Fun and freaks in Amsterdam

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Quick Notes:

1. Amsterdam is like going to the biggest PHISH concert - hippies, weed, drug deals, and bad hippy music.

2. The nice parts are great, but don't spend too much time in the areas Amsterdam is really known for.

3. They don't believe in zoning in Amsterdam. This makes for some ackward situations i.e. walking out of the Anne Frank musuem and seeing a "coffee house" with lots of teenagers smoking up. Or walking by a McDonalds that is right next to a sex house. I guess the idea is to stasify all urges at once.

4. They say you should eat a "space cake" and then go to the Van Gogh museum. WRONG!!! If you are the type that would indulge, the Heineken tour is much weirder. Christina and I were sober as judges, but felt like we had taken a double dose of space cakes after we went on the "A Day in The Life of A Heineken Beer" ride.


Amsterdam was really interesting. First off, i must mention that all of our campgrounds have pretty much been middle class europeans in RVs and then a very few young people tenting it like us. yet in amsterdam, it was the reverse. to our great shock (please note the sarcasm) our campground was filled with dred-locked young people smoking the local tobacco and sitting around in a circle singing along to a guitar-playing-one-man band. yes, it is true, amsterdam is filled with hippies. it was really pretty comical actually. we didnt care for amsterdam the first day, mainly because the red light district and the surrounding area are filled with the sketchiest people you have ever met (and this is the day time) and we just didnt feel safe. add to that our paranoia of getting robbed courtesy of brussels, although now we are leaving our car in the campground and taking public transportation in. so it was fine, but not great. the second day (my birthday--the big 25), was much better. we went to the van gogh museum and the heineken factory then had a lovely meal in the nice part of town. much prettier than the other part! we also visited the ann frank house, and that was really interesting. but really, the henekin factory was the best. they have put together the hoakiest tour, but it comes with 3 glasses of cold henekin, so it ends up being pretty funny. definitely go there when you are in amsterdam.
ok, thats it for amsterdam!

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Comments

[Jon Lim]

duuuuuude....
Matt - try shaving, you dirty hippie! ;) Although it seems like that scruffy Heineken look would fit in better over there. Please represent the opulent American bourgeoisie in all of us. Zoning is overrated. Imagine how much more convenient our lives would be if you could have a bit of everything on one block... oh wait, we do. Glad to know you kids are having a great time!

[Dawn]

Heineken
That museum tour was the best! That ride was hilarious but at least they serve you your free beer right after :) Thanks for sharing all your fun experiences!