Brenner Does Am*Dam

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So I'm nearing the end of my excusion in Amsterdam and I've survived! Well, to be honest I've almost been run over by like a million bicycles, but I guess that's par for the course here. One thing is for sure...the Dutch love their bikes! At night when everyone's out clubbing the bikes are three deep lining the streets. I couldn't believe that they all just dump their bikes without locking them, but then someone told me that the locks cost more than the bikes. Everyone around here ends up looking like Toronto scenester kids riding their cheap bikes around TO, minus the bad haircuts. They're sooo laid back with their biking though and are amazing at multitasking...when it's raining they hold umbrellas while biking, they talk on their phones while biking and I've even seen riders texting while biking, hands free no less!

Not only are the locals talented bicyclists, they're also incredibly attractive. It seems like every time I turn around there's another gaggle of blonde Dutch girls mocking me! No, kidding... Everyone here is insanely friendly and they all speak perfect English. What a shame I didn't get to practice my Dutch haha! But seriously, butchering the language is not a difficult thing to do, unfortunately. I keep wondering when I might get a slap in the face for my ridiculous mispronunciations. But maybe the locals are just too busy hanging out at the coffeeshops for that.

Hanging out with my cousin Rachelle and her fiance Rod (they just got engaged!) has been great! It's been two years since we saw each other, so this has been pretty magical. They got here a few days before me and already had the city more or less figured out so they've been like my tour guides. It's definitely an easy place to get lost in, that's for sure. Usually you can just follow the river so to speak, but all the canals make that approach pretty useless! But maybe getting lost here is the point...

The Red Light District is exactly what I expected, but still a bit of a shock! We were joking that it's the first time that we've ever seen men so interested in shopping. Last night the three of us wandered around the Red Light and boy, what a sausage fest. One guy walking by offered to "help" Rod with "the tall one" (yeah, that'd be me)...who knew the Dutch were so generous hehe.

Yesterday we went to Anne Frankhuis and had drinks at a cafe right along one of the canals. Today is the Van Gogh museum and I think we might join the locals for a bike tour around the city! Tonight I fly back to London and then tomorrow I'll be in Porto. Can't wait! Hope everyone's doing well back home. Miss you all and talk soon! xoxox

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Photos

My hostel
The place I'm staying. St. Christopher's on Wermostratt or something like that. Right on the edge of the Red Light District.

Sexy Sign
Yeah, this sign is actually for an ice cream place. I know, right?

Street Cat
This kitty hangs around my hostel. We gave him some ham! He liked it.

Canadians in Amsterdam!
We ate at this resto where they get you to design the back of one of the coasters and then they put it up on the wall. A small part of us will be here forever!