Moving…and Dutch Stairs
Last Monday was moving day—how is it that we’ve accumulated so much stuff? Keith’s idea was to move by boat, since there’s a canal in front of our old apartment and another one about a block away from the new place. I tried to discourage him, imagining our little boat sinking under the weight of my stamp collection. But it was either that or move by bike, and so we filled the boat with boxes, chairs, clothes, three tables, books and the aforementioned stamp collection and Keith sailed down the canal while I cycled over with some smaller things. Four boat loads and countless bike trips later, we were completely moved out. Of course, when your bike is loaded down with a box, dish drying rack, yoga mat, umbrella, towels and a plant, tourists think it’s cute and want to take your photo…so I’m sure I’ll end up in one or two scrapbooks as some sort of Amsterdam oddity.
Moving out wasn’t a problem. Moving to the new apartment wasn’t a problem. But moving into the new apartment was, I’m afraid, a bit of a problem. We’re on the third floor of an older building in the Jordaan neighborhood, and we have a traditional Dutch staircase. How charming, one might think—until one is heaving bicycles, boxes and bags to the top floor. Dutch stairs (aka “Death Traps”) are very narrow and can only fit one person at a time, they are steep and they are spiral like a corkscrew. You really hope no one is coming down when you’re trying to go up! And once you arrive, gasping, at the top, there’s really very little motivation to turn around and do it again. I’m already in the habit of quadruple-checking to make sure I have everything (keys, wallet, phone) before leaving to avoid having to trudge back up. And I’m sure I will, at some point, fall down these stairs, probably flattened at the bottom by a load of groceries or something. Yet on the positive side—in a few months, I’m sure I’ll be in great shape. Can’t wait for my next trip to the States in October…and getting the suitcase down The Death Trap!
PS. A few more moving-day “action photos” in the Photo Gallery.
