do you know the music man?

there are a lot of street performers near dam square (i'll send you photos, but they yell if you don't tip them), but there is only one canal performer that we have seen. he is reinier sijpkens (i think), and he is the best*

* the link above is the google translate version of his page, so don't blame him; he didn't write it.

this man plays the hand organ, WHILE motoring his boat around in circles, WHILE playing either a french horn, or a trumpet, or a CONCH SHELL, or whistling (he's very good). 

we have video too, so you should come over sometime and watch it. or tell me why my computer won't upload videos. that would also work. 

then, when he's played for a while, he sends a wooden clog on a fishing pole up for people to put tips in. this guy plays on sundays near our apartment, but we'd never stayed long enough to figure out how people tipped him. 

ryan thought we should get a boat, and i could perform monologues on the boat, while he walked along side and held out a can. but the clog idea is better. 

i gave him a tip, and got a free post card. 

then we took a photo of our matching feet. 

we were craving italian food after paris (no offense, just... we were), so ryan found a great place: le 4 stagioni, near vondelpark. 

the antipasto came on a cake stand, which was awesome. i forgot to take a picture before, sorry...

tomato and mozzarella and basil penne

beets and goat cheese!

ryan's scallop and shrimp pasta...

and this we passed on the way home. RIP, elizabeth taylor.