Ann & I drove over to Minneapolis on Wednesday afternoon for our evening/overnight flight to Amsterdam. I did a new thing, parking at a nearby hotel & taking their shuttle to the airport — way cheaper and very convenient!

ARRIVAL

We arrived at Schiphol Airport in the late morning on Thursday, and immediately started trading bracelets with Swifties while we waited in line (some of them on their way to the N1 concert). We took an Uber to & checked into our “postage stamp” hotel… seriously…. two single beds, one short narrow shelf, and a chair (not even an upholstered chair) — it was comical.

It was a beautiful day and, after that long plane ride, we took a nice walk to Stephen & Penelope’s.

It’s a cute shop & the staff was very friendly. There’s a lot of yarn and a ton of samples, but all well organized and clearly labeled. I’m glad we stopped. I came home with two souvenir skeins and some notions (no photos of that stuff yet). I wish I could have taken a better photo of the yarn-bombed bicycle out front — there was a cargo bike parked right in front of it — my pic is taken through the window from inside (if you click on the photo, you’ll see it a little better).

I’d used my Airbnb Superhost reward to book a canal cruise with Sebi Boat Tours, and it was the perfect way to “land.” If you look at the photos on his web page, you’ll notice that he had a very special guest on his boat, which he was so proud to share with us — and, yes, we were impressed! We were joined on the cruise by four young women from the Boston area who were on their college graduation trip (next stop, Greece), and by a woman from Chicago & her two daughters — fellow Swifties! (I guess I am one now, too?) More bracelet trading! (Mostly Annie.)

The boats & buildings along the canals & the Amstel River are incredible. Some of those buildings are 400 or so years old… and if you click on & study the photo above, you’ll be as amazed as me that some of them are still standing! It’s crazy. But, oh, are they ever pretty.

CONCERT DAY!

We didn’t have anything planned during the day on Friday — concert day! Taylor Swift was in Amsterdam for three nights, referred to (in chats & whatnot) as N1, N2 & N3. Friday was N2.

Turns out, we were super close to the Heineken Experience, so we got tickets & walked over.

We enjoyed it a lot! A tour of the old brewery, lots of interesting information, and some interactive “experiences,” one of which was a pouring contest. Annie & I both participated and she won her round! Our young guide, posing with her, was going to be working at the concert venue that night, so, of course, he received a Swiftie bracelet!

We loved all the different ways that Heineken bottles were used as decorative elements — the ceiling, some walls — and every bottle was turned in precisely the same direction (we both commented that Mom would have appreciated that attention to detail).

Ann had a couple of extra sets of concert tickets — one of which she sold, the other she bartered with a friend for a stay in Valencia. Her friend Lynne lives there and her sister, Rhiannon (a Swiftie), was visiting, so they made a quick decision to pop over to Amsterdam for the concert! They arrived on Friday & left on Saturday — it’s a pretty quick flight.

Lynne & Rhiannon met us at our hotel. I was finishing the alteration of the Taylor Swift t-shirt that I bought to wear — transforming a slightly too large crewneck into a v-neck — while Annie “entertained” our guests in our teeny tiny room. haha. Then we headed to the stadium via the Metro.

Rhiannon & Lynne’s tickets were on the floor and they had some great vantage points! Annie & I were practically in nosebleeds — very high & steep, but the view was pretty good? I guess it’s like going to a football game at Lambeau Field — thank god for the giant screens because everything & everyone is so “little.”

That’s a wide-angle view from my seat. I was right on the aisle, and I don’t know if that was good or bad… all I know is that every time I stood up, I held on to the back of my seat for dear life. Dizzying.

There was a lot of energy & excitement in the room, and a lot of sequins & feathers!! Some of the concert-goers’ outfits were amazing.

This is zoomed in — you can sort of see a blurry Taylor at the piano toward the right, and the projected image on the left. I didn’t take a lot of photos, but you can see some more (and video) on my Insta.

It was a crush toward the Metro — that part wasn’t so great — and we got home LATE, but it was fun… WOULD I DO IT AGAIN??