Finally, Some Photos!

Woohoo, another couple of weeks have gone by and the cold winter days have been much more bearable as the days grow longer. The sun happens to rise as I'm waking up each morning, and if I hustle just a bit, I can watch the sun peek over the horizon. This week the aurora borealis has been visible in some places around the country, too. I haven't been lucky enough to catch it myself, but I've been peeking at photos from friends who have. With a little luck, they'll be visible closer to Amsterdam in the next few days. If they are, you can be sure I'll be sharing pictures of them next update.

I've been out and about these past two weeks, visiting people and getting together and exploring the city around me. I remembered to take some more photos this time, and I'd like to share them with you!

A vibrant sunrise of reds, oranges, purples shot through a rain-covered window

I met a few little cuties last week - there are a ton of birds around the city, from ravens to parakeets - but these little jackdaws are some of my favorites. They mix in well with the thousands of pigeons and are just as interested in the tasty morsels that people often have in hand and on clothing - and leave behind them as they wander the streets. I bought a pastry for an early breakfast one morning and what began as two jackdaws quickly ballooned into five or six jackdaws and about a dozen of pigeons. These little guys stole the show, though. How can such a perfect shape exist?

In addition to the birbs, I met a beautiful kitcat who gave everyone a long and solid sniff before becoming the a nuzzling machine.

A beautiful tortoiseshell cat giving a kitchen table a Big Sniff

I ALSO went a wonderful little used bookstore packed to the brim with paperbacks old and new. I spent two hours poking around the other day and only left when I realized I hadn't eaten and the place was about to close. The smell of old books and the soft creaking of the floor brought me straight back to being a kid, poking around used bookstores with my mom. It makes me want to return to bookbinding as a hobby - something I was just getting into before I left the States.

The Book Exchange in downtown Amsterdam

I was reading Vandermeer's "Annihilation," here, one of my favorite books

The tattered spine of my beloved copy of Les Mis

The front of the book after being rebound by me, the pages no splitting

The rebound Les Mis, sitting under another bound repaired bound book for a friend

Some old photos of the first book I ever (re)bound, a copy of Les Mis so well-loved it was absolutely falling apart

The beginning of the year was bitter cold and very snowy, which not only shut down most of the city but also presented a very different Amsterdam. The sun has been out this week, though, and the chill has been perfect for walking to a warm dinner or drinks downtown after class. One of the est haunts nearby is a ramen shop, perfect for a hot meal on a cold night.

Me and a couple pals out for ramen! Censored with adorable stickers for privacy, lol

Some goooooood curry, miso, and seaweed salad

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That's all for this week! I'm so happy that I've remembered to take more photos recently, and have made it a goal to document more. I don't scrapbook much anymore, but including photos here scratches some of that itch. Thank you all for taking a peek at what I've been up to, and for being here!

Have an excellent couple of weeks, and I'll see you in the next one!

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