The last day and a half in Amsterdam were filled with sensory overload - smells, sights, and sounds. There is an ever lingering smell of marijuana in the city, it's just always there but every once in a while you pass through a cloud of it that makes you look up and wonder where it's coming from. Is it the person next to me, is it from the window on the second floor, or maybe it's the green lit coffee shop in front of me. You momentarily ask yourself these questions and then you continue on where you were going.
I was up early Sunday morning and was quite excited for my countryside bike tour. It was raining, well sprinkling a bit so I armed myself with my raincoat and walked the 5 minutes to the bike place, passing people on their way back in for the night, beer cans in hand. We loaded up on our Yellow Bikes (that's the name of the company) and proceeded to head across the ferry and north of the city into the "country". Within about 10 minutes you are winding along canals on a bike path, past an old windmill and through fields with the most amazing floral smells. It's hard to believe that you are still in the same city. The tour was about 4 hours and covered about 30 km (about 18 miles) and stopped at picturesque little villages along the way and even gave us a chance to climb to the top of a 16th century church. It was the highlight of the trip, allowing me to see just how diverse and healthy and amazing the landscape and people were. The rain lasted for the first 30 minutes and cleared the way for beautiful blue skies and sunshine, a perfect day for bike riding.
I made my way back to the hotel, and after taking a short nap decided to find an outdoor pub for a beer and some "chips" (french fries). Guess all that biking made me crave some fries :-) I hadn't been over to the Damraak part of town yet, so I walked over to a cute little pub right on the corner of a very busy canal. As I sat drinking my beer I noticed a boat docked immediately across the canal, against a house with a small bench attached to the wall. It's hard to explain, but basically the bench was floating over the water and boat was just hanging out underneath. It was full of shirtless men, laughing and drinking and having a good time. After about 5 minutes, one of the men, the oldest in the bunch (60s?) decided to strip down naked and jump in the canal. The entire patio of the bar started giggling and staring. I asked the waitress if this was normal and she said, well yes, it's a gay bar across the way and I said, they swim naked? And she said, ohh, that's a first and started to laugh. The man was giving us a show, he kept stopping boats along the way (this was a high traffic area too) and trying to pull himself into them. He finally made his way back to his boat, climbed in (no tan line btw) and about 10 minutes later he and his party of 10 were off to the next canal. I couldn't help but laugh, it was quite the spectacle.
After dinner, I decided I needed dessert and googled a gelato place a few streets over. I started to walk there and realized I was in the heart of the Red Light District. It's hard not to pass by the windows with the lights on and glimpse at the "ladies" selling their "goods". Most were a bit older and ragged and texting or playing on their phones. One older lady (oh, in her 60s) with enormous boobs was quite animated and was having a laugh at two older female tourists walking by. She looked at them gawking at her and shook her finger and her head as if to say, "no, no, not you two". I grinned, they looked so embarrassed.
In and out of the pot smells, into the gelato place filled with smells of warm belgian waffles I devoured my chocolate covered chocolate gelato waffle. I figured I earned it after the biking and the beer and chips (there were veggies too in there). Finally, I made my way back to the hotel to pack and get ready to leave in the morning.
I was up early, to make sure I had a chance to eat breakfast at the Cafe Winkel, famous for the their homemade apple cake. After realizing the hotel had no hot water temporarily, I went for a walk (it was 8:30) and took in the last of the city. I walked over to the cafe, past men smelling as if their evening had just ended, and along the canals, which were quiet as can be. So this is what Amsterdam is like when no one is around. It was a holiday, so the cafe which normally opens at 7, sadly didn't open until 10. Back to the hotel it was, for a quick shower and then I headed back over for a quick apple cake before making my 11:15 train.
I walked to the train thinking to myself, it's amazing the sensory overload you experience in such a beautiful city. It's an interesting contrast, defying what you have been taught as wrong/right and putting them all in the same category. Quite fascinating and somehow blending together into a peaceful, happy city. I smiled as I thought, it was a super weekend and I don't know how going back to Paris could ever top it.
I boarded the train, and sat down and was hit with some more smells. This time I wasn't happy and I wasn't sure how I was going to make the 3.5 ride back to Paris. I'll just kindly say that some cultures should learn to use personal hygiene products, such as deodorant and leave it at that. Luckily I was able to squat in a seat a few rows up and escape the nauseatingness (and the crying baby in the row over). It must not have been my day, because the train had some problems and we spent an hour in Antwerp while they "rebooted" the train before they had us switch to a new train in Brussels. All to arrive 75 minutes late in Paris to pouring rain.
So the Amsterdam weekend has come to an end and a successful weekend it was. I'm already trying to figure out how to get back to be able to see more of Holland and it's neighboring countries. Smells and all....
