Friday 22 August 2008

My 'Dam Week





I’m back from Amsterdam and 40,698 words later the latest draft of my 'Juggle!' manuscript is ready. One week of ‘polishing’ to go!

I really enjoyed the trip away, I spent many hours in the coffee shops (the ones where they serve espresso) and bars of the city.

My highlights: Café De Doffer on Runstraat for a club sandwich at cup of tea; Panini on Vijzelgracht for a late night bowl of penne and a tumbler of house wine; the lovely Cafe de Jaren for a cheese sandwich and a coffee or two. My true highlight was dinner at Sluizer on Utrechtsestraat, a really classic restaurant. Highly recommended.

I stayed at Hotel Orlando, not so much a hotel, more some rooms in a lovely old house. The Sunday Telegraph described it as "This discreet little pad, spread over three floors of a stately, canal facing house dating from the 1680s, feels like a rather swanky private home. The owner, an affable ex-lawyer, has furnished the bedrooms with great flair: bare oak floors, silk curtains, Philippe Starck lighting and big, bold modern paintings set the tone". It felt like my very own writer’s garret.

Above, some photos of my 'office' for the week...

No comments: