My original plan was to spend the rest of Sunday at Lous’ place, and then Ries had planned to pick me up late in the afternoon so that we could go into the centre of Amsterdam together. Well, I did go back to Lous’ place after the concert, but I didn’t sleep. Instead I packed my bag and left a note on her table saying that I’d return Sunday afternoon to drop off the key to her house. Ries and I together decided that we still wanted to hang together. It was strange, because since my separation I’ve only been able to spend a couple of hours with someone on a one-to-one basis, and then I’m ready to run for the hills! But that morning I wasn’t.
There was something about being with Ries. Like being with a long time friend, he was super warm and comfortable to be around, and we seemed to be on the same page about everything. Our rhythm was the same, and it was so natural to be with him that after only a couple of hours together neither of us had a doubt that we would be spending the remainder of the weekend side by side. Like me, Ries hears music in his head and out of the blue will start singing the lyrics to a popular song which perfectly suits the emotion or sentiment he’s feeling. When he does this, I always smile knowingly and join him in singing out loud, helping to fill in the words that he doesn’t know. He loves to dance too, which is also very much like me. He is high energy but can be serious and calm and so very professional when he needs to be, and I really think that is a hot combination. I’d had a total blast with him at the concert. He super impressed me by giving me just the right amount of freedom and space that I always need and want, without the subliminal guilt-trips or jealous restrictions other men try to lay on me. At the same time he was demonstrative with his feelings towards me, affectionate, and I had no questions about his position. In other words, I felt secure. His whole manner exuded confidence, fairness, fun, playfulness, and passion. He talked comfortably with people. He was expressive, and I never had to second-guess him or his needs. Therefore I couldn’t “walk all over” him. Who wouldn’t be attracted to a man like that? These are subtle signs that a woman can intuitively pick up on, they are not obvious. These subtleties are as important, if not more important, than physical gifts or shows of affection.
At his hotel I didn’t sleep very deeply as I was still wired from all the coffee, the rum and coke, and extra alcohol I’d consumed at the concert. But even as we were sleeping, I kept a toe touching his leg, or a hand touching his forearm, just because I really felt like I still wanted that connection with him. Again, this is very extraordinary for me, as sharing my bed with someone else is something I admit I have a hard time doing. When we did wake up around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, there were no red flags or panic attacks urging me to run for the door. I checked in with myself to see how I was doing. Yep, I definitely still wanted to be with him. We cuddled together and recapped the activities of the previous night, laughed, and talked about what a phenomenal party the show had been. Usually after a full night of dancing to a great DJ, I continue dancing well into the next day. To my happy surprise, Ries was exactly the same way, and I giggled with delight at his liveliness and sense of humour. He was so much like me; a kid in an adult’s body. It is such a pleasure getting to know someone new! We chatted into the day, lying across one another, beside one another, wrapped around one another. We talked seriously and deeply at times, and then easily switched to lightweight and unimportant topics. At one point, our conversation got very personal. As I opened up and expressed my feelings, fears, and humiliations to him, the tears started falling. Emotions are so close to the surface this year, I couldn’t help it and silently chastised myself for allowing this man to see my inner side. But when I looked at him I saw that he too was crying with me. His hands hadn’t moved from around my waist. He was feeling what I felt. In that moment he showed me that he has empathy and the ability to show emotions. What a gift, I thought. To be in the presence of a man who is unafraid to express his feelings. Then Ries reciprocated by sharing some of his own personal stories with me, and that made me admire and respect him even more.
And finally, with a sparkle in his eyes and a secretive smile on his lips, he said “I have a surprise for you!”
