Amsterdam: Death by Bike/Tram/Car/Scooter

Beer making vats
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So after partying all night in Madrid, we caught that early flight, slept for an hour an a half and woke up hung over with no hostel booked! BRUTAL! But that night was fun so we can‘t complain too much.

Unbeknown to us we arrived on a long weekend so most Europeans had Friday and Monday off and Amsterdam was a busy, busy place. Finding a hostel was a mess and somehow drinking the night before makes your overstuffed backpack heavier. After visiting about 5 booked hostels, our first night we stayed in a hostel that had 2 big rooms with about 20 beds. Somehow I got shafted and ended up with a mat on the floor. But Steph had to sleep in a top bunk and had to climb up via a sketchy Ikea chair. We had a 2 hour nap, which helped. Biking is huge here. There are bike lanes which apparently scooters can use as well. So in addition to watching out for only scooters and cars, we have to watch out for BIKES and (new addition) TRAMS too. The bikes are pretty much like cars here and if you get in the bike lane they will ring their bell angrily and say something not nice in Dutch! It’s not fair cuz the bike lanes cross over sidewalks and vice versa so that took some time getting used to. The trams come with no warning. Apparently technology has made tram travel so quietly smooth that you only hear them coming when they are about 5 feet from taking you out. If you remember the computer game “Frogger” that is exactly what we played while in Amsterdam.

They find about 50 bodies a year in the canal, not homicides, but drunk guys peeing, falling in and drowning

Old Heineken ads
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First day: We did the artsy thing and saw the Van Gogh museum. T’was very cool because you got to see the stages of his paintings thru the different years of his life. We found out he and his brother were very close and his brother put up with Van Gogh’s crap and paid for lots during VG's crazy periods (especially when he went nuts and cut off his ear)! They were buried next to each other. “Wok to Walk” was my favorite take out place. You could pick everything you wanted including the sauce and they would give it to you in the little Chinese take out containers that seem to be only available in the U.S. That night we visited the Red Light district and saw a “show” which was very funny and there were lots of tricks those girls could do (including one who could smoke a cigar, and not with her mouth). Apparently a lot of the shows here are more funny than raunchy - we saw a whole Japanese tour group go in! We also burned 2 Euros on a peep show since we had both never been to one before. It was…interesting. We saw more stuff that I will tell you about if you ask me ;)

Steph the DJ
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Second day: We found an awesome (and clean) HI hostel near Vondelpark for our next 2 nights (and then added another night taken from Brussels just because Amsterdam was so fun). Since our first hostel was up near the train station and our bags kept getting heavier, we decided to take the tram to the new hostel instead of walking for 25 mins and we jumped in the tram's back door. We got separated for the first time. I was trying to get my ticket validated at the front but there were so many people so Steph suggested getting out and walking around to the front and she would watch my bags. Well, the trams don't care if everyone gets on and shut the doors and left while I was still outside. Steph had the maps so I was screwed. I was scared and lost and decided to wait at the station until  Steph came back carrying both our bags...sorry, Steph! We had “Wok to Walk” for lunch and...yes, I was addicted. We went on Mike’s Bike Tour which was very fun since we had a young Aussie guide who showed us the ins and outs of Amsterdam (including the vices). We got to bike out to the countryside and went to a cheese and clog making factory run by a very crazy Dutch man. On the way back into town, we saw the windmill, Bernita, and biked through Vondelpark where, back in the day, hippies would bum around and get way too high and also saw the John Lennon & Yoko hotel where they had the famous “bed-in” for peace. It was nice being the bell ringing bike riders this time!! Only one girl bailed as we arrived at the windmill. I tried so hard (successfully) not to laugh. I am surprised that I didn’t bail from trying so hard to contain myself. She rode into a little pole in the ground!!! We had some Indonesian food for dinner and checked out a coffeeshop.

Jen the drummer
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Third day: We went to the Rijks museum and were once again cultured by some Dutch art and saw the famous Rembrant painting “Night Watch” that comes with some weird light show and music – we didn’t really know why, probably cuz we didn’t understand the importance of the painting. After this cultural experience we went to the Heineken brewery and learned its history and how beer was made. We ran into those New York/Jersey guys from Barcelona here. That was weird!!! Anyway, the Heineken Experience was very cool cuz it only cost us 10 Euros for 3 beers and a free gift which turned out to be a bottle opener. Very worth it (for the beer if not for the history lesson)! At night we had dinner at Boom Chicago and were entertained by the most hilarious comedy troupe ever! They made fun of people in the crowd which I enjoyed. Margaritas were on special which always helps.

I love beer!
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Last day: It was time to take it easy so as Steph slept in a little, I wandered around Vondelpark (which is just outside our hostel) and got lost. Later we did some shopping (I love H&M!) and a canal tour. The tour was so cold!!! It was free cuz it was run by a non-profit organization however we donated 10 Euros to the cause. And the canals are very dirty but it reminded me a little of Venice ‘cept busier. We were told that they find about 50 bodies a year in the canal, not homicides, but drunk guys peeing, falling in and drowning. They are found with their flys undone. Funny, but not, so I won’t laugh. We toured the Anne Frank house as well and must say that house was very big. They had a secret bookshelf door that led to the hiding spot. Recommend this for sure. We had our first ever Ethopian meal (strangely enough, in Amsterdam), ate with our hands and I drank banana flavored beer out of a coconut.

Steph loves beer!
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World Cup fever was heating up and there were orange flags and "HUP HOLLAND HUP" (GO HOLLAND GO) signs everywhere. I was sure once we got to London, it would be INSANE.