post yoga highs

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After the yoga festival I was debating where to go, and since I still had a few days left on my railpass, I decided on Amsterdam. I haven't been there in some time and thought it might be nice.

Arriving around 11pm without a place to stay, I found a booking agency expecting to pay through the nose, and also discovering that the reason everything was booked..it was gay pride weekend! Luckily, I was able to get into a hostel, again sleeping in a room with 20 other people. Although sleep is something you don't get a lot of in Amsterdam!

Amsterdam is an amazing city, and the vibration and energy is truly liberating. The people are very tolerant and laid back. This is not due to the legalization of soft drugs, this is just part of the overall attitude. Yes it is nice to smoke in the coffeehouses, but after a while you remember you have to get outside and actually spend some time doing something!

Amsterdam is quite compact and easy to get around by either foot or tram. I tooled around the city not really paying attention to my map and easily found the flower market where you can buy tulips in any color. They also have a fantastic flea market where you can get anything from second hand clothes to spare tires for your scooter. I ended up spending a bit on some funky skirts, how could I resist?

Amsterdam has many canals and houseboats alongside the banks. Usually the boats are long and flat on the top. I even saw one with grass on the top and the owner doing a little trimming! The traffic is mostly bicycles and you have to be always on guard as bikes can whizz past you as you are trying to cross the street.

My weekend finished with the grand pride parade. Imagine many boats cruising the main canals of the city filled with beautiful skantily dressed men and women dancing to donna summer and many balloons, glitter and crazy decorated boats in an amazing parade. That night I didn't sleep the parties were spilling out from the bars into the streets! What a celebration of life!

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Comments

[Daniel]

Only you could manage to "stumble" upon Amsterdam during gay pride. Hope you took lots of pictures. xoxo

[Jason]

that's so gina!
only you could manage to happen upon gay pride in amsterdam. your gaydar is very impressive. if i were joan crawford, i'd be tempted to say, "you know where to find the gays AND the booze!"