Three part post, part two, Saturday.

Saturday morning the same group from Friday dinner met for brunch at a simple café within walking distance of A. and M.s house. The café overlooks a dike, well, underlooks is a better word as street level is about 6 feet below the water level. The Dutch don’t do breakfast as is done in the States so I was wondering what brunch would entail. The menu was of lunch foods, but they did have a smoked salmon and herbed cream cheese wrap that was perfect. For brunch and to put in my mouth.

After brunch, the happy groom went off with K. to dress at his place and A. came home with I. and me. A.’s outfit consisted of a beautiful just-above ankle length skirt of a blue underskirt with an outer layer of brown lace. The top was a fitted brown wrap shirt with a deep v-neck and a gentle satin ruffle up one side of the neck; under that she wore a blue camisole of the same shade as the underskirt. The final touch was a fabulous light blue hat. A basic straw hat with brim, but the fabulousness comes from an open weave straw fabric which is loosely wrapped around the hat. She was beautiful.

When M. did arrive with K., he looked fantastic in a dark suit with a matching light blue shirt – the one hint he had about her outfit. The couple were pedalled to the boat dock (the first part of the day was to be a cocktail party on a boat travelling through the canals) in a bike with a cart attached. Their friend had decked the cart in white satin and pillows and white balloons.

The best woman and I followed along with our bikes. The first time I’d been on a bike in at least 8 years. Didn’t fall over, didn’t run into anyone, even enjoyed it, I did. People clapped and honked all along the way. I. and I went to park the bikes. The bike racks here are amazing. Parking ramps as if for cars, but only for bikes. And full of bikes; we ended up chaining our bikes to a tree near one of the bridges closest to the boat dock.

The boat ride was fun. Tightly packed, but everyone was in a good mood with as much wine, beer or soft drink as they could want.

After to boat ride we went to the tower for cake. Before the cake M. re-proposed and presented her with a beautiful ring (she had picked out and he had purchased at the artists market the Sunday before). The adorable couple then renewed their vows – this time vows they had written. The cake was a beautiful affair of (I think vanilla) mousse filling with strawberries and raspberries with a cookie bottom layer and a marzipan fondant outer layer. Wonderful. That was around 5. At 7ish food was served. For a photo of the restaurant, go here.

At 8ish folks started arriving for the party. Also there were the presentations. M.’s mother did a poem and presented them with a book of photos of M. from when he was a child up to the present. A.’s mother and aunt and uncle did an ABC list of the couple (apparently this is a Dutch tradition which is on the way out, but it was sweet and A. and M. seemed to enjoy it). Later in the evening, A.’s friends from university did a song they had written about the couple (at least, I think it was about the couple as it was all in Dutch and I was given random snippets of translation from those kind folk sitting around me). Also, the master of ceremonies (i.e. the best man) presented them with a book of recipes gathered from their friends and family.

The rest of the evening was given over to dancing and drinking. It was fun. I danced more than I have in years and it felt wonderful. Though, I could acutely feel which muscle groups need the most attention in yoga.

I cycled home with I. and slept on her floor (on a mattress) with the covers over my head while her sweet little kitten pounced all over the room ,the covers, my head, the plant, the couch, and nibbled on my hair whenever he could worry it out from under the covers. Sweet little kitten.