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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Last Day in Amsterdamp

Hello There My Little Tulips,

So what's up ? Today is my last day, I am leaving tomorrow back home. Today I am taking it easy as I am starting to feel sick. My friend is on a bus tour to Belgium, and I was going to go, but I decided to opt out for a couple of reasons: I am not feeling well, the ride is about 4 hours each way (in rainy weather) and I would rather save my money, oh and also the tour ends at midnight, and I don't want anything getting in the way of me going to the airport tomorrow morning.

So I am chilling out at the hostel at the moment using my internet time up. I am supposed to go to a movie later.

1.) I did rent a bike the other day and we went on a bike ride around Amsterdam and a little into the Amstel region. Beautiful houses and boats along the river and it's country living with a view of the city life. Very nice, and we saw an old windmill.

2.) We did go through the red light district and took a tour. Our tour guide was hilarious. But they definitely go out of the way to say that all of the women there are doing their job voluntarily and not forced aka trafficked in from poorer countries. I don't quite believe that ( I think a good percentage are trafficked), and neither does the Dutch government because they are trying to reduce the size of the Red Light District and buy out the window owners. I would be all for what is going on in the RLD otherwise. Being that our American govt is quite restrictive, I do believe that there should be areas of sin like Amsterdam and thank God Americans have Vegas. But I don't condone the violence that takes place and that is being hidden from tourists. Our tour guide was informative, but in a touristic sort of manner where it was obvious certain bits of information were being hidden.

3.) We met a couple of people from our hostel and walked around the city and ate junk food at different places. A few in  our group tried the coffeeshops, but me and the other guy in our group did not. I don't like tobacco or marijuana, and there is no point in trying to like it now, especially since it's illegal in the states and I have a profession I am serious about.

4.) I saw the Van Gogh museum and liked it a lot. The musem did a great job in giving a history of his work, his sources of inspiration and his life. I loved his style even though the man was insane. His paintings are full of life, and inspiration, especially his art from Paris, and especially after spending time in Montmarte, where he spent some of his time.

Of course I have done more, but I am going have to write about that later. Did I tell you how happy I am to go home ? The weather here in the Netherregions is not friendly, and I am tired of the hostel environment. Don't get me wrong. This hostel, Stayokay has been great. I've seen the other rathole-fleabag hostel our friend spent the night in, and I feel greatful that this one has been decent. But still, I miss having my own room. I have been in a mixed dorm because my friend is a dude, and I was not fond of other dudes walking around in their boxers and taking race-horse style pisses in our shared bathroom. Luckily they were nice though and not drunkards or smoking weed in the room which was the case in the first hostel I went to.

Of course, I am also not going to lie and say that I am not happy that this leg of the tour is coming to an end. The trip really was off to a rotten start and I have still not forgotten. I may have made the best of my trip and managed to enjoy myself while I was here, but being stranded in that airport left a bad feeling that I can't seem to shake off. I would love to come back here and see more of the Netherlands and experience Dutch culture more, but under different circumstances, more finances, and no hostels. Just means that I have to work harder, get a promotion and save more money.

Have any of you heard about the book Undutchables ? I am going to buy that when I get home.

Okay, time to log off for now. Besitos !

Love, hugs, clogs and tulips !

10 comments:

H said...

I agree with the negative aspects of the red light district. However, it is niave to think prostitution, drugs etc, would not occur anyways, they certianly do in the US, at least in Holland these things are controlled by goverment not the mob.

Next time to you visit holland, visit the south (Noord Brabant)that is were I am from.

Bev said...

I'm glad you got a little taste of the city! I've always wanted to visit the Netherlands. Have a safe trip home!!

XOXO

Candice said...

Glad you had a decent trip and made it home safely.

LL Cool Joe said...

I loved Amsterdam, but found the red light district a bit seedy.

Did you get to Anne Frank's house? I really enjoyed that and the boat rides.

I'm really pleased you had some good moments too. It's pretty wet in the UK at the moment, and Holland seems to have very similar weather to us.

dadshouse said...

I believe the women in the windows are doing their job voluntarily. It's the women behind the scenes who are forced and trafficked from other countries. Not sure how much of that happens in Amsterdam, but it definitely happens in the world. Very sad.

Love that you rode a bike there!!!! I cycle a ton, and you are in cycle sprint country right now.

Riot Kitty said...

Getting stranded (or very nearly) overseas is not a pretty experience. I had a creepy one like it on the way back from England and I did not want to travel for awhile! But...time goes on and you remember the good. Good for you for making the most of your trip. I'd love to see the Van Gough museum.

Danielle said...

Think about how you will feel about seeing all the good and bad years from now! This is a great experience even if it had some suckage along the way!

PorkStar said...

Well we all had a good time, i hope you really enjoyed everything too as much as i did. The other people we met sure got a good glimpse of your great sense of humor and that was awesome.

Charmaine said...

Wow. What an adventure. You sure do get around. Good for you chica bonita!

Um...I wonder how much those women in the red light district make?

:-)

Anonymous said...

I hope your flight back home is smooth and uneventful! Are you still sick? Or feeling better?