Amsterdam in 3.6 Hours

Across the Big Pond the other night and “home” to The Netherlands (see Revisiting The Hague ~ November 16, 2007).

Actually, it’s Amsterdam this trip: the old Hanseatic city of canals, humpy bridges and bicycles. Mind the bicyclists! Watch out for that tough old lady bearing down because you’ve unknowingly stepped onto the bike path. And she! with a basket of groceries, holding a dog and peddling full speed ~ in a skirt no less.

More gently ~ the “bloemenshops” have reappeared after winter with their profusion of spring flowers. Some simple stalls are just a collection of buckets on the street corner holding a riot of yellow, red, purple and peach tulips. These are the true Dutch beauties.

I’m staying at the Hotel of the Philosopher. That’s correct.

Behind the reception desk the wall is papered with Kant’s schema. In my room a faux scroll contains Plato’s letter to Socrates. Order a drink and the paper napkin has a message from Rousseau.

On the second floor you can sleep with Aristotle or Spinoza or Erasmus.

The third floor is very quirky. Here are the philosophies. One the left side (the even numbers) is knowledge, wisdom, beauty, goodness, harmony and sincerity. On the right side (the odd numbers) is despair, evil, lust, chaos and skepticism. Oh, my. How are guests assigned rooms? By the order of reservations? By passport? By the tone of voice and glint of eye? Perhaps in this strange place by tone of eye and glint of voice? Maybe that's it.

I’m in room #34 (harmony) which is just fine, thank you. Who's across the hall in Lust I wonder? Shall I knock?

As the Dutch say ~ tot ziens