My travel agency called me yesterday. They must be scrounging for business, and they are being very astute about it. They know the places I love to visit, and someone there noticed a sweet deal just "made for me."
If I book my flight now, seven months ahead, US Airways offers an amazing price for a round-trip flight to Amsterdam in August. Normally, Northwest is the most economical carrier for that trip, because Amsterdam is one of their hubs. But for some reason, US Air is offering a ticket for almost half the price. If I go in September, I can fly for one-third the price.
August is absolutely beautiful in Holland. I would be guaranteed perfect weather. I have a place to stay in Drachten, with relatives. That could be my home base while I roam around and do what I need to do.
The book I have been working on for the past two years is coming together. I have spent countless hours, days and weeks on personal research, gathering photos, doing historical research and weaving that into the story, verifying details and recording everything into chronological order. I'm almost ready to start using my writing skills now, turning the story into something that will be enjoyable to read. There is just one thing missing: I need to go back there one more time getting more photos and copies of historical documents. Most importantly, I need to spend some quality time with the people there who still have memories and stories that will polish off the story. Also, I need to just be there, in the place where the story took place, seeing it, feeling it, and absorbing it. Then, I will have the inspiration to write the words that will make it all come alive to readers.
I want this so bad, I can just taste it. But, even at half price, I have a hard time justifying spending the money.
If I don't do it now, when will I? How can I finish the book without going there?
Then, there is Amsterdam - that wonderful, global city. New York City has the Naked Cowboy, but Amsterdam has all that and more. All the wild, weird and wonderful people are there - most of them right in Dam Square, in the summer. The food in Holland is generally awful, loaded with chemicals and pretty bland, but everything else is fantastic. I could spend a few days in the museums again, losing myself in the incredible displays. Dangle my feet over the edge of a bridge on some canal and watch the boats glide underneath me. Wander through the red light district and let myself get properly shocked. Buy a day pass for the tourist trolley and hit the high spots again. Wander through the Royal Palace and gaze at the amazing gilt and marble, stretching fathoms high into the ceilings. Finally visit the Neukirk, which for some reason, I never got around to seeing.
I could take a bus to Harlingen and walk around with my camera. It's the prettiest fishing village I have ever seen!
I could catch a performance at the Harmonie in Leeuwarden, then have a bowl of fish soup at de Dicke van Dale in the central district, with a bottle of Dutch beer. Browse through Ursula, my favourite shop in the district, with all their wonderful, colourful "hippie-style" clothes.
I could ride across the Ijselmeer on the Aufsluitdijk again, stopping in the middle to read the memorial plaques about the heroic labour of the men who built that amazing highway across the sea. I could stand on the top of the dike and watch the brave (crazy?) men who drop into the icy water there in their little windsurfer things.
I could ride out into the countryside and find the rows upon rows of huge, shiny, white windmills, stand underneath them and listen to the sound of their paddles slicing the air.
I could buy those delicious Dutch cheeses and sausages at some deli, and feast on them while sitting on a park bench somewhere.
I could buy some Dutch tobacco to smoke. It's smooth and sweet - nothing like the bitter stuff you get here.
If I don't go now, will I be able to go later? Probably not. Things are getting worse all the time, business is slowing down at an alarming rate, and I only have a little bit of money left. Should I spend some of it and just go?
If I book my flight now, seven months ahead, US Airways offers an amazing price for a round-trip flight to Amsterdam in August. Normally, Northwest is the most economical carrier for that trip, because Amsterdam is one of their hubs. But for some reason, US Air is offering a ticket for almost half the price. If I go in September, I can fly for one-third the price.
August is absolutely beautiful in Holland. I would be guaranteed perfect weather. I have a place to stay in Drachten, with relatives. That could be my home base while I roam around and do what I need to do.
The book I have been working on for the past two years is coming together. I have spent countless hours, days and weeks on personal research, gathering photos, doing historical research and weaving that into the story, verifying details and recording everything into chronological order. I'm almost ready to start using my writing skills now, turning the story into something that will be enjoyable to read. There is just one thing missing: I need to go back there one more time getting more photos and copies of historical documents. Most importantly, I need to spend some quality time with the people there who still have memories and stories that will polish off the story. Also, I need to just be there, in the place where the story took place, seeing it, feeling it, and absorbing it. Then, I will have the inspiration to write the words that will make it all come alive to readers.
I want this so bad, I can just taste it. But, even at half price, I have a hard time justifying spending the money.
If I don't do it now, when will I? How can I finish the book without going there?
Then, there is Amsterdam - that wonderful, global city. New York City has the Naked Cowboy, but Amsterdam has all that and more. All the wild, weird and wonderful people are there - most of them right in Dam Square, in the summer. The food in Holland is generally awful, loaded with chemicals and pretty bland, but everything else is fantastic. I could spend a few days in the museums again, losing myself in the incredible displays. Dangle my feet over the edge of a bridge on some canal and watch the boats glide underneath me. Wander through the red light district and let myself get properly shocked. Buy a day pass for the tourist trolley and hit the high spots again. Wander through the Royal Palace and gaze at the amazing gilt and marble, stretching fathoms high into the ceilings. Finally visit the Neukirk, which for some reason, I never got around to seeing.
I could take a bus to Harlingen and walk around with my camera. It's the prettiest fishing village I have ever seen!
I could catch a performance at the Harmonie in Leeuwarden, then have a bowl of fish soup at de Dicke van Dale in the central district, with a bottle of Dutch beer. Browse through Ursula, my favourite shop in the district, with all their wonderful, colourful "hippie-style" clothes.
I could ride across the Ijselmeer on the Aufsluitdijk again, stopping in the middle to read the memorial plaques about the heroic labour of the men who built that amazing highway across the sea. I could stand on the top of the dike and watch the brave (crazy?) men who drop into the icy water there in their little windsurfer things.
I could ride out into the countryside and find the rows upon rows of huge, shiny, white windmills, stand underneath them and listen to the sound of their paddles slicing the air.
I could buy those delicious Dutch cheeses and sausages at some deli, and feast on them while sitting on a park bench somewhere.
I could buy some Dutch tobacco to smoke. It's smooth and sweet - nothing like the bitter stuff you get here.
If I don't go now, will I be able to go later? Probably not. Things are getting worse all the time, business is slowing down at an alarming rate, and I only have a little bit of money left. Should I spend some of it and just go?
posted by Me | 5:20 PM
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