Den Haag- Day One

We really knew nothing about the Hague, and probably would not have come here on our own, but are so glad we came. We're staying with friends so we are getting a more personal view of the city, too.

Our friends were going to pick us up at the train station, but we miscommunicated about the details (i.e. we were at the wrong station) so we took a tram (like the light rail in Houston) to their house. We accidentally free-loaded on the first tram b/c we couldn't figure out how to buy tickets. On the second tram, 3 tram cops surrounded Eric and demanded to see his ticket. He played the dumb tourist (which fit us in this moment) and said he didn't know how to get a ticket. One of the police condescendingly asked him, "Where do you come from?" Eric replied the U.S. "Do you have trams in America, or buses? Where do you buy the tickets then?" We explained that we buy the tickets on the bus, and after some more condescending remarks showed us to the machine. He could have told us in the first place, but I think he has such little enforcement power, this was some sort of power trip.

We talked until midnight and took it easy the next day, as the 2 weeks of non-stop traveling started to catch up with us. We at in the Plein, a nice downtown square, and visited the M. C. Escher museum. I have always loved his work, and now I'm even more fascinated. They don't have any of his woodcuts, but do have many of his original prints, including his last work. The third floor of the museum houses interactive exhibits exploring how Escher accomplished his optical illusions. After a dessert of sorbetijs (sorbet) we spent the evening at home, where I beat them all in Scrabble (of course :).