I Amsterdam

I know I haven’t posted in a while. Between exams and booking my holiday trips (which you will read about in due time), I’ve put my blog on the back burner. However, I’m going to post double time so that the adventures you are reading aren’t *completely* out of season. Now, without further ado... 

I got yelled at by a prostitute on my first morning in Amsterdam... 

Dam Square - Amsterdam (Personal Photo)

But I’m getting ahead of myself. When I mentioned I was going to Amsterdam (mid-November), people heckled me about it, asking me if I was going to a) light up a joint in a coffeeshop or b) indulge in the carnal delights in the red light district. I mean, there’s nothing else worth doing there, right? Seriously? 

Canals in Amsterdam (Personal Photo)

Amsterdam is a picturesque town of canals, a city of narrow buildings squeezed together like novels on a bookworm’s shelf. Despite the cold and rainy weather, cyclists sped by like Hell’s Angels, all but mowing down unsuspecting pedestrians. During the day the city is calm and tame, save for the banshee cyclists, and seemingly innocent. That being said, you can still see bored prostitutes in windows if you accidentally wander into the red light district, which remains discreet beneath the all-seeing eye of the sun. But at night, the shadows purr with seduction’s call. Beneath windows lined with red halogen tubes, women wearing nothing but fancy, glow-in-the-dark lingerie pose, beckon, smile—anything to attract attention from potential customers. And when the scarlet curtains closed, the windows empty, it means the bed is occupied... with a client. 

 This trip heralded the first flight that I’ve ever booked, and in terms of travelling itself, everything went smoothly. However, staying in a mixed dorm is an interesting experience for a solo female traveller. As I experienced in Florence, guys don’t seem to be concerned with their privacy. In fact, an Australian guy came in from his shower wearing only a towel in order to retrieve his clothes and then proceeded to change beneath his towel, all while carrying on a full conversation with me while I pretended that absolutely nothing was bizarre about the whole fiasco. At one point two other guys ripped off their shirts. You know, all casual-like. I joked to some of my former travel buddies (on my phone) that I didn’t need to visit the red light district when I had guys--three of them, in fact--stripping shirtless in front of me and parading about.

Delft pottery (Personal Photo)

I did my first “free tour” in Amsterdam. Free, that is, as the only way the tour guide is paid is through tips. The fact that it rained the entire time did not dampen the tour (well, I suppose it did, in a literal sense), although it gave me a chill that took all evening to shake off. I did a tour of Amsterdam’s coffee shops (NB: not the same as a coffee house) and learned several facts about cannabis in Amsterdam. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not *actually* legal. Rather, any laws are simply not enforced.  

He posed for several other people, too (Personal Photo)

I also visited Zaanse Schans, a cute little town with traditional Dutch culture (most likely for us tourists), windmills, and a beautiful view of the river, which smells of cocoa. Regard the photo op moment with a goat, who posed with several other people and seemed to be enjoying himself. On another day, I saw Delft, which is known for its blue-and-white pottery. By chance, the pottery factory had free entry that weekend only, as it was the end of the season.

Me in the I Amsterdam sign (Personal Photo)

 I got my honorary photo in front of the “I Amsterdam” sign and saw a gorgeous sunset. I did not miss the Anne Frank House or the Rjikmuseum, either, but the fact that I went isn’t terribly

interesting, is it? No drama there.

Here’s an interesting experience: on my way to the train station, I saw floats and people with black face paint in jester costumes who danced, played instruments, and distributed candy to children holding open small plastic bags. No candy canes here! Santa Claus was on horseback rather than a sleigh. Who knew I had picked the weekend of the Santa Claus parade?

Sunset in front of the I Amsterdam sign (Personal Photo)

I had my first problem with security on the return flight. The night before I left, I spotted a dragon head in a souvenir shop and just had to have it (I call it the Amsterdragon (photo)). You can apparently burn incense in it and the smoke will leave through the nostrils. Anyway, at the airport, the head showed up in their machine and they flagged it as suspicious, so they asked to search my bag. However, my searcher was pretty nice—after showing the bubble-wrapped head to his colleague, he returned it to me and we had a brief chat about where I was from. Success! 

Oh, and as to why I was yelled at by a prostitute? I had my camera out. “NO PHOTO!” she cried. I was taking a picture of a church, in broad daylight, with the free walking tour. If I hadn’t had my back to her, I suspect she would have smashed my camera (or something likewise dramatic)! They value their privacy.