I arrived in Amsterdam on Saturday, right on time. As we landed, everything looked so lovely, clean, and green. I already felt relieved, such a change from hot, dry, dirty Madrid, where I had just come from.

Xander picked me up inside, and it was so, so lovely to see him. He is the cutest thing ever. As we were driving, it looked so different than last time I came...so lush and alive. January was beautiful in a different way, but austere. It's very cool here, too, 18 degrees as opposed to 40 in Granada. Such a nice change. We came home and ate dinner, Xander had bought a couple of meals from the grocery store, they were actually really good. We drank the bottle of wine that I brought with me from Duty Free--a bottle of Spanish Crianza. He had also bought a bunch of cheeses, he knows the way to my heart! We rented a movie, but we ended up just talking until late, all about Buddhism and meditation, etc.

Sunday, we sat around and ate breakfast and chatted forever until we forced ourselves to shower. Xander walked me to the metro stop that will take me into Rotterdam, then we came back and drove to Rotterdam to meet his parents for dinner. We went to Hotel New York, which Xander took me to when I came last time for a coffee. It was where the Holland-America line docked way back when, and a lot of immigrants came through there. So I met his parents...they are very nice people. It was a bit tough for me, as there was a bit of a language barrier. But I think we did pretty well, and I'll get along with his mum just fine. She is into architecture and art, so we can chat about that. After dinner, we went to their house for a drink and it was cute. They have two cats, the older one doesn't like the newer younger one, so it's actually funny to watch. And Xander's mum offered to take me into Rotterdam tomorrow, so I'm meeting her at the metro station at 10 AM. So that will be interesting, and good to have someone show me how to get there.

Xander had to get up at 10 to 6 today to get ready for work, he was out the door by 6:30. I got up with him and then went back to bed until about 8, when the workers who are painting the building started banging on the roof. Apparently, Holland is not like Italy--they actually work!! I pottered around a bit and then went for a run, as I'm feeling a bit stuffed full of patatas bravas, pimientos, and many, many glasses of crianza and/or cava. It was so beautiful! It was cool, and a bit overcast, perfect for running, and people were out walking their dogs and riding their bikes. I ran along the river that runs behind Xander's apartment building, and then cut off under the highway, and back there it was so pretty--horses, sheep, chickens everywhere, people's little homes with lush gardens. Canals, more bikes, all very green. It's so different than New York, and I think it's just what I needed. We'll see how long I can chill out here, but for now, it's perfect. Came back and already started cleaning up. Started with the kitchen and laundry area. I have also already started a list of items to buy for the place. So far it includes: soap dish, coathangers, new lampshade for bedroom, new windowshade for bedroom, reading lamps for bedroom, new cutlery drainer, toaster, basket for bathroom supplies, and bath rug for the shower. Ikea, here we come.

OK, enough for today. I'm off to find a recipe to cook for dinner tonight, like a good girlfriend!