As we drove into the centre of Amsterdam, Ries took pride in pointing out unique buildings and telling me all about the history, while trance music played loudly in the background. I think he took pride in being a personal tour guide for me. I took a video of it:
It felt magical being back in Amsterdam again! The trams, the bicycles, the tall, narrow buildings that lean forward ever so slightly so that home furnishings can be brought inside through the windows, the canals… ah! Amsterdam is really one of those cities that you can fall in love with right away. In fact, I’ve not met one person who has visited there who doesn’t like the place. It is delightful! I was giggling as I took a video of us driving through the city together, listening to Ries’ sweet Dutch accent that I found so sexy.
Then we embraced one another, laughed and explored the room in more detail, opening and closing hidden compartments, looking for the DVD player, testing out the hot water pressure, peeping through the wooden blinds out onto the street behind the hotel. I jumped on the bed and remarked at how comfy it was. Ries tossed his body across the couch and threw his hands in the air and exclaimed “This is so fantastic!” We were at the same time energized and calmed by this suite, a place that was blocked out from the rest of the world with no sounds of the hotel on the other side of the heavy wooden doors to disturb us. It was our haven for the weekend, and in those hours, hidden away from the rest of the world, we got to know one another deeply.
Ries is a Taurus born in 1968. This gives us a lot in common, and instant friendship right from the start. My rising (ascendant) is in Taurus and I can equally respond to the sensual side of life – beauty, art, colours, anything that smells good or tastes good, music, and a refined sense of touch. Esthetics and feeling good is what Taurus is all about, but sometimes too much extravagance can lead to gluttony. It takes a lot of work for a Taurus to balance himself out and to keep from over indulging.
Luckily Taureans are also very practical, and these two traits if pooled right can lead to a very appreciative view of life. And sometimes it is absolutely OK to spoil yourself, to feel good just for the sake of feeling good, and to be thankful for it. After settling into the suite we decided to go outside and catch the last bit of the day, as the rain had stopped and bits of blue sky were peeking out from behind light grey clouds. We walked just down the street to a tiny little sandwich shop on the corner which only had room enough for bar stools around the front counter and right in front of the windows. Luckily there were still two stools free when we walked in, and we grabbed them and sat in the corner facing the street. We hadn’t eaten all day, and realizing that we were starving, quickly ordered espressos and warm baked sandwiches with little side salads and homemade vinaigrette. We sat there and chatted easily, and watched the people walking by or riding their bikes across the little bridge over the canal. It was super surreal and magical. I know it sounds strange, but hanging out with Ries on a late Sunday afternoon at a random sandwich bar in Amsterdam was one of the best feelings, and one of the coolest things I’ve done in a long time. I moved my bar stool closer to his and snuggled in for some tête-à-tête. He would change his voice from sharp, decisive clearness, into soft, melodic whispers, depending on the topic and mood of what we were discussing. His moon is in Libra, an Air sign, which matches my Sun in Aquarius, (also an Air sign) so it’s no wonder our conversation easily jumped from one topic to another.
After our late afternoon lunch, we decided to take advantage of the open skies and went for a long walk around Amsterdam. I took a ton of photos. We walked down Singel and past the canals, and then turned onto Koningsplein and followed the tram line down to Prinsengracht, with Reis commenting the entire way on the history and architecture of this beautiful city.
Then we maneuvered our way through little back streets to Begijnhof, which is a little courtyard surrounded by some of the oldest houses in the city, dating back to 1477. We had to go through a little hidden doorway off of a main street, and then down a tunnel to get to it. You wouldn’t even know it was there if you didn’t have Ries as a tour guide! The Begijnhof used to be the houses for a commune of unmarried women who lived there well into the 19th century.
