Going Dutch

Well, the holiday officially started today when I eschewed the diet and chewed some calories instead! For your information, I've been eating sensibly for the last month or so. Partly in support of Mrs B. and her diabetes-related healthy eating, partly because I wanted to get back the non-pregnant look but also because I was eating all the wrong things at the wrong time and I was conscious that even I am not immortal.

Anyway, a stone in 4 weeks and not one single Haribo has passed my lips.

Holidays are a bit different and, to celebrate its start, I had a wonderful chorizo and melted mozzarella on ciabatta whilst sitting in the sunshine in Brighton watching all the weirdoes.

Bought a couple of hemp shirts (large, rather than my previous extra large) and was vaguely amused by the labels which read something along the lines of "Please don't try and smoke this shirt, it won't have any effect". Mrs B went into her favourite shop and bought a few new tops as well (smaller size also!)). It's called Hampstead Bazaar and Rula Lenska wears their stuff almost exclusively. Not necessarily the greatest endorsement after her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother!

Anyway, packing is done, apart from a few odds and sods in the morning, and hopefully, this time tomorrow night, I'll be in Amsterdam. For anyone who hasn't been there before, I heartily recommend the city. Forget all the stuff on TV that implies it's one big red-light district, there is so much more to it. Pretty, friendly, small enough to get round easily and absolutely full of life.

For inveterate collectors and browsers, there are several big flea markets, art markets, food markets and flower markets. For those of a cultural bent, a wealth of museums and for those, like us, that just want to chill for a week, there are few better places to just sit with a drink and watch the world go by.

Last time we were there, we found a great bar which has live music all evening and way into the night. Nobody knows who is going to play or what they're going to play, as musicians just turn up and jam. You might get an hour of blues, then some of the personnel will change and we're into jazz funk. In fact, any type of music with guitars and drums can be heard there. It's about 5 minutes from our hotel so we may well pop in once or twice!

It'll be strange leaving my alter egos of Bertie and Bunty behind. They have become so much more a part of me since Big Brother started. I'm not sure how Bunty came about? It just sort of happened. I picture her as a rather large, vast-bosomed, loud lady in tweeds and sensible, lace-up shoes and feel that she might have an affinity for dogs and "gals", rather than the male of the species. Prefect at boarding school and captain of the hockey team, she uses her bluff skills helping other people, drinks pints of real ale, smokes the occasional cigar and has the social skills of a Taliban freedom fighter.

I have to say I've already become rather fond of her and I think she may well be here to stay.

Anyway, back to Amsterdam. My lasting memory of our last visit was a really old rasta guy with grey dreadlocks wobbling along the road on his bike, a seraphic grin on his face and the biggest spliff I've ever seen between his lips. Sure, there is a drug culture with what are euphemistically called "coffee shops" legally selling dope, hash cakes, mushrooms etc but these are readily identifiable and not sordid in any way. They have full menus offering a vast variety of "wares" as well as normal food and drink. A real must for Pink Floyd fans!

The red-light district is very overhyped, Walked through during the day without even realising, although it's a tad different at night. There is a wonderful shop called The Condommerie selling,apparently, the biggest selection in the world. It's also a museum of prophylactics and really entertaining (as well as eye-opening).

Sorry, I'm going on a bit aren't I?

Right, that's it. Blog hiatus time. I'm taking my best Sheaffer Imperial and a journal so, hopefully, I might have a few stories to tell on my return.

The Bassett has left the building!