Amsterdam

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Before finishing classes for Christmas break, a couple of my friends and I decided to go to Amsterdam for a weekend. It was a last minute thing, and much of what we did was improvised. Even the bus ride was a bit insane. We took an overnight bus to Amsterdam on a Friday, spent the night at a dirty hostel and then took another overnight but to Paris Sunday night. But it gave us two full days to explore the city.

First of all, why is everyone in Amsterdam so chill? Liberal marihuana laws? Tolerated prostitution? Legal gay marriage? I don’t know. But no one in this city seemed to be doing anything productive. True, we were staying near the red-light district, where all the American/British/Canadian/Spanish/French potheads spend all their days in a constant high. The Netherlands is a rich country, so there has to be a business district or some place where people actually work. I didn’t see it, though. Also, I could not imagine bringing up a kid here. Can you imagine? On every street-corner sex shop, the kid would ask: what is that? I guess it would be very funny to try to explain to a 3-year-old the purposes of all the toys/drills, etc.

Well, Amsterdam was exactly like what I was expecting. Our hostel was very cliché. People our age with beards and dreadlocks smoked a never-ending joint on couches in the lobby. As for us, we visited: the Sex Museum, Van Gogh Museum, Red-light district, etc, etc. The Van Gogh museum was very nice. Everything else was OK. We did go to the coffeeshops on several occasions. I have to say this was a positive in Amsterdam. They are very relaxed. People smoke, drink coffee or tea and talk. It was easy to just spend a couple of hours in one without realizing it.

Amsterdam was fun. I cannot say I would go back. I mean, I wouldn’t NOT go. But I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit Amsterdam again. It’s just not my style. But I can see why some people like it.

I wrote this entry a couple of weeks ago. But, I've noticed that my blog sounds too much like a travel site (which is not the idea). So, from now on---new perspective. Yes, I'll keep on posting pictures of the places I visit, but I'm going to write more about my thoughts, etc. More journal than a travel-diary. Hope I can keep it somewhat interesting.

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Photos

Alleway to our hostel
sketchy, right?

Me with the canals
it was so cold!

Comments

[Mayra Davila]

las fotos están estupendas
Qué experiencia única y fabulosa... poder ver todas estas ciudades como estudiante-turista. Las fotos me han encantado. Pienso que tienes buen ojo para descubrir lo interesante. Estoy "looking forward" a leer de Marruecos... Mayra