Meal on the move

This image seemed to sum up life in Amsterdam: as we crossed yet another canal bridge I saw a boatload of parents and children pass underneath tucking into a lunchtime spread as they whisked along. For an instant as I looked down I saw the goodies on the table and heard the excited chatter of the participants before the vision passed. What a wonderful way to celebrate a birthday or just to share a mobile picnic with family and friends.
The afternoon was one of random exploration without any particular objective - my favourite way of getting the feel of a place and spotting  things which might otherwise be missed. Today these included:
a spin through Vondel Park which has lots of water birds but apparently NO squirrels;
houseboats with little grassy lawns on top;
a delightful set of porch decorations in the shape of animal heads (see extra image);
a traditional bakery shop with a beautiful tiled exterior and some delicious Dutch scones called kwarkbollen;
a bijou street market selling quality goods: cheese, jam, mustard, nuts and French saussisons secs;
ArtZuid, an up-market area that doubles as a sculpture park, its leafy avenues scattered with huge forms in metal and stone: easy to view from the saddle or to dismount for a closer look at the more interesting ones which included a trojan horse, a shepherd shouldering a ram, a figure covered with little birds);

 and then,  another reminder of the Resistance: a monument consisting of three figures standing in front of a firing squad  on this now oh-so restful and manicured spot.

IN REPRISAL FOR AN ACTION OF THE RESISTANCE
THE GERMAN OCCUPIERS TOOK 29 PRISONERS
OF THE PRISON AT HE WETERINGSSCHANS
THEY WERE TRANSFERRED TO THIS LOCATION AND
IN THE EARLY MORNING OF OCTOBER 24, 1944 THEY
WERE EXECUTED WITHOUT A FORM OF PROCESS.




 Flickr pics of these things here.