Back home, hard to believe, final entry.

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Holand, Amsterdam.

The Buddha pendant hanging on my chest is burning a hole in my flesh no doubt trying to warn me I'm on the wrong track. I'm not supposed to be here on this old and rusty boat with Little-Shit-Richard and Rob.

Still having a boat excursion around the canals of Amsterdam is every tourist's dream and even a hot item among the local populace.

The Heineken beer coming out of this green colored bottle is gliding down my thirsty throat just fine while we manoeuvre through small little canals lined by houseboats and small water craft, a heron eyeing us curiously while coots swim away in front of the boat.

The still early morning is crisp and a grey fog is making it difficult to discern details, Rob is blattering away in his heavy Amsterdam accented Dutch about all that has happened these past two months while I was busy in Southeast Asia backpacking with the Lonely Planet guide being my Holy Book.

The usual street shit that should mean nada to me, the sort of stuff I had vowed to stay out of when being back in this city that I see now from a boat man's point of view while we move into Het IJ, the big river that seperates Amsterdam Centre from Amsterdam North.

In the end we find ourselves back in my house in the Spaarndammerstr. having a few more beers and I hear more street stories while Lord Buddha has incinerated the hairs on my chest, burned a hole in the flesh of my chest all the way to my heart reminding me of my vow.

When they are gone quarreling about where to get more tobacco, more spare change for cheap luke-warm supermarket beer, I go back to bed sleeping off my hang-over and mentally making up my mind...tomorrow this new life of study and sports will finally start....no more heavy drinking but a New Life of dedicated running in the park and studies, boredom to the MAX but at least a better and healthier way to spend my days here in Amsterdam, better for my inmortal mind and empty wallet.

Amsterdam, 18-07-2009.

Pretty much the end of my latest trip to the Land of the Smile, three full months of nightly editing my notes and uploading it to the Sacred Internet bringing the trip back full circle, bringing back memories a-plenty from forner trips.

Thanks for reading this story and I hope Lord Buddha will smile down on you in HIs benign way.

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Photos

Canal in Amsterdam
during a sunny day

Drinking coffee
in Amsterdam

Comments

[Bob Carlsen]

Thanks for sharing
I have followed your adventures for these last few months, and have found them very interesting and introspective. Having been born in Thailand and lived there for 18 years, I understood much of your reactions to the Thai and their belief system...not one that I share. I once met a lady in Rangoon who told me that her father had visited the Schwedegon Pagoda everyday to make merit. He was devout and good his entire life as opposed to most Thai Buddhists that try to end up with slightly more good than bad, so in the balance they are good. I asked her if upon his death bed he had assurance that all his good would take him a step closer to Nirvana. She said that to his dispair, he did not have any assurance. He was an honest man. I hope you find the way to peace for your soul.