Well hello again dear reader. Here I am having a tiny break in Amsterdam.

Basically booked on a whim last October when I heard Depeche Mode were going on tour.

Unlike my usual planning. I seem to have selected a decent location. A single train from the airport. And the hotel ‘Jaz in the City’ is literally next door to the Ziggo Dome. Where they’re playing tomorrow. The Jaz is basically quite music themed. And all the rooms have soundproofing (!). So there’s lots of rockstar type references. Quirky some may say.

I even had a successful passage thro Bristol airport on the way here. Twilight bag drop. So my clean pants and socks overnighted at the airport. Obviously I was concerned they’d be languishing in some check agents back bedroom overnight. But I have an AirTag in the bag so could monitor them at all times. And they never left the Lulsgate area. Yippee. Slight downside was that I inadvertently packed my jumpers so had to go to the airport this morning in an unplanned big coat. Also throwing thrift to the wind, I got fast track security. Thank goodness. The airport was packed to the rafters with grey tracksuit bottom-wearing holidaymakers who have definitely taken their sovereign rings and Mr T neckwear off and definitely have no liquids about their person. But wait. No they haven’t. So everyone is being frisked for paco rabane and cans of guinness. I’m a terrible travel snob!

Uneventful easyJet flight (I splashed out on a latte, and had actual whole row to myself). And the now familiar post-brexit passport control. Something about getting our freedoms back etc. Whilst the euro-types scamper thro eborders with literally their library card.

After ditching luggage at the Jaz (I was too early for check in) I headed off to the bustling centre, only realising when I was on the metro I’d left my passport and ipad unlocked and broadly unattended back at the hotel. Oops.

I decided to take myself off on a canal trip. It’s donkeys years since I was last here (when me and Fiona popped over) so I have no idea of geography. And with my bleedin phone on about 23% i had to limit frivolous map and TripAdvisor usage. The priority was being able to get back to the hotel without the use of the British consulate or lurking in an apple store charging myself up. As luck would have it Centraal station is actually central. None of that Paris Georges V rubbish when it really means Champs Elysee. And simply following a canal led me to an appropriate provider of canal tours. Who knew?

Then with phone having a nervous breakdown, I got back to the hotel for some electrification. Phew. Wont make that mistake again. Now safely tethered I could work on somewhere for dinner. Snob Streetfood it was. Burger for me. And no tip for them. Transpired I only have one €20 note apparently. So waited for another table to leave soI could manufacture a distraction move and leave without drawing too much attention to myself. I’ll pop to the atm tomorrow…. Or starve…

Side note. They were playing Loreen and Tattoo off of Eurovision winnings when I walked in

It’s bedtime for me now as I’m in the future and have been on the go since 3am.

If you’ve managed to get thro that waffle (I’m in hotel bar sipping a thimble of Heineken!) treat yourself to a lovely video in my usual style and hopefully fully accessible.

Until the next update. Play nicely. I have to go and gargle so I can hit the right notes tomorrow evening whilst belting out Just Can’t Get Enough and Personal Jesus. I’ll have to hum thro the new album stuff. I’ve not learned the words yet…

Watch todays video!