Advertisement
Published: November 19th 2009
Edit Blog Post
Amsterdam
Us outside our boat!!! :) Bonjour a tous!!!
As always, I hope everyone is wonderful, happy, healthy, and safe! As of yesterday, I have one more month here in France. Can you believe it?! It FLEW!!!
Two major things happened since I last wrote and it's about time I update you on my new adventures and daily life!! As many of you may or may not know...I moved! I haven't said much about my home life situation because it's been rather difficult for me and I like to remain as positive as can be. To make a long story short, I'm in a much more positive, warm, and encouraging environment now. Not to mention, in the center of town!!!! The main area of town is now a 10 minute walk and only 2 bus stops compared to a 2 hour walk and 36 bus stops!! I'm living with the teachers I work with! I'm living with Fabienne Monday-Thursday and Brigitte on the weekends. Since I only have a month left, I plan on taking advantage of every opportunity to learn and improve my French and simply have fun!! It's going to be great!!
Speaking of great, I went to AMSTERDAM last weekend with
Amsterdam
Look! Swans in the Red Light District! Jackie and Levi!!! Lucky me was stuck next to a man who probably had the worst breath of anyne on the train. We were seated at a table of 4 and he talked the entire four hours to the man across from me. I was relieved when he got up to eat, but unfortunately the smell resumed after no time at all. Any longer on the train and I would have had a stiff neck from looking out the window at absolutely nothing but the pitch black sky. Whew! Was I glad that was over! Anyways, we stayed on a boat! It was small, but so adorable. We ate breakfast every morning with our boatmates and had a great experience. Now, time for the good stuff...
Holy crap...never in my life have I seen or been around so much pot. Silly me thought there was only one kind of pot...umm...wrong. In every coffee shop, pot was displayed as if it was bakery. I was absolutely stunned and slightly disgusted! I went up to order a coffee and the nice lady asked, "Would you like to get stoned or high?" haha! Um just a coffee please!!! 😊 In these interesting
Amsterdam
I loved this IAMsterdam sculpture! shops, I heard people have true intense conversations about the intensity and consistancy of weed. Who knew that so much could be said about this drug! Well, maybe it went on a little longer than it should considering their eyes were pretty much completely bloodshot and they looked like they were going to fall asleep with just a tap of a finger. Luckily, for those people who don't want to smoke to get completely hazed, you can order a space cake or add pot to your smoothie or coffee just to spice things up a bit! How thoughtful!!
I can honestly say with 110% truth that I did not partake in any weed smoking or space cake consumption. I find the smell rather disgusting and there is no way I want that stuff in my body!!
Ya know how Amsterdam is portrayed in movies as being the drug and sex capital of the world? Well, as far as the Red Light District is concerned, it couldn't be more true. They also have people walking around in with those rainbow like hats and dreadlocks. I secretly wanted one of those hats to fit in...but Jackie wouldn't have been seen
Amsterdam
Amsterdam was beautiful at night, with me. I figured having a friend in the city was more important...so I let the hat idea go...
So anyways, the Red Light District. Now, I'm not for prostitution AT ALL, but I was in Amsterdam...I just had to see it for my own eyes. WOW, it was like walking through a playboy magazine. There really are girls wearing next to nothing standing and posing in windows with red lights just waiting for someone to come play. EW. Of course, the windows which are stut by curtains means they are busy...so we stood across from one just because I wanted to see the man's face when he came out. Creepy old man had a huge smile on his face. It completely grossed me out, but we had a good laugh at the same time. In all honesty, I kind of felt bad for them. Do they have no self-respect? Do they really need to exploit themselves like that? A part of me wonders if it truly is for money and the other part of me wonders if it's because they need that kind of attention to feel good about themselves. Well, I was grossed out by all the
Amsterdam
Jackie and Me :) men drooling over them so I thought I'd be nice. Everytime we passed a window I smiled and waved just to send a little happy their way from a normal tourist who isn't looking for some play time! How nice they were...they smiled and waved back! 😊
Unfortunately, it rained a good amount of time there so we didn't get to go to any markets like we wanted to. 😞 We did, however, go the Van Gogh museum. Like I said in the begining, I've never truly appreciated art until this trip, but I have to say I was extremely taken back by his work and sad life story. I wanted to buy so many things at the shop, but unfortunately I don't have room for ANYTHING ELSE AT ALL!!! I don't know how i'm going to bring home what I have as it is!
Oh, I almost forgot....thank GOD i don't live there. I would be a blimp. Feel free to judge me after you read what I consumed... French fries with delicious curry sauce (WOW), fried waffles with your choice of chocolate, chocolate with nuts, white chocolate, white chocolate with nuts, strawberry, babana, or sugar toppings (UNBELIEVABLE), hamburgers (because I was on a roll already, why not go all the way MOUTH WATERING GOOD), bread bread and more bread, and of course wine to make up for the fact I didn't have any other substance! Oh not to mention the candy I bought on the train....I figured I deserved a treat for having to sit next to someone smelly! I know what you're thinking...but I would eat all that food again in a heartbeat!!!!! MMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!
Alright, so that was basically my short weekend trip to Amsterdam! I'm sure there is so much more to see and I wish we were able to do more. If I do go again, I'll probably go with someone who doesn't mind not smoking so we can actually tour the city more!! But all in all, it was a great time and hey! I got to see another counrty!! 😊
It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is next week already. If I don't update before then, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with great food and great company. It's wierd not being home to celebrate it and to decorate the house (my favorite part), but I do have so much to be thankful for, and I thank you all for being a part of it. 😊
Bisous!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.238s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 7; qc: 44; dbt: 0.0501s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Karen
non-member comment
What an interesting experience
Wow.. amazing how different people live. So many ways to experience life. Its all about having fun.. Enjoy your Thanksgiving. Love Aunt Karen.