Coming out of hibernation

Last night after I got back from the Hague (post to follow shortly), I had dinner with my new friend Ami from Albany Law School and another girl whose name I cannot recall right now...We had thai food, which was very good, but like
all things in Holland was very expensive (the dollar tanking isn't helping much either).

We left the restaurant at 9:30 and they headed towards their apartment and I headed towards mine. I took these pictures along the way.
Although it had been cloudy all day, it cleared up in the evening. Man! There were people crammed into the street, into sidwalk cafes, out on their tiny little front porches, and out on their boats. In the first picture, the people sitting on cushions on the little "shed" are customers at the cafe. They use all available space here because it is so limited.

I don't know if this is a typical Friday night phenomenon that happens no matter the weather or if people were congregating particularly because of the nice evening.

One thing I noticed is how social everyone was. Even if it is nice in Seattle, people congregate with their friends or in their backyards for barbeque, but not on their front porch talking to all the neighbors walking by.