Amsterdam

I was on my last full week in Paris and I had to decide how to spend my last weekend. My choices were endless but had narrowed it down to two cities: Berlin and Amsterdam. The decision was based on a soccer game. The Netherlands won and they were in the World Cup final. 10 minutes after the game ended, I had bought a plane ticket, booked a hostel and was brushing up on my Dutch!

After a major speed bump with the airline company (they didn't book my ticket so on friday afternoon I didn't have a way to get there, they gave me 15 euro off my next flight, and i found a train for 20 euro cheaper so it all worked out).

Amsterdam was one of the most beautiful cities I have visited in the world. It was also the hardest to find my way around. I got lost more in two days than I have in two months in Paris. Every street looks the same, the canals are all the same, the houses look the same and there are not many major monuments etc to tell where you are. Although it seemed like I always found my way back to the Red Light District (my hostel was right in the heart so I had to).

Saturday I walked around for a couple of hours, went to the Heineken Experience. It was the original brewery and they have a tour and a tasting room. I then went on a pub crawl! It was my first ever organized pub crawl. I met some really cool guys and we had a blast. A free drink at every bar and the organizers carried bottles of vodka and gave it out very generously.

Sunday I woke up early to go on a bike tour. In Amsterdam, there are 2 bikes for every person! The government gets about 10 000 bikes out of the canals every year. The tour lasted 2.5 hours and we saw the entire city.

I met up with one the guys from the pub crawl the night (Matt) before and we set off to Mueseumpleine to watch the World Cup Final (Netherlands vs. Spain). Museuempleine is a giant park with a lot of museums surrounding it (Van Gogh etc.). Matt and I had both bought orange shirts so we could get drowned in the sea of orange! They estimated over 100,000 people were in the park, and over 350,000 had come to the city to watch the game. It was like the Olympics all over again but more intense!

Unfortunately the Netherlands lost 1-0 so the city was disappointed and not really up for a big party. Matt and I made our way back to our respective hostels (he was staying at the Marriott!). No partying for me Saturday.

I woke up Monday morning, had a big breakfast and trained back to Paris. A short stop in Brussels and a few hours of travel later and that was it, weekend over!

There were so many things to see in Amsterdam, museums, shops, restaurants, windmills, people, prostitutes etc. Of all the cities I have visited Amsterdam has the most culture and one of the most interesting. I already want to go back! It was nice to be able to speak English again, I was shocked at the fact that almost everyone spoke perfect English!

I didn't really know what to expect out of the city and I had hesitations about going but it definitely met all expectations. I was worried about my hostel being in the Red Light District but it was very safe and not at all what I expected. My first red light experience was during the day when the "less appealing" sights of the city are tapping on their windows. This worried me... I later found out that it is expensive to rent out the rooms so the not attractive prostitutes can't afford prime time rates at night so they use them during the day.

I only have two more days in Paris, today I have to stay with the kids all day, and tomorrow I am meeting a friend Tamara for Bastille Day in Paris. Very sad to be leaving this amazing city and I will miss it. Although I do miss Vancouver and all my friends and family!

I am going to try and write another post when I am home as a debrief, or possibly in the airport...

"The Manny"

Mind the Gap

I figured it was time to find my roots and introduce myself to her majesty. Last weekend I made the trek through 20 minutes are darkness, usually referred to as the "Chunnel". Spending a weekend in London was one of the most fulfilling experiences to date!

After two hours by train I arrived at St Pancras/