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Published: July 10th 2006
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Get High
The first sign I saw whilst on the train towards Amsterdam. Amsterdam
I've come to dislike the more toursity bits of the
cities i've visited even though I'm
a tourist (correction: backpacker). Unfortunately, tourist attractions are all A
msterdam has to offer. That asid
e, Amsterdam is one hell of a city. I walked aimlessly around for hours gazing at all the shops that mkes up the maze of little side streets.
Amsterdam is one of those cities who've managed to keep the feeling of archaic medievalness alive through its architecture and city layout. I had to walk quit esome distance outside the center of the city before seeing any modern buildings.
The canals
in the city are
so cool (Venice of the North, they s
ay); and there are so many canals and even more bridges its easy to lose yourself
without even realizing it. Many people don't even live in buildings, but rather these house-boats that line most - if not all - of the canals. Whats cool is these house-boats can get to look pretty interesting, it makes me want to get one as soon as possible and just live out my life in a house-boat I designed in the numberless city ports across the world.
Amsterdam thr
ives off touri
sm. Tourists
3 Stories
A 3 story bike parking lot. are the leeches Amsterda
m needs day after day to keep alive. All sh
ops, functions, public displays are geared towards tourists. Infact, many of the shops are even run by foreigners who take advantage of the continuous influx of tourists - I was hard pressed to find many locals at all.
If there's one thing that pisses me off about Amsterdam is the sheer number of tourist-groups roaming around the city. And they advertise themselves so well - 9 times out of 10 they are a collective of fat, sweating, over-40 Americans soaking in the words of a dull orator and gawking around the city with cow-li
ke expressions on their face as if they were taking a tour through a boring museum.
There's also a ton of young backpackers everywhere, I among them. Except, unfortunately again, they were mainly Americans (damn, thats me again!) who needed just
one more reason to down a couple cold pints, pop in a few, snack on some fungi, and
elevate themselves whilst coming down from a very full day. All the power to them, I suppose. If I had to say what was the most oversaid phrase I heard it'd probably have to be:
"Holy
Eric
Eric with tie. shit, man! Amsterdam kicks ass! ... Speaking of ass..." Jesus. What animals (as if I have any right to ju
dge).
The Sluts
The Red Light District is seriously some hardcore shit and one of the most fascinating things I have ever had the right to lay eyes upon (besides that one time when Eric wore a tie around his head in my room). There were female prostitutes; there were male prostitutes; there were male prostitutes dressed up as female prostitutes. Some were ugly; some were hot - actually, alot were hot. Really hot.
I don't have photos of the Red Light District at night. I was warned that any and all photographers would be flocked with pimps and their cameras broken or stolen. Apparently its a really big deal, but one that I can understand. For every photograph some poor soul takes and masterbates to is money lost. And as far as capitalistic principles go (of which the Netherlands is actually steering well away from), that is just unacceptable.
Despite this gruesome setback, I still somehow manage to have the most fun I've ever had window shopping. I also did try taking a few photos but they all
Train Station 1
Central Station in Amsterdam came out really horribly and blurry.
The Drugs
"It was the summer of love and I thank the stars above
Because the women took the lovin' over me
And just to gain her trust, I bought a microbus
Because I sold off my personal property
A tight tie-dyed dress, she was a psychedelic mess
We toured to the north, south, east and west
We sold some mushroom tea,
We sold some ecstasy,
We sold nitrus, opium, acid, heroin and PCP and
Now I hear the police coming after me
Yes, now I hear the police coming after me
The one scarlet with the flowers in her hair
She's got the police coming after me"
Marken
Merken was the sweetest quaint little village west of Amsterdam. Unfortunately, it too had turned into a tourist trap. Thankfully, though, there weren't as many as in Amsterdam. It is
very scenic,
very green and really made me feel as if I had warped back in time and landed in some strange peasant's village outside the walls of a castle. There was a house for sale and I wished I had enough money to pay for it. But at the same time, hating
Train Station 2
Central Station in Amsterdam, the other way. tourists, i'd probably grow to hate the place.
But at least I got to sneak around the city and see some actual families living in their own homes. I wandered across two houses and accidentially walked in on this family having dinner outside in their back yard. They started talking to me in Dutch and I, with a dumb smile on my face, just walked slowly backwards trying to remember how to say "Sorry for being yet another tourist to ruin your family dinner" in Dutch. It didn't help that I had my camera dangling from my wrist either.
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Jena
Jena Hazlerigs
I've noticed your graffitti pictures..
Here's more from Amsterdam: http://www.photobucket.com/albums/y23/jenamh/2005-Italy/July6-11-EuroTripToNorth/AmsterdamNetherlands/Graffiti/ :)