Soof in Amsterdam
Hotel Alexander and Soof
The hotel Alexander has been a wonderful place to stay. The staff is welcoming, the accommodations are European standard (small) but the beds are comfy. There is a coffee machine in the lobby ready at all hours. Heaven for me. The hotel prepared a beautiful breakfast spread each morning and it is adorable that we must reserve our small group a table of three to ensure it ready for us. The hotel has a quaint back garden full of flowers and birds chirping and a deck that is a nice place to have morning coffee when the sun was shining. As is my habit, I wake early, dress quietly as possible, grab a coffee, which in Europe is a strong double espresso with crème, sit on the sun deck to catch the morning sun and go through my morning reflections. Then I take a few laps around the neighborhood to see what it looks like in the early morning. I love to catch the children running to meet up with friends at the bus stops, or residents zooming through traffic on their bikes to work. You can really get a sense of the beat of a city from this morning routine and how it hums to life. Back at the hotel however, I am distracted most mornings with Soof.
Soof is a cat. Actually he is a neighbors cat we came to find out, but he has made his home in the back garden, and regularly makes his way up the steps into the kitchen for a treat of leftover bacon and milk. My daughter immediately was drawn to him. Every time we would leave or return, it was not without say hi or goodbye to Soof, who loved the attention. He captured all of our hearts. He was very gregarious and never passed up the opportunity to enjoying a scratch of the ear or belly rub. Full of fluff with large paws, he was a presence that walked with grace, confidence and a pace that was never hurried. Our garden room’s back door opened up to his domain, and we were just passing visitors through it for the week. But with Soof there to greet us, and the staff at The Hotel Alexander to welcome us, it felt very comforting, just like a home.
