Happy New Year!!!
Trip Start
Sep 07, 2006
1
26
52
Trip End
Ongoing
Amsterdam,
Netherlands
Sunday, December 31, 2006
I decided at the last minute that I didn't want to be in London on Christmas, so I went to Amsterdam instead. Great time, great city, great people. I'm actually a Dutch citizen although I had never been to the country before.
I don't speak Dutch and everytime I had to show my passport I was spoken to in rapid Dutch and given confused looks when I explained that i don't actually speak Dutch. One guy even insisted on knowing my story and made me promise to learn Dutch asap. I'm still working on French so I don't think I'll get to Dutch any time soon. I do now know two things in Dutch though...."Dank u"-- Thank you, and "Co-ca" -- Cocaine, learned thanks to the MANY drug dealers who offered it to me every 5 feet in the Red Light District.
Amsterdam was great fun and thank you to all the other travellers I met in Amsterdam who made Christmas such a nice night even though I was away from home.
Oh, and an important lesson learned in Amsterdam that I will pass on to all.....magic mushrooms are not a good idea. The amount of vomiting I witnessed as a result of these was incredible. I thought one guy in my dorm was going to die as he started vomiting in his sleep and then would just sleep with his head in it. He had long hair which made it even worse.
One thing I love about Amsterdam is the bicycles. Everyone from your typical grandmother to the businessmen were riding them. No wonder no one in Amsterdam seems to be overweight. Definately much different than in North America.
And no entry on Amsterdam would be complete without mentioning the Red Light District. As long as you're a fairly open-minded person and preferably in a group, the Red Light District is an interesting place. Prostitutes exist everywhere in cities all over the world but I don;t think there's anywhere where it's so openly displayed. Many travellers seem to come to Amsterdam never to leave the Red Light District their entire trip just taking in the "coffee shops" where anyone can smoke openly and freely. I like the Dutch way of doing things. I think weed should be legalised everywhere. By making it legal you separate those who want to use it from the criminals and you can more closely monitor it.
I'm back in London now. Going for dinner in Brick Lane tonight before heading to Embankment to see the fireworks display by the London Eye. So goodbye to 2006 and thank you to everyone who made this year such a good one, here's to an even better 2007!!!!
P.S.- Exciting News-> Just booked my flights to and from Berlin for the Easter Weekend in April. Staying in Berlin for 3 nights, so excited!!!
