I think I'm in love!

The heat wave has continued, but the airco at the office was working today -- a real relief after yesterday's oven-like temperatures. We decided to take advantage of the fine weather and headed out for dinner, hoping that one of the many fine restaurants around us would have a table outdoors that wasn't reserved. We were in luck. Restaurants here don't seem to need a license to drag all their tables out on to the pavements, forcing pedestrians into the road. Of course, the general lack of cars makes this easier, although it's still entertaining watching groups of tourists getting nearly mown down by the bikes. The tinkle of bike bells is less a warning, and more of a threat in these parts.

Tonight's venue was Seasons on the Herenstraat; we'd been there once before during the winter but had sat indoors and the airco was clearly broken. I baked, and needed to head outside to cool down in the icy rain. However, tonight was perfect. A long, light, warm evening; a street protected from direct sunlight (I have vampiric tendencies); great food; and an utterly gorgeous black spaniel to watch. He/she belonged to the restaurant's chef and spent the evening wandering up and down the pavement, soliciting scraps from the tables here and at Top Thai next door as shamelessly as the ladies in the red light windows across the canal. Unfortunately, he'd clearly been trained not to cross the street and so I was reduced to gazing longingly at him from my table. Not that I was minded to share my shrimp broil -- piles of shrimp, roseval potatoes, and corn-on-the cob, drenched in hot, oily butter and herbs -- nor my creme brulee. My puppy love only extends so far.

One of the advantages of the cramped nature of pavement dining is eavesdropping on your neighbours. We were witness to an amazing coincidencental meeting. The table behind us contained two Americans, who -- as Americans will often do -- said good evening to the young lady parking her car alongside our tables. It turned out that not only was she American, but that she was from the same town as the visitors -- and had attended the high school at which the husband taught, although a little before his time. They promptly called for an extra chair and glass and immersed themselves in recollections of teachers and places that all were familiar with. All in all, a charming little vignette for a perfect evening in Amsterdam.

I'm still hoping that it rains tomorrow, though. Eating out is one thing, but sleeping well is far more important.