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Published: April 19th 2007
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The Grand Krasnapolsky Hotel
Definatly not where I would be dining on a backpackers budget!! Very, very spoilt!! After another long day in the congress, and the very attractive safari get-up and koala promotions, the much anticipated Gala Dinner at the very exclusive Grand Kranapolsky Hotel’s Winter Garden.
Again, being completely spoilt, I was in one of the beautiful buildings, enjoying a very civilized 18 piece band a delightful 3 course meal.. All until the deserts were served and the lights dimmed.. I saw a brand new side of my Congress colleagues and the talked about behavior of the Doctors & Nurses when they’re let loose on the town! Many bottles of wine later, and the oldies giving it there best on the dance floor, even the guitarist got excited and jumped up on the table as the trumbones mingled amongst the crowds!
We stayed for the 3rd and final encore, where Mum and Sue, a DON in Brisbane, was ever so keen to get a conga line going which had the Dutch very excited, as they thought it was a very “Dutch” way to finish the evening!
But possibly the most entertaining part of the evening was the journey home! With Sweedish nursed trying to lead my poor mother astray, Sue and Mum posing
Inside the Winter Garden
Still all looking very civilized, but wait until the music begins.. with police men and trying to get some of the ladies a little worse for wear safely home, lead to impromptu signing and dancing in the Novetel foyer, and quite a few pairs of big dark sunglasses at registration for the final day of congress!
Sitting in my first session - the finale and the official presentation of the 2009 Congress in Brisbane (the whole reason I was there!) I was included in an auditorium of surgeons folding paper planes and loud bleary music! I was starting to understand why their congresses were such a success.. Not nearly as draining and boring as they claimed! We drew the prizes from the trade stand, and the Brisbane presentation had me asking myself why I didn’t live there, before being swamped by many people who had the same idea, selling their souls for the caps on our heads and shirts from our backs! Who would have ever thought a Road Kill hat would be held in such high regard by so many middle age men hiding behind their glasses that sat on the bottom of their noses!
Once all the stands were packed up and out, we headed out for
a light lunch in a cute little café and some traditional Dutch snacks before an afternoon with Dirk and his wife Zieska, the host of the conference, and another huge spoil!
Docked behind the RAI Congress Centre was a private little boat, with a very attractive young skipper, chilled champagne and the delicacy of raw herring, ready to show us the sites of Amsterdam through the eyes of the canals. An incredible treat!
In and out of bridges, with each corner looking just the same to Mum and I, but the tour guide on board was able to tell us all sorts of interesting information, taking us down canals where the only entrance to the houses were built facing the water, and under rows of 7 bridges in a line! The house boats were amazing, and looked like the perfect hippy living for a city of so many people!
90 minutes later we were taken from the water, by foot around the city for a tour view from the streets. We stood by one of the oldest Churches, surrounded by neon lit windows of the Red Light District, saw artwork in the footpath that had been put
An amazing 18 peice band
If only I could pronounce their name!! We're just going to call them ZM.. Thier initials!! in overnight by an anonymous artist, and hidden Catholic Congregations in attics. The buildings tilt forward and to the side, making it un-fashionable to build a straight face, as it looks although it is falling back and hidden behind the older ones and behind them, beautiful gardens filled with trees and greenery - contrast to the brick and cobble stone visible from the streets!
We finished the evening with dinner at Dirk’s son’s restaurant - a very trendy and successful bar reminding me a lot of the Southbank of Melbourne, where I was served another spectacular course, after course, of yummies! He had themed the resteraunt on Barcelona, after spending time studying Hospitality there, which had me terribly excited about further adventures in the near future!!
After an extremely successful Congress, endless entertainment, education and amazing foods, I had certainly had seen Amsterdam in a way I could have never afforded on my own.. And we’re only half way through!!
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