Amsterdam is full of canals and bicycles. It was especially gorgeous when I was there because in addition to the Christmas lights and decorations, there was a dusting of snow. Not enough snow to slow you down much, but just enough to beautify everything.
I spent most of my time walking around taking pictures and absorbing the city. I wandered into a posh little hair salon and had my hair cut by an adorable gay Swiss man in herringbone genie pants. He did an excellent job, which is good because it was expensive. I learned in the first 2 hours that Amsterdam is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. Emalise, my fabulous hostess for the weekend, was working when I got in Thursday night, so I entertained myself in an Irish pub where a pint was a ridiculous 5.20 Euros. The Napoli team was playing the Dutch team so the pub was unofficially sponsoring Italian night. Another chance to practice my Italian with attractive Southern Italians. I met lots of people which was good, because I only ended up paying for one drink. I had originally popped in for a pint and a bite to eat, and I ended up closing the bar and stumbling back to my hostel in fine form.
Emma and I were reunited after 3 years by a hug that more resembled a tackle. I wasn't paying attention when Emma attacked me in front of Starbucks in the Amsterdam train station. Best. Hug. Ever.
Our first order of business in Amsterdam was to see Harry Potter 7 IN ENGLISH! I was so happy that the Dutch are too lazy to dub over every single movie like Italians. It was fantastic! While we were waiting for the movie to start, we went over to Winterland where we ate hot waffles covered in chocolate and I introduced Emski to mulled wine. For anyone that doesn't know, mulled wine is like Christmas in a cup.
Together, me and Emski walked through the Red Light District (where pictures are illegal). I wasn't quite expecting it when we walked passed a bunch of women pimping themselves in black light bikinis in windows. It's a cultural experience, the Red Light District. If there aren't women selling sex in red lit windows, then there are head shops, and if not head shops then there are coffee shops. Coffee shops sell excellent lattes, great coffee, and made to order marijuana. It's even printed on the menu: the variety of pot is sandwiched between the finger foods and the beverages. It is true. In some places in the world (aka Amsterdam) you can buy drugs like it's a cappuccino. It's actually pretty funny. Even all of the fast food places are open super late to cater to their crowd with the munchies.
Major sites that we saw in Amsterdam include the Anne Frank house and the Van Gogh Museum. The Anne Frank house was very sad, but much bigger than I though it'd be. It was crazy to see exactly the rooms and the window views that she wrote about. The Van Gogh Museum was maybe my favorite part of Amsterdam. It was organized chronologically to show how he progressed through out his career. I found out that a David Sedaris book cover came from an early Van Gogh painting, Skull Smoking a Cigarette, which happens to be my favorite of his. It was one of the best museums I've ever been to. And outside Museumplein were the giant Iamsterdam letters which were an excellent photo opportunity :)
It was a perfect weekend because Amsterdam is one of the best cities in the world. But it was great to spend the weekend with someone I could absolutely be myself with. To have inside jokes and a shared past again. To be able to spout out movie quotes to someone who knows the movies to which I'm referencing and only be minutely judged for them. I've missed Emma a ton since she moved to Atlanta but I missed myself too.
Amsterdam I love you.
Emma's blog of the same trip: http://emaliseinthenetherlands.blogspot.com/2010/12/extra-special-adventure-in-amsterdam.html
why not me??!? goodness i love you.
RispondiEliminaCurse me for just now catching up on your blog. I giggled periodically throughout reading this. Geez, I love you.
RispondiElimina