TravelswithCharie

Living in a houseboat may take some getting used to. But one thing you can count on. You will be rocked gently to sleep. Today's houseboat has all the modern conveniences. The bed is no longer in a claustrophobic box. The bathroom is roomy and the plumbing up-to-date. The living area is spacious. Some houseboats even have a nice terrace. Parking a houseboat on one of Amsterdam's canals entails paying a monthly "parking" fee based on the size of the houseboat. Add to that the maintenance expense. And buying a houseboat is as expensive as buying a condo or a house on terra firma. At the Houseboat Museum I noted the asking price for houseboats currently on the market. The lowest price was 199,000 euros for an older houseboat. There were several listed at 300,000 euros and up. Of course it's possible to have a new houseboat built to your specifications but before you proceed, check first if there's an available mooring space and secure it. * * * Photos by Rosario

Restaurants: Café de Jaren - behind the Hotel de L'Europe Dinner starts at the salad bar where you can get generous helpings of cucumber salad, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, potatoes and other vegies. My order of Victorian perch was served on a bed of buckwheat noodles with mint salsa and watercress. Good food + ambience=my favorite restaurant in Amsterdam. Thai Company - on Rosengracht 9 I had their steamed sea bass in light soy sauce. It was divine. It takes a little bit longer to prepare than other items on the menus but worth the wait. Japan Inn - off of Leidsestraat; reservations necessary as this restaurant is small and often booked. Oriental City - near Damrak Square Restaurant La Ruche - 2nd floor of De Beijinkorf Dept. Store; choose from grilled meats/fish, soup, pasta, sandwiches, desserts Cafés: L'Opera on Rembrandtplein - check out the art deco decor Heineken Hoek on Leidseplein Belgica , next door to Heineken, less crowded Cafe Luxembourg on the Spui Candy Shop

1. Explore 17th century canal homes 2. Take photos of the colorful flower market on the Singel 3. Bicycle around town like a native 4. Sit at an outdoor cafe and don't rush 5. See Rembrandt's masterpieces at the Rijksmuseum 6. And don't miss the Van Gogh Museum 7. People watch at Damrak Square 8. Check out NEMO, the new science museum and get a tan from its rooftop terrace 9. Walk along the romantic bridges on the Amstel 10. Join the crowd of shoppers on the pedestrian only Kalverstraat

Good things come in threes, I think. Shortly after seeing Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands up close and shaking hands with the Prime Minister, I met one of my favorite jazz artists, Praful , at the Akhnaton Club in Amsterdam where he launched his new CD, Remixed 2 . Not only did I get to chat with him, I also enjoyed immensely listening to him play the sax and flute and sing in a foreign tongue with his band. What a talented man and quite personable too! Some of the selections in his new album include his big hit, Sigh. I love Inspiraçao with its samba rhythms and Yalda Night, a new piece. It was a revelation to hear the influence of Indian, Brazilian and Iranian music in his work. I told him I wish we could hear more of these exotic sounds in the U.S. At the end of the concert, he asked me if I wanted him to sign my own copy of his latest CD. I was delighted when I read what he wrote, To Rose With Love from Amsterdam Praful I could only Sigh ! * * * For more on Praful, check his we

Today is Liberation Day in Holland. The whole country was celebrating with hip music on three stages at Museumplein. My friend André who is the best host one can only dream of, took me to the park and we walked and watched the performances in bright sunshine. Afterward we went to the Amstel River to enjoy another concert with Amsterdam's own Metropole Orchestra. The temperatures plunged but we kept warm in the company of thousands who came to listen to the music and wave their flags when the Queen Beatrix arrived and sat on a floating platform across from the stage. When the concert was nearly over, Andre called me, "Rose, please hurry if you want to see the Queen". And I followed him though I didn't believe we could really get close enough to see her. At the Opera House, we found her car with the AA license plates and sure enough she came by boat with the Prime Minister and Mayor of Amsterdam. She waved at the few gathered there and entered her car and was whisked aw

I barely remember my first climb up Diamond Head. It was that long ago and far away. But it must have been good which is why I got my cousin and a best girlfriend to hike to the top with me. It was a cool morning when we started so the first few minutes went by quickly as we chatted along but as we began the ascent through clearly marked trail, I soon fell behind the others. The challenges were still waiting ahead. After the first flight of steep stairs I thought I would not dare take the next set of 99 steps. But after a few minutes of rest and breathing normally again, I ventured up the stairs only to find there was another spiral staircase inside the dimly lit tunnel. Thankfully this was a short climb and soon we were out on the terrace where the winds promptly claimed my visor and I was hatless. The jungle of Waikiki Beach highrises were at our feet and the ocean stretched into the horizon bursting in rich hues of aqua closer to shore and all shades of blue in the distance.

The May elections are upon the Filipino people and the media is flooded with political advertorials. This is their best season yet. I sat through an hour of national news and found the political ads more entertaining than the noontime shows and Pinoy Big Brother. Filipinos love babies and toddlers because they’re cute and irresistible. Several candidates are quite aware of this and are banking on the cradle. They have made a point of carrying a little kid with one arm while the right hand is shaking hands with a voter. The candidate is usually followed by a crowd of admirers while campaigning at the local barangay or the public market, in schools or at a construction site and in open fields where Loren Legarda is planting rice with farmers. Miss Legarda’s posters say she is “No.1 sa Senado” but according to a recent survey, Kiko Pangilinan is at the top of the list of 12 Senatorial candidates. It’s not difficult for “Kuya Kiko” to head the list since his wife is megastar, Sharon Cuneta