Juggle this

Its not Monday and 'baked' is something you do with 'potatoes' or 'bread'. 

Today we look at jugglers. By now I am sure you remember the weird specialty stores here in Amsterdam- the Cow Store/Museum, the Toothbrush Shop, the Duck Store, the Naked Butt Emporium (alright, just kidding). 

The Juggle Store caters to all the needs of jugglers here in Amsterdam, although I have never seen an actual juggler, not even in the Red Light district where you would assume they would be juggling. Never-the-less, all your juggling needs are supposedly inside the store. I can't recall ever having a juggling need. The flying bowling pins, flaming torches, and kittens all seem pretty dangerous to me.....

 

Shoulda' been smokin' weed

The evacuation of the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam has been prompted by a homeless Polish citizen, who claimed to be a terrorist, Dutch military police said on Wednesday. Heavily armed military police had to evacuate and search through the commercial area of the Schiphol airport late on Tuesday, when the alarm was raised. They detained “a 25-year-old Polish man without fixed address... who told officers he was a terrorist.” Police claim the young man was “under the influence of alcohol.” His name was not disclosed. His two backpacks were searched, but no dangerous substances were found. The Dutch prosecutor's office is to decide what charges are to be brought against the unnamed perpetrator.

Lawn care!

Yes, they do have lawn care in Amsterdam even though as far as I can tell nobody has a lawn. Its not stopping these guys however.

I haven't seen any leaf-blowers yet. Surely Amsterdammers are too sophisticated for that.....here's a typical leaf-blower in America!

Leiden

Leiden is just down the road (or tracks) from Amsterdam, maybe 25 miles. Distances in the Netherlands seem weirdly expanded, or, my mind is compressed. Leiden feels like it is far away, kind of like the distance between Starkville and Birmingham, or Tampa and Miami.
  

The municipality of Leiden has a population of 122,565, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration with its suburbs, with around 190,000 inhabitants. Leiden is located on the Old Rhine. It is 12 miles from The Hague to its south. A university city since 1575, Leiden houses Leiden University, the oldest university of the Netherlands and Leiden University Medical Center.

Leiden actually has a castle built around 1150ad on top of an artificial hill. In the 1500's the  outer wall- its shape instantly recognizable- was constructed.  

The old town within the walls is much smaller than central Amsterdam and is less dense and has a slower pace. In other words, little danger from bikes, scooters, trams and buses.