We stopped in Amsterdam, Holland, on the last leg of our train trip through eleven European countries. We slept on the train, we slept in pensionnes and local hotels, but each week we treated ourselves to a movie and a good swim at a Holiday Inn.

Our young sons could tolerate our visits to cathedrals and museums only if we sprinkled certain pleasures in strategic spots. Pleasures included ruins where they could explore on their own, MacDonalds (which had delicious blueberry shakes not to be found back home), record shops (this was before CDs), and amusement parks.

Here they blissfully steer powerboats around an Amsterdam pond in the rain.

Happy music and art, Cinder LeDell