On Friday, we woke up late, watched Discovery Channel and laughed, and then got ready to go to Ikea and into Rotterdam to look at hiking/camping stuff for Germany. Xander had never been to Ikea before, and had a bad opinion of it. But guess what, he actually liked it! We got him new plates, wine glasses, silverware, lamp shade, salad bowl, etc, and it was like €70. We also looked around at the kitchen showroom, Xander wants to redo his kitchen but is waiting to see what happens first...also, FYI: Ikea is pronounced "eee-kay-uh" here.
So then we drove to Rotterdam for lunch. We ate at this Moroccan place called Bazar, and it was delicious. We sat outside and looked at all the people walking by. There is certainly a large variety of people in that city. Xander says they have one of the most diverse collections of ethnicities there. I wouldn't doubt it after being there that day. Then we walked to the shopping area and went to the outdoors store (is that what you call it?) to look at hiking boots for me (yes, friends, believe it). We actually bought me a pair that were on sale for 50% off, they are apparently a really good brand. My feet look very tiny in them. They're kind of cute, actually. Though the yellow pair were cuter. But not on sale, so I got the blue ones. We also looked at backpacks and tents and stuff, but are going back to buy those. Rotterdam has a bunch of little food stalls that you can buy food from, so we got some fresh fruit to snack on. We found a body shop, too, so I got some hair product to keep my really frizzy hair in this weather under control. I really noticed in The Body Shop how shocked people are when I speak English to them, speak English to Xander, Xander speaks English back to me, and Xander speaks Dutch to the people working in the stores. They just can't compute how we would be dating, I suppose? It's really funny, actually.
After more street food (egg rolls this time) and a bit more shopping (we found a store with Hindu/Buddhist-type stuff, I got my favorite Nag Champa incense yeah!!), we got back into the car because we had to come home, eat, and head to the North Sea Jazz Festival, which was back in Rotterdam again. I don't know if it's Xander's special forces training on how to drive when in pursuit or being pursued, but he drives a bit like a maniac. He is trying to control it, but I still end up car sick by the time we get home!!! So we ate some dinner, unpacked the car of our new stuff, and got ready for the Festival. Jumped back in the car, drove to the Metro stop before the place where they are having the Festival (called Ahoy!, isn't that cute?), and jumped on the Metro. I have been on lots of Metro systems all over the place, and this one is the most complicated ticket system I have ever encountered. I have it under control, somewhat, but it is very difficult and Xander agrees.
Anyway, Xander's sister-in-law to be, Emerlee, works at Ahoy! and has left tickets for us at the desk though we have to pay, still. When we get in, it's pretty cool, they have like 12 different venues and you can walk around to any of them and listen. The seating looks like it has been occupied for a long time, though, so we stand. There's also, of course, beer, but here it is Grolsch not Bud. Funny. We first listened to the Roots for a bit, and that was tons of fun. Then Emerlee came to meet us so that I could meet her and we could give her the money for the tickets. She is engaged to Xander's brother Martijn (pronounced "mar-tie-yun")and is a really nice gal. We went to listen to Katie Melua, who I really liked. It was really hot in the place, though, it didn't seem like they had A/C? With the price of the tickets, they had some nerve not to have the A/C crankin'...I tell you what, there would have been a riot in Texas. We went upstairs to see where Emerlee worked and had a coffee (did you know that the Dutch drink more coffee than any other European country except Denmark?). After chatting for a bit, we went to the roof where we had a cocktail and listened to some DJs. There were a lot of Americans or at least English-speakers there. I think this Festival is a pretty big deal, as we overheard an Irish girl at Bazar say that she came to R'dam just for the weekend for the Jazz Festival.
So then back downstairs for Al Green and Jazz at Lincoln Center featuring Wynton Marsalis (!!--I never saw them even when I was IN NYC, and now I see them in Rotterdam. strange...). Xander and I liked the Lincoln Center Jazz the best, it felt so civilized and sophisticated.
We decided, after listening to that for a bit, to head home. We were walking out, and saw the huge group of people waiting to get into Buena Vista Social Club (yes, BVSC). We didn't go because it was like €50 extra! The nerve. Anyway, so we headed home.
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