One more trip tomorrow to the Loire valley, then work on Wednesday and home on Thursday. Feels like I've been here forever!!
I was up early Sunday morning and was quite excited for my countryside bike tour. It was raining, well sprinkling a bit so I armed myself with my raincoat and walked the 5 minutes to the bike place, passing people on their way back in for the night, beer cans in hand. We loaded up on our Yellow Bikes (that's the name of the company) and proceeded to head across the ferry and north of the city into the "country". Within about 10 minutes you are winding along canals on a bike path, past an old windmill and through fields with the most amazing floral smells. It's hard to believe that you are still in the same city. The tour was about 4 hours and covered about 30 km (about 18 miles) and stopped at picturesque little villages along the way and even gave us a chance to climb to the top of a 16th century church. It was the highlight of the trip, allowing me to see just how diverse and healthy and amazing the landscape and people were. The rain lasted for the first 30 minutes and cleared the way for beautiful blue skies and sunshine, a perfect day for bike riding.
I made my way back to the hotel, and after taking a short nap decided to find an outdoor pub for a beer and some "chips" (french fries). Guess all that biking made me crave some fries :-) I hadn't been over to the Damraak part of town yet, so I walked over to a cute little pub right on the corner of a very busy canal. As I sat drinking my beer I noticed a boat docked immediately across the canal, against a house with a small bench attached to the wall. It's hard to explain, but basically the bench was floating over the water and boat was just hanging out underneath. It was full of shirtless men, laughing and drinking and having a good time. After about 5 minutes, one of the men, the oldest in the bunch (60s?) decided to strip down naked and jump in the canal. The entire patio of the bar started giggling and staring. I asked the waitress if this was normal and she said, well yes, it's a gay bar across the way and I said, they swim naked? And she said, ohh, that's a first and started to laugh. The man was giving us a show, he kept stopping boats along the way (this was a high traffic area too) and trying to pull himself into them. He finally made his way back to his boat, climbed in (no tan line btw) and about 10 minutes later he and his party of 10 were off to the next canal. I couldn't help but laugh, it was quite the spectacle.
After dinner, I decided I needed dessert and googled a gelato place a few streets over. I started to walk there and realized I was in the heart of the Red Light District. It's hard not to pass by the windows with the lights on and glimpse at the "ladies" selling their "goods". Most were a bit older and ragged and texting or playing on their phones. One older lady (oh, in her 60s) with enormous boobs was quite animated and was having a laugh at two older female tourists walking by. She looked at them gawking at her and shook her finger and her head as if to say, "no, no, not you two". I grinned, they looked so embarrassed.
In and out of the pot smells, into the gelato place filled with smells of warm belgian waffles I devoured my chocolate covered chocolate gelato waffle. I figured I earned it after the biking and the beer and chips (there were veggies too in there). Finally, I made my way back to the hotel to pack and get ready to leave in the morning.
I was up early, to make sure I had a chance to eat breakfast at the Cafe Winkel, famous for the their homemade apple cake. After realizing the hotel had no hot water temporarily, I went for a walk (it was 8:30) and took in the last of the city. I walked over to the cafe, past men smelling as if their evening had just ended, and along the canals, which were quiet as can be. So this is what Amsterdam is like when no one is around. It was a holiday, so the cafe which normally opens at 7, sadly didn't open until 10. Back to the hotel it was, for a quick shower and then I headed back over for a quick apple cake before making my 11:15 train.
I walked to the train thinking to myself, it's amazing the sensory overload you experience in such a beautiful city. It's an interesting contrast, defying what you have been taught as wrong/right and putting them all in the same category. Quite fascinating and somehow blending together into a peaceful, happy city. I smiled as I thought, it was a super weekend and I don't know how going back to Paris could ever top it.
I boarded the train, and sat down and was hit with some more smells. This time I wasn't happy and I wasn't sure how I was going to make the 3.5 ride back to Paris. I'll just kindly say that some cultures should learn to use personal hygiene products, such as deodorant and leave it at that. Luckily I was able to squat in a seat a few rows up and escape the nauseatingness (and the crying baby in the row over). It must not have been my day, because the train had some problems and we spent an hour in Antwerp while they "rebooted" the train before they had us switch to a new train in Brussels. All to arrive 75 minutes late in Paris to pouring rain.
So the Amsterdam weekend has come to an end and a successful weekend it was. I'm already trying to figure out how to get back to be able to see more of Holland and it's neighboring countries. Smells and all....
One more trip tomorrow to the Loire valley, then work on Wednesday and home on Thursday. Feels like I've been here forever!!
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