I spent the last couple of days of my adventure in Amsterdam...on a houseboat. Since visiting the city back in September I was enchanted by the charming houseboats lining the canals. When I learned they could be rented I made a silent commitment to myself to come back to one. Due to the French strike against extending retirement age by 2 years, my departure from Spain was delayed by 2 days and thus my time on the houseboat severely limited. When I finally arrived my host showed me my quarters which were adorable. It was set outside of the city in a residential island with other houseboats. The bakery around the corner had amazing croissants, pastries and coffee. After getting settled in I went to dinner at a quiet cafe with candlelight, a glass of wine and three course dinner including oysters three ways. The next day I wandered over to the Waterlooplein Flea Market next to a canal with its hodgepodge of old and new. I investigated the used book tent, elbowing old men perusing Dutch titles while I scoured the stacks for English.
It was cold outside when I returned to my houseboat flat, turned on the radiator and opened a bottle of wine. My last night in Europe I celebrated with cheeses from the tiny Dutch market, olives and other snacks. The sun set while I sat in the wheelhouse reading my book.
I spent 85 days visiting 11 countries. There are important lessons learned while traveling an extended period of time that translate to my life in the future. Patience is imperative. Waiting for trains, delays, mono linguistic disability (my American defect), spontaneous plan changes all require patience. I learned to free myself to savor small details and stop looking at the clock. I figured out it was ok to dance when I have no rhythm because it's FUN. Laughter makes me happy and brightens me from the inside out- no matter how loud it gets. And it is infectious. I visited places and saw things I had always wanted to see. But I became empowered by the journey.