Welcome to STEIM, here are your keys . . .

I arrived in Amsterdam around 3:00 pm. EasyJet, as ever, was about an hour late. But, we made up for lost time. Stefaan (from Bruxelles) has arrived and we await Nadine and Travis (who apparently is from my old stomping grounds, Austin, Texas). I am looking forward to beginning my residency and making some sounds. It looks to be a creative week.

Always one to make an entrance, I (somehow?) lodged my key in the front door of the guesthouse. They key still opened the door (thank god!) but it was just stuck in there. I didn't have a number for anyone in Holland so I ended up calling friends of friends, etc. and finally getting in contact with the site manager (jack of all trades) Nico. He came up the stairs with my key about 9:00 pm last night. 'How did you get that out of there?' I asked. 'I have tools,' he replied. 'Nuf said. Thank you Nico; I can see you pulling that lock apart in my head right now . . .

Stefaan and I stayed up a bit late, drank a bottle of Spanish wine and talked politics, music, etc. I bummed a cigarette and then went to bed.

I awoke this morning to banging, etc. I was informed that the Dutch have a propensity for 'blowing off' Monday mornings and not beginning their work week until about 1:00 on the Monday. Obviously that does not apply to the workmen re-doing the house outside my window.

It's a beautiful, clean city though and we are in the heart of it. The week begins at 12:00 today. I'll let you know how things are going.

jg