There is an old church nestled right in between two of the homes, and for some nostalgic reason, Ries really wanted to show me this little church that really no one knows about. Thankfully the doors were still open, and we were laughing and chatting when we walked in, and then whoops! Found ourselves right in the middle of a mass! On the spot we turned quiet, bowing our heads in respect. As if we were thinking with one mind, we held hands and tiptoed to the back of the church and found a seat in one of the pews. The priests were in the middle of a melodic creed of some sort, in Dutch of course. A calm and stillness came over us both and we sat close to one another, stilled our minds and slowed our breathing, and went into a meditative state. We let ourselves naturally lean onto one another, our heads touched and our eyes closed, as we sat together and felt the peacefulness of this place of worship wash over us. I imagined a golden halo running through my body, and out through my hands and through the top of my head and into his. It then flowed through his body, down through his hands and wrapped back into mine; a circle of light that had no beginning and no end. I didn’t need to understand one word of the ceremony to know that I was thankful. To have met this man and to be sitting there in that church, both of us sensing the depth of our relationship, I silently gave thanks to the higher powers, to God, to the Goddess, or whatever name you want to give it. Because in that short time that we sat there, it became obvious to me that Ries was more than just a laugh and a good time. I felt our breathing in unison, and without having said a word we both knew what the other was thinking and feeling. Twenty minutes later, we silently got up and moved together towards the door. Once outside again, the sun had finally set and the courtyard was pitch dark, save for a very few old fashioned light posts. We took a step back from one another and looked at each other, smiling. After a few moments, he said “Did you feel that?” and I nodded my head and said “You bet I did, baby”. With that we hugged one another for what was probably the 20th time that day, and started to walk arm and arm back to the hotel, discussing what we had just experienced. Even though he is a good foot taller than I am, we walked easily with one another, our stride matching, as if we were one person, one pulse.
Back at the hotel, we stopped at the coffee station and made a tray of cups of hot herbal tea and a plate of gingerbread and other sweets to take back to the suite with us. Once inside, I changed into my black pajamas, while Reis put on a Coldplay CD and perfected the lighting. We lounged and played with one another for the rest of the evening; talking, laughing, storytelling, and enjoying every square inch of that luxurious suite in Amsterdam. At one point, Ries said “Oh, it’d be great to have a glass of sparkling wine right now!”, and I instantly remembered the bottle of Cava, the sparkling wine that I had brought him from Spain. I said “Oh yes, I would love some, that would be so perfect!” But he quickly concluded that the bottle wouldn’t be cold enough, and said “I’ll order us a bottle!” He then grabbed the phone and dialed for room service. It was such a fun and spontaneous time together! Of course they didn’t have Cava at the hotel in Holland, but they did have a nice bottle of Moet, which Ries had them deliver to us chilled in a bucket of ice, accompanied with a bowl of olives. Mmmm! I watched him expertly pull the cork, and he commented that he thought it must have been a good bottle of champagne because of the pressure. Apparently the trick to opening a bottle of champagne is having the bottle chilled before hand, and turning the bottle instead of popping the cork. Well heck, what do I know about it? I normally don’t even like champagne, it gives me headaches. But this soft champagne was absolutely delicious, and not too sweet!
We lay around drinking it like a king and queen, feeding one another salted olives, and talking about everything under the sun for the rest of the evening until that bottle of Moet had not one drop left in it. We had been soooo comfortable hiding away in our room, that by the time one of us decided to look at a watch it was 11:30 at night and we were drunk! Ries said “Oh no! I wanted to go out to a nice restaurant!” and I replied “Don’t worry honey, we’ll find something”. With that we threw on our jeans and marched out into the chilly Amsterdam evening, laughing and being goofy without any idea where we were going, or what we were going to do about our growling stomachs!
True enough, almost all of the nice restaurants around the hotel had already closed their kitchens. Not too far into our search, two young women stopped us and asked us in broken English for the directions to Leidseplein, the square in the middle of Amsterdam that is popular for its nightlife, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. Ries was so amusing as he tried to give them directions with his cute Dutch accent and way too many words. They probably only understood about a third of what he’d said, and just stared at him blankly. So I broke the awkward moment by asking them where they were from, and they said SPAIN! So then in Spanish I attempted to reiterate the directions that Reis had just given them, but found it next to impossible cause I was drunk! I did a very poor job of helping them. After only 30 hours away from Spain and being fully immersed back into the English language again, I felt like I’d forgotten everything! Thankfully they understood and wandered off in the direction we told them to go in. I started giggling and Ries put his arms around me and said “Woe, that was so weeeird!”
We continued goofing off and talking animatedly with one another, laughing and joking all the way down the street until we finally found what must’ve been the equivalent of Dutch fast food at this tiny little suite in the basement of yet another vintage building. It wasn’t the fine dining that Ries had originally wanted to experience, but we were drunk and hungry and we didn’t care. We were acting like a bunch of clowns and really pissing off the guy behind the counter, who seemed less than thrilled to have to be dealing with us. We thought he was rude, so of course this made us even more obnoxious. We ordered our plates and sat down at one of the bar stools, complained about the music until something danceable came on, and then gyrated in our seats to the housey beats, loudly singing whatever words we happened to know. We were totally annoying the counter guy who was watching us with contempt, and we so didn’t care! As the walls were covered with mirrors, I finally looked in one of them and noticed my eyes were awfully blood shot. I dramatically gasped, and then pulled a little bottle of Visine out of my purse. Ries watched me all the while wondering what the heck I was doing, commented about the ingredients in Visine, and asked if it was really any good to be putting in my eyes. I tilted my head back and attempted to drop some of the liquid stuff into my left eye. I almost missed, and the drop hovered on my bottom lid before I somehow managed to shake it back into my eye. Clearly I was wasted. The second drop was even worse. I aimed for my right eye and completely missed, getting the drops in my mouth instead! It took half a second for my brain to register what had just happened, my face scrunched up, I made a gagging sound and without thinking spit the mouthful of Visine out onto the floor, a look of disgust on my face. Ries looked at me wide-eyed and tossed his head back, breaking into a full bodied laugh, the kind that rings out and is instantly contagious to anyone who hears it. We were both hanging off of one another, laughing so hard we were crying, red-faced and holding our stomachs, unable to talk. Right in the middle of our laughing attack, the grouchy counter guy brought us our food, and we tried to stifle our laughter long enough to say “thank you”, but had a really hard time doing it. The giggling and snorting continued well into our greasy meal, and in fact made us even more insufferable than before. We didn’t finish our food. We were thoroughly grossed out by the caliber of it, and said so as we tossed our napkins aside and belligerently paid our bill. Then we stumbled out the door hand in hand, and back down the street in the direction of our hideaway. Yep, a fine pair of 41 year old children we were that night!
Still tipsy when we got back to the hotel but starting to feel the exhaustion of the last 24 hours, I jumped back into my pajamas and washed the make-up off my face. Ries suggested we do some dancing, and threw on the new Armin CD. He sure has a way of setting the mood perfectly, and I was still so energized and happy to be with him. It’s like we just couldn’t experience enough of each other! We weren’t tired enough to stop ourselves from shaking it to some trance music right there in our suite in our pajamas. I complimented the fine BOSE speakers, and turned the volume up a bit. Then I whimsically suggested that our suite was probably sound-proof, and Ries took it and tested the theory by walking out the door in his shirt and underwear, while I laughed out loud at him. He came back seconds later saying “Yep, it’s sound proof!” , and sauntered back down the stairs into our sunken sanctuary and cranked it! There we were, happy and free, dancing around one of the finest suites ever, to some of the finest music ever. We laughed at ourselves and our ability to make a party with just the two of us. It was probably close to an hour later before we finally settled down, turned the lights out and let ourselves drift off to sleep, smiling and holding hands in our very dreamy king-sized bed. What a fantastic day it had been! We knew it would be hard to top something like this ever again.
But tomorrow would be our last day together, and as I rode the waves into dreamland, a feeling of sadness followed me. I knew I would have a hard time pulling myself away from him, this angel who had only recently floated into my life on a cloud, and made me remember what love was all about.
Charleen xo
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