Thursday 3 April. It’s the beginning of our South African adventure.

Can you guess from the photo?

Alarm clock, coffee (tea for Lin), taxi, airport, check-in, security, departure lounge, is the fog going to delay us? No.

Blue Islands flight SI 310 is on time for the exhausting ten minute flight to the ‘other island’ (Jersey).

We disembark and wait two and a half hours before boarding Blue Island flight SI 295 for – did you guess right?

Grand Amrath

We are billeted in the Grand Amrath Hotel, Amsterdam, a somewhat strange looking Art Deco early 1900s building, originally designed as the HQ for six major Dutch shipping companies.

The roof is two enormous stained glass windows depicting the sides of the earth. I took a photo of the side showing South Africa for the Emirates pilot in case he gets lost en route on Saturday knowing he’d be grateful.

Looks

When Toby and I have been to METS, Kahlenberg has always treated us to dinner at Looks. So Lin and I ate there.

The menu showed only four starters and main courses and three desserts. But what options. So inspired. Apparently the menu’s changed every six weeks which keeps regulars coming back and back.

We can see why. We weren’t disappointed. The cooking was tinglingly exciting.

Friday

Today we walk, work, and plan.

We have two days when we return and will spend the time visiting the art museums of great Dutch Masters. And maybe Looks, again?

On Saturday, we leave on Emirates EK150 for Cape Town via Dubai.

We have the photo ready for the pilot.

Piers and Lin
from the virtual saloon of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55
Beaucette Marina

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