For the 3 days previous to this tour, I was able to take a holiday with my wife Beta in Amsterdam, on the occasion of our 10th anniversary (ten!) , which happened on Aug 12.
We left our beloved little children Kaspar and Stella with their grandmother back in Riga Latvia, and took off for what would be mine and Beta's first real holiday together in five years. Small children, in all of their belovedness, are naturals at wrestling away parents from mere thoughts of a holiday. For three days we walked around the 17th century city, map in hand, absorbing like a sponge whatever we could. A highlight for me was a revisit to the Van Gogh gallery. It was fascinating to take in what is as much a celebration of the man's determined lifestyle as his actual art. It is incredible that Van Gogh created virtually all of his work from age 27 until his suicidal death at age 37. Arguably his best work was done in his last year, when he was in his most tormented mode of self loathing. Chalk one up for the believers in suffering as a prerequisite for creativity.
Arrival of the band
after leaving Beta at the airport, I joined the band at our Dutch hotel of choice, the Etap Schiphol, located just across the highway from the Amsterdam Airport, this place has the most ironic feel of home, since the band has stayed here at least half a dozen times at beginnings and ends of tours. I notice that there are even more rabbits encircling the grounds. Even better, there is a bar in the neighbouring Ibis hotel that we charmingly refer to as the Cantina Bar (ala Star Wars). It's one of those places that is always full of world travellers. Not tourists though, but of the business/budget variety. Mostly male, and often in pairs or small groups, chatting of vague business pipedreams. It's a kind of British style sports bar pub, with a huge screen usually featuring 'football'. Being the only place of moderate interest in the whole complex, we also gravitate there, though this time we are met with a power outage from an incessant storm. Can't buy a drink, so fast track to sleep is in order.
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