High Times

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I can't believe how long it has taken me to finally write this blog, one month after I was actually in Holland to be exact. The only excuse I have is that I have been experiencing a mixture of embarrassment and foolishness. A combination that has postponed me from putting this on the Internet, but I know has to be a part of my travel blog that would include almost everything that I have done while living abroad. Although I am no longer living in Italy and currently am writing this from the comfort of my home watching the snowfall outside, it hasn't stopped me from thinking about the weekend I spent in the most liberal country I have ever traveled to. A country that takes such a relaxed view about life that it allows its citizens and visitors to smoke weed openly (within reason) and not have any repercussions that could be life changing legally. Coming from the USA with its puritanical views on what is proper it is still hard for me to understand how the government can function with such relaxed laws. Although my trip was probably one of my favorites simply because I learned so much about myself, like I should never ever mix alcohol with weed since it makes me a very poor (sleepy) date.

My original intent in going to Amsterdam was for a job interview. Since my graduation is fast approaching I have been causing myself sleepless nights because of the stress that comes with not knowing what my future after May will be. So I hopped on a flight to Eindhoven airport, the closest I could get on Ryanair, and started my journey. It was a relatively boring flight except for the fact that I had been up all night since my flight left Pisa at 6am, therefore requiring me to be at the airport at 4:30am. The terrible thing about this is that Italian roads are never in a straight line, they curve back and forth so much that you feel like you are going in circles. So the bus I took to the airport was horrific at best, in my exhausted state I managed to sleep in five-minute intervals. With each turn my face would hit the glass with such force that any attempt to sleep would be taken away in an instant. The flight was not much better since I knew in only a few hours time I would have yet another bus trip to get to Amsterdam on the opposite side of Holland. Arriving around noon in the city center, I stood there like an idiot trying to figure out how in the hell I was going to get to my Hostel, where my girlfriends were also staying at, since I had no clue where it was. This lack of planning on my part probably wasn't my smartest move, since it led to my getting lost and ending up about an hours walk south from the city center. Note to self pay attention to any given landmarks in the area because they are the most valuable piece of information I could ever hope to know in a strange place where English is not the first language.

So stepping onto the "fastest" way to get to my hostel without hailing a cab I took the tram with the impression that it would only be a 10 minute ride. Well the hostel had neatly printed on the directions showing their location a nearest tram stop as well, very convenient. However they failed to say that it was not a major stop so the driver wouldn't think to mention it over the intercom. So I am blindly riding the tram waiting to hear my stop, failing to note the landmarks he is calling out as well. When I noticed that I had been riding the tram for 45 minutes and my stop had never been called I suddenly looked around me to notice that I was NOT in the tourist section of town anymore and was in fact moving into the outer suburbs of town. Trying not to freak out since I was by myself in a strange country that speaks an even stranger language I got off at the next stop and had plans to take the tram back into the center of town. Although what usually happens when things go array is that in my experience they tend to get worst before it gets better and my case was no exception. I changed sides of the tracks and waited for the next tram smiling at my own stupidity to make myself not go into panic mode, which would include tears if I wasn't careful. The first 15 minutes I waited seemed normal and weren't too agitating, the next 15 were worse and more locals started waiting for the tram to come with me. The next 20 were absolute torture because the panic mode I was trying so hard to avoid was starting to kick in. As soon as the locals and I decided that the tram was not coming in the near future I started backtracking on foot.

I have always been amazed at how easy it looks on a map to get somewhere and how difficult it is to actually put into action. The quick path I had laid out for myself turned into an hour long trek through a place that I had rely on the hope that I could ask people passing by for directions. Wearing my Hunter rain boots was fine the first few minutes but after a while my feet and legs were dying from their weight and I silently cursing myself for choosing to wear them at all. I eventually made it to my Hostel and changed into something lighter weight and easier to walk around the city in. Heading to my job interview I was disillusioned about the city and wondering why anyone would want to live there. I ended up leaving the interview in better spirits and ran into my friends outside the Hostel enjoying some of Holland's famous plant. The three of us went out into the city and at my suggestion headed to the Heineken Experience to enjoy one of my personal favorite beers. Spending time not only tasting but also sending video emails of the three of us trying to sing a Dutch song in Dutch, although I was laughing throughout the whole thing mostly. After taking a few more pictures and trying another beer just to make sure we still liked it, my friends and I went off to the coffee shop.

After some time well spent we met with our other friends that were also visiting Amsterdam and went to the Van Gogh Museum, where I had trouble really appreciating the art since I dislike museums so much. I feel like I can't really appreciate it by just looking at a piece for only a few minutes or seconds. Although I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the pieces that were on display and that for once the curator put them in chronological order.

The next day I was going to be spending with Robert, the man I met at Oktoberfest (Oktoberfest!!!)whom I managed to not scare off in my less than sober state. I had mentioned to him that I might be visiting Amsterdam and he very sweetly offered to take me around the city as my tour guide. I had no expectations and really had no idea what the two of us would do since the only things I knew about the city didn't really require a guide. However I managed to find time to grab a coffee and then head to a coffee shop before meeting him. By the time he got into the city I was in a state that required me to sit for a period of time so that I didn't have to move my head to quickly. He was in a somewhat similar state of mind since he had been out late the previous night, so I didn't feel too bad out the arrangement. It just meant the canal boat tour would be that much more welcome. We then walked around the city stopping a beer once it started to rain. I think he was trying to recreate Oktoberfest because he kept buying me drinks even though I was trying to feebly protest knowing in the back of my mind that I shouldn't. However the college student in me didn't want Robert to drink alone, a dumb move on my part to try and go drink for drink with someone who has at least 7 inches and 50 pounds on me. It did not take long before I in a similar state that I was in at Oktoberfest. An embarrassing thing to happen around someone older and very attractive, the only thing I can even think to say to explain my behavior was that I was too besotted to say no to him. We did manage to walk to the famous Vondelpark and go to dinner (where I kept falling asleep). My trip to Amsterdam will always be though of with me cringing at my bad behavior. The only two times I have made a complete fool of myself while in Europe has been around Robert. I am sure he won't soon forget the crazy American girl who proved all the rumors and stereotypes about them to be true.

The next day I left the city early in the morning almost missing my bus because I had forgotten to check the time that it was leaving the night before, apparently my mind was preoccupied with other things. So I luckily got up at an ungodly hour and got ready to leave. I didn't manage to fully fall asleep since the five guys that were staying in my room came back at 5 am, making so much noise it would have been impossible. However I was able to navigate the tram system and not get lost a second time. Making it a much more enjoyable experience allowing me to see the windmills I had wanted to see while on the bus back to Eindhoven and think about the possibility of living in Holland with a much more amicable view.

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Photos

Copper reflections
the giant copper container that the mash is made in.

Working out
Grinding barley to make mash.

Sign
My favorite Heineken sign.

Taste testing
Enjoying the beer we were rewarded with for going on the tour.

Lost
Robert got a little lost in the city that he studied in, proving that even locals need Rick Steves books.

Reflection
Inside the Vondelpark at sunset.

Reflections 2
Neat reflection inside the Vondelpark.

Push to walk
Tracey getting a bit confused with how to press the button.

Slogan.
The slogan of Amsterdam basically.