Naked Neighbors and Outdoor Markets

Before we moved to Amsterdam we read that the Dutch keep their curtains open, even in the evenings. To close your curtains here would be suspicious. It is true that many people do not close their curtains in the evening. Many people don't even have curtains. The latter is true for our neighbors across the way. Two guys live there and they are more likely than not wearing only their boxers. In fact, Erin can count the number of times she's seen them both wearing full clothing on one hand. Tonight about 7:00 one of them, once again clad only in a pair of boxers, decided to open the front window and lean out to examine the happenings in the street below while brushing his teeth. Erin thought this quite funny. However this was nothing to what happened just minutes ago.

As John caught up on his e-mail, Erin sat in the living room talking to Annette Cooper on the phone. She happened to glance out the window to behold another neighbor across the street, on the top floor of the building, prancing around his bedroom, with the curtains wide open, in his birthday suit. As Erin blurted out to Annette that there was a naked guy across the street, she realized it sounded a lot like an episode of "Friends." John fortunately, or unfortunately, missed the whole episode because everytime he walked into the living room to observe the spectacle, naked guy would move away from the window just out of view.

Erin went with Annette to an outdoor market on Tuesday. Tuesday was cold and rainy so of course we chose that day to get out and about! It has been sunny since then. Erin decided that no matter how much rain gear you have, riding your bicycle in the rain is just miserable. The market, however, is quite a sight! This particular market goes on for about four blocks. Most things are much cheaper than the regular stores and you can find almost anything: clothing, shoes, umbrellas (quite handy on Tuesday), produce, CD's, fish, lingerie, incense, liquer, porn videos, plants, jewelry, cheese, and nuts among other things. Erin's one problem Tuesday, besides the rain, was that she had only €8 in cash so she was limited in her purchases. Next time she'll know better. Maybe next time she'll decide to go on a sunny day!