My plan for the day was simple: walk somewhere, explore, have a big lunch, head to the concert in time to hit the merchandising stall. So, the guidebook said the 9 Canals district was nice, and I set off in a meandering trail across the city centre to make my way there. Indeed, I meandered through some lovely districts.. photos here. Around the Oude Kerk (old church), the sex workers were plying their trade, complete with pimps - as the guidebook says, it's actually more intimidating during daylight hours. On no account take photos of either. However, it was interesting to pass all the dungeon-like coffeshops, dark inside, even on a Sunday afternoon. Nice to see that Amsterdam's debauchery takes place 24-7!
Near Dam Square, I passed a good-value chocolate shop, and a tourist office offering €11 tickets for that 1-hour cruise I took on Wednesday. By the time I'd got to the 9 Canals district, I'd had enough, and retraced my steps, looking for a steakhouse - I'd passed several, and after the last few days I was starving. Back near Dam Square, I settled on La Pampa, an Argentinian steakhouse.
I was starving. So I ordered garlic mushrooms to start - not a huge steak, I know I can never finish them, but a small one (200g) with a side of onion rings - and a dessert of profiteroles.
Decent wine, available in a carafe (0.5l).. when the garlic mushrooms came, I was dubious; the plate was massive! but they were tasty, and I finished them. The steak was gratifyingly small, after that. Mind you, it was nothing special - it does need a sauce, although I didn't like the pepper sauce I'd ordered to go with it. The onion rings were good, the dessert of profiteroles was lovely, considering the accompanying cream was sweetened and hid a scoop of chocolate ice cream in the middle!
Service is friendly, and I was well fed. But honestly, I wouldn't go back for the steak. I moseyed back to the hotel after that, where I had a most welcome nap, and headed out to the Dome. Oh, and for all of my talking about the U2 trucks.. here's a picture:
.. of some of them: I couldn't get them all in one shot.
I was early enough and made my way straight to the nearer merchandising stall, where I purchased a hat, and a red t-shirt..
..took my seat, and waited.
I was a little worried, to be honest: would I be a bit jaded, at my fourth in a row, in the same city?
I needn't have worried - I surprised myself with how enthusiastically I welcomed each number! And by the way, for their last night in town, Bono pulled a blinder. Apparently, the King and Queen were in the audience, and Every Breaking Wave was dedicated to the King's brother, Prince Friso, who was involved in a skiing accident a few years back and ended up in a coma. Indeed, there were also government ministers in the audience, whom Bono took the opportunity to harangue, near the end, about the Netherlands' falling percentage contribution to foreign aid. Before turning to his fellow band members and saying, with a grin, "What? It's the end of the week! I've been very good! I'm entitled.."!
Out of Control was back. Meerkat worked again, and the song for that this time was, apparently, a tour first - Magnificent. This was followed by what I think was a live first - The Sweetest Thing, with Bono on piano!
But what meant most to me was the change to the setlist at the end. They pulled off something very special. After being beseeched by fans all week, most notably by the girl pulled out of the audience on Wednesday, they finally played Bad. Well, I just lost it completely. And as if that wasn't enough, they decided to finish with 40.. Bono asked for the house lights to be turned off, and took up a spotlight to shine, first around the audience, then on his fellow band members as they exited the stage, one by one. And when they were gone, the audience was let sing the chorus a few times before the piped music came on. Very rare, very special. I want it inscribed on my tombstone, when I die - as I probably shall one day - that I was a U2 fan.
Setlist:
1. The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)
2. Out of Control
3. Vertigo
4. I Will Follow
5. Iris (Hold Me Close)
6. Cedarwood Road
7. Song for Someone
8. Sunday Bloody Sunday
9. Raised By Wolves
10. Until The End Of The World
iNTERMISSION- The Fly
11. Invisible
12. Even Better Than The Real Thing
13. Mysterious Ways
14. Magnificent
15. Sweetest Thing
16. Every Breaking Wave
17. October
18. Bullet the Blue Sky
19. Zooropa
20. Where The Streets Have No Name
21. Pride (In the Name of Love)
22. With or Without You
23. City of Blinding Lights
24. Beautiful Day
25. Mother And Child Reunion (snippet)
26. Bad
27. 40
Early to bed last night to get up early today, so I'd have breakfasted in time to hunt for tickets for their just-announced Dublin gigs. I didn't actually sleep that well, or eat much, with the stress of it all. But it worked a charm, and I now have tickets for all four! I'm skipping the Belfast ones - I don't actually have enough time off left, and they're not as special. Then set about booking flights and accommodation with Expedia - which took me practically right up to check-out time, the internet connection was so bad! Checked out, which was when I got the nasty surprise that breakfast hadn't been included, and was €12.50 per night! As ever when you have to pay separately for hotel breakfast, a complete rip-off.
And here I am in Schipol, with a thunderstorm outside. Wanted something decent to eat, but not a hope in this excuse for a departure lounge (#3). Your best option is the Italian pizza / pasta / Panini place just as you come in - it's literally the closest they get to a restaurant. But at least they do serve wine.
No chance I'll go out tonight. Except perhaps to forage for food! Tommorrow, Wednesday and Thursday, I have Meetups.. For tomorrow, I discovered there's a Hammersmith and Fulham Amnesty group, who that night have a talk entitled Undercover - the True Story of Britain's Secret Police. And I'm going. On Wednesday, I'm (nominally) joining the London European Club, who are off to see John Doyle, at the Irish Centre. And on Thursday, I'm (nominally) back with the Free London Events and Talks group, who are off to the Scoop, where they show free films in September. Weather-dependant. That day, it's Selma, which I haven't seen. And then it's back to Ireland yet again - I go every two weeks.. next Monday, I'm finally back with the Crick Crack Club, in the Soho Theatre, for The Fate We Bring Ourselves - a retelling of Greek legends. The following day, I'm - again (nominally) - with Free London Events and Talks, for another free film at the Scoop - this time, it's Still Alice.
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