Monday 30 October 2017

Rainbows over Amsterdam

It is cold. Unexpectedly, the wind slices into the face as you walk along a canal, you hunch into your inadequate jacket. The water ripples like a cat's back raised in fear.
This is me turning purple after a creative writing session, ha ha!
No, I take that back about the creative writing, having just had an excellent morning working on poems we had written, with some other writers. Very satisfying.

Then I walked home through the centre of Amsterdam, past the queue outside the Anne Frank House (little Anne I am glad so many remember you and read your words). Her Diary is one of the most eloquent books I have ever read and translated. Such a mixture of insight and humour and courage.

The tourists crowd the streets. I like it, and try to catch what language they are speaking, and say "Ola" whenever I hear Spanish or Portuguese. (An "h" for the Spanish hola!!)
The trees are turning browns and yellow, and already many leaves (from the plane trees and the sycamores) litter the pavements.
And then, across the Prinsengracht, a rainbow appears. Magical, as always.
Out came my handy iPhone and I captured the moment.
Hope returning, always a rainbow somewhere.
Ah, hope fading: I have recently done some fiddling with my laptop and iPhone and now cannot move a photo into this blog as I was wont.
If there is something I would change in this world of 2017...
But now for some Pilates and meditation, that should restore a balance!

Here's the rainbow!

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