Happy Hours in Amsterdam-oost

I stood at the door. The host had given me clear directions to the flat and promised me his friend would meet me at 3 o'clock with the keys. It was 4:18pm (or, 16h18). I called the friend. "Oh, your friend should be inside. She was on time." Which friend, I wondered. Following his instruction, I buzzed up to the flat. It wasn't long before I heard steps running down the stairs. Marie's cousin greeted me. Though I'd never met her in person, I was relieved to recognize Charlotte from photos. She felt the same, but because she'd woken up that morning without a voice. She turned to lead the hike up three steep and narrow flights. I practically held my suitcase above my head.
Fortunately, the airbnb was as cute, airy, and comfortable as expected. My brother rang up a few minutes after I'd caught my breath. Not long after, Marie arrived, too. Properly reunited and introduced, we set out to leisurely walk over to the De Gooyer Windmill. We had made plans to meet  Lorelei for happy hour al fresco at Brouwerij 't IJ, Amsterdam's leading organic microbrewery.
The evening advanced organically (pun intended) from there. Thanks to Lorelei's local scoop and Dutch data, we tipsily strolled over to Roest. The laid-back industrial setting was perfect. We enjoyed a couple more beers with a casual spread of picnic food. We also boldly participated in the inflatable backyard fun--a bungee run and a two-man joust--until we discovered it'd been rented for a private event...
The night winded down with gin cocktails, whiskey, and wine at Walter's, the Walter Woodbury Bar, our third stop. It was a classier yet just-as-local haunt with a beautiful interior that was clearly influenced by its namesake--the 19th century English photographer who was one of the first to capture the "exoticism" of the Dutch East Indies. Given the atmosphere and plethora of libations, our conversation unsurprisingly advanced into culture, identity, and debate. My brother was absolutely entranced. "The wonder of grad school abroad, Jorgie," I happily concluded as we walked home to the airbnb. What an incredibly special thing to now share with him.