Amsterdam. Day 1. Not a sightseeing day. A settling-in day — the kind of day that doesn’t make it into guidebooks but makes a temporary apartment feel like somewhere you actually live.

Cooked breakfast in the family apartment. Eggs, bread, coffee — the universal language of morning, spoken in a Dutch kitchen. Then off to IKEA to buy some much-needed upgrades for my temporary housing.

€180.0 later, we had a new table, wardrobe, and lamps to make the space a bit more comfortable. The Bolt ride added an extra €30.0, but worth it not to carry the load home. Amsterdam’s bike lanes may be legendary, but flat-pack furniture on a bicycle is a level of Dutchness I’m not ready for.

Palate — Mojo Japanese Buffet

Lunch was at a surprise find called Mojo, a Japanese buffet that exceeded expectations. The bill came to €85.8 for two and the food was great. Sushi, tempura, Japanese curries — the kind of all-you-can-eat that doesn’t compromise on quality. A genuine discovery.

A quick stop at Freddy’s for an aperitif — €26.0 — before heading back home. The European ritual of the pre-dinner drink is something I’m happy to adopt. A spritz or a negroni, a few minutes of stillness, the transition from day to evening marked by something cold in a glass.

Tomorrow: Amsterdam proper begins.

By the Numbers

Item	EUR
IKEA (table, wardrobe, lamps)	€180.0
Bolt (IKEA → home)	€30.0
Lunch (Mojo Japanese buffet, for two)	€85.8
Aperitif (Freddy’s)	€26.0
Total	€321.8