Random observations

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Geo: 52.3738, 4.89095

Appearance above safety (Paris) - I saw many people riding around on their vespas, helmets with regular cloths. Paris is a very stylish city, where apparently it is more important to accessorise ones skin, than keep it. I also noticed several people smoking on their bikes...I don't even know where to start

Random dudes (Paris) - I keep getting chatted up by random dudes who can't speak english. First the taxi driver, then the random at the train station, then another dude on the train. I don't know where they think thats gonna go. My standards are not high but some kind of conversation skills are important

McWine (Paris)- a glass of wine comes in small, medium and large. I could get used to that. Another fun fact about france, if you loose your job, welfare will pay 80% of your salary for up to 2 years. I could get used to that too. However the taxes are rather hefty (I guess to pay for all that welfare) That would suck

Time in Lieu (Arras) - shops are not open on Monday morning because they were open on Saturday morning. They also shut up shop between noon and 2pm for lunch, then they are open until 7

Arras - is no place for street signs

Brugge - street signs are everywhere...they need to be, the place is wall to wall tourists.

Ghent - not only do they not have met police, nobody validates their tickets. Had lunch at a little cafe called 'Tparadjis where the food was awesome but the service was really sllllooooooowwwww.

Thirsty? (Ghent) - you can buy liquor at the corner store. The vodka is in the same fridge as the coke.

Amsterdam - some shops that tickled my funny bone
- For people with more taste than money
- Everything on a stick
- Chech and Chongs Lounge
- Chipsy kings

Thirsty - Amsterdam is expensive. €2.50 for a can of coke from a vending machine. Can of Heineken in the same vending machine, same price. Additionally, in the supermarket, alcohol is conveniently located between the iced tea and energy drinks

Need a buzz but can't pull on a bong - try some Cannabis lollipops.

Architecture (Amsterdam) some of the buildings are crooked. I think their neighboring properties are holding them up. You think these clever Duchies would have done that better

Creepy dude (Amsterdam) standing at the bus stop at the flower market, some dude pulls up in a car and asks if I'd like a lift. Yeah sure, I'm alone in a strange country, why not get into a car with a complete stranger. NOT! I was at a flower market for crying out loud! How often would that really work for the dude? Why cant I get approached by the cute normal dudes?

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