The City At Night

Cal's been wanting to go into the city after dark for a while. And I've really been wanting to take him to show him the people, the lights and the way everything feels so exciting after dark. I remember the times my folks took us into town; running around sweaty faced, regular games like hide and seek so much more thrilling under city street lights, and then falling asleep in the car on the way home.

Unfortunately our night was less fun and more of a "shit show" as we call it around here. Cal was tired and a little unwell and swung from tantrum to tantrum. But in between he enjoyed weaving his scooter in and out of pedestrians' legs and across busy intersections, which reminded me of how fun but also how stressful it was scooting with Cal to school every morning in Amsterdam. Crossing the busy Overtoom street with 6 lanes of cars, buses, bikes, trams and a toddler on a scooter - next to me on a bike - was sure to get the cortisol pumping every morning.

But despite the tantrums, the stress and the lingering sadness that Saturday nights in the city aint what they used to be, it was still fun. We found a bottle-o on the way home and stocked up on decent Belgian beers - which aside from family and friends - is probably what we miss most about Amsterdam. And then we went home and drank them in the living room, which kids or no, is an excellent way to spend a Saturday night.