Four Seasons in One Ten Hour Bus Ride

Roho: Sorry the last one was a bit slap dash. And apologies for the lack of photos too. We're still getting to grips with this whole hostel lifestyle.

Rich: Amsterdam was...interesting...what more do I need to say? I didn't smoke pot, I didn't wear clogs, I didn't see the red light district and I only wish I did one of the above. You decide which.

Roho: I know you regret not trying raw herring with onion.

Rich: That wasn't on my list!

Roho: It was kind of on mine...fortunately for me, or unfortunately, all the herring carts were closed yesterday.

Rich: Just for the record, I really wanted to wear clogs, just to clear the air.

Roho: Of all the pot smoke?

Rich: Yes well there was plenty of that too. When you see me next time, ask me about the mushroom soup I had, I swear to god it was mushroom flavoured custard. Not complaining, it was really good, just interesting to start with. And the special family recipe croquettes were also good, mainly because they were free.

Roho: Important Amsterdam travel tip - buy an I Amsterdam card - free stuff! And not just useful stuff like croquettes but incidental things like public transport, museum entry and canal cruises.

Rich: I can't really say I would go back to Amsterdam, been there, done that, forgot the t-shirt...bring on Germany!

Roho: And don't even get me STARTED on the hostel in Amsterdam...talk about everything that can go wrong, will - and it will only happen to Richard and Rohani! Double booked rooms, overcharging, key cards that keep stopping working, dryers that take two hours, broken internet, outdated menus...let's just say we were somewhat relieved to get out of there and arrive in our private room in Berlin - how bad have we been hanging out for that!!!

Rich: When we got off the bus today on our first pit stop it was like, 26 degrees. By lunchtime it was 31.

Roho: This is coming from less than 20 in Amsterdam! Frigid, not-enough-clothes to oh my god, why-did-I-wear-pants?!

Rich: For lunch we had over priced schnitzel with various toppings because y'know, when in Rome...

Roho: We're in Berlin.

Rich: Which is why I had schnitzel!

Roho: Schnitzel schmitzel, I had German potato salad for dinner...oh yeah....gherkins, cucumber, dill...show me the potato salad!!!!

Rich: Show me the local brew! When we arrived at the hostel in Berlin we received a free beer and by god it was good. Far better than that Amsterdam mush...

Roho: Wasn't that Heineken?

Rich: Oh yeah, that Heineken Extra Cold is ten times better than the original Heineken and I can't wait till we get it back home! Apart from that, the rest was mush!

Roho: We haven't really talked about the interesting, important things we DID do in Amsterdam...

Rich: Oh. We saw some paintings.

Roho: Some Vermeers, Rembrandts, a LOT of Van Goghs, also one Picasso, a couple of Cuyps and some nice Van Gogh contemporaries, Degas and Rodin sculptuŕes, Camille Corot....lovely. We missed out one of the museums because it's being renovated and it only had crappy modern crap on exhibition, not the choice old stuff I wanted to see.

Rich: Like I said, we saw some paintings.

Roho: And after heartache and debate we joined a Sunday morning queue at 263 Prinsengracht...the Anne Frank House.

Rich: Admittedly I did walk out of there having held back a few tears. What a place, what a story, what a girl.

Roho: I had a lot of hard work resisting blubbing in front of all the old American Jewish bubbies who kept tripping up the leg breaking stairs of the Secret Annexe.

Rich: We haven't really decided what we're going to do tomorrow. I'll leave that up to her indoors.

Roho: Well obviously the Reichstag will be in there somewhere...we're going to save a concentration camp until Munich, when we'll go to Dachau.

Rich: Ooh, I love camping!

Roho: Plebe.

Rich: OK, I love concentrating...

Roho: Now we all know that's a lie...so anyway might work out a bit of a plan tonight...if I can remember I'm in Berlin and not Singapore! It's sweltering!

Rich: We're really sorry to hear about Ching back home and hope someone passes on our condolences.

Roho: Yes that's very sad news, Sunday mornings won't be the same.

Rich: Well that's all from me.

Roho: Promise we'll get some photos up as soon as we encounter a computer with USB ports...well, accessible ones anyway.

Rich: Please send emails and comments...

Roho: We can't get enough of them! Remember we want to hear your news too...I'm talking Bali weddings, walking talking baby boys, holidays in Broome, etc...

Rich: And maybe about the roast you had on Sunday night!

Lots of love
Rich and Roho
xx

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