry and happy! And I can have it, can't I?
Plus that sometimes this good mood lasts longer than the film, sometimes it lasts all day long and follows me around, leaving a thin layer of fairy dust everywhere I go. But is this "Christmasy" mood truly influenced by the film? I can't make my mind for sure...
Anyway, I feel I must write here that one of my favorite Christmas films is "It's a Wonderful Life".
What is yours?

Is Christmas spirit enhanced by thematic TV films?

Pregnancy and Cooking TV shows

I don't normally think about food. Not even now, that I am pregnant.
But, whenever I happen to watch TV, I usually stop for a film somewhere. Still, when there is no interesting movie or if they have started half an hour ago, I go zapping through the channels looking for... Something. And sometimes this Something is a cooking show. What is it with cooking shows that arouse my interest like no other shows? I have never found appealing the "Big Brother" type of shows or "Find me a wife" or anything similar. And even less interesting I find a show concentrated on the local actual "celebrities" who are willing to show on TV all their issues and problems. But a cooking show!
First reaction is curiosity: "let's see what is it that they are trying now"
Next is suspicion: "is it OK to mix those ingredients? Hmm... It doesn't seem tasty nor appealing"
And eventually amazement: "Wow! It looks soooo good! Wow! The texture seems perfect! Wow! Look at them tasting and enjoying!"
Followed by the obvious: " I should try this"
And then the also obvious: " Wait, what were the ingredients?"
So I have only once managed to locate online the recipe for the tasty looking food I had just seen on TV. And it turned out perfect. It was American Pancakes, someone's recipe. But it was worth looking and locating. I followed that recipe two or three times and now, that I'm writing about it, I am thinking about making them again.
But! My main question remains: what is it with these cooking TV shows that makes them almost irresistible?

Tasty and fluffy! Yummy!

Pregnancy and a Job Offer

Although pregnant, I have received today a job offer.
It's for a small local producer. I wouldn't have thought of them as "small" until they started complaining about their profit. So they were happy with the turnover, but totally unhappy with their profit. I have a few suggestions about selling for the sake of selling, but not making important profit. Still, I was there for another position, not giving sales tips.
Anyway, as a consequence of their lamentations, they offered me a salary that offended me. Yes, I am supposed to work from home. Yes, I can arrange my time as I see fit as long as I get the job done with excellence. But does this mean I don't work? I couldn't sleep tonight because of these thoughts and I am a zombie now.
What is it with employers that makes them forget they are dealing with humans? They expect hard work and long hours, they expect flawless projects and a significant return on investment. But the investment is a quarter from the minimum wage! So the results should be measured the same way. Unfortunately for me, I am the hard working type. I don't do a lousy job. Never.
But who is to say that, after my trial period is finished and after I show them what type of employee I am, they will afford me? What if their lamentations about the profit were real, not just an excuse for the low salary they offered?
What should I do? Should I start this game called low-payed-job or should I just stay put and take better care of myself and my baby?

Pregnant woman plus work plus long hours equals MoneyMoneyMoney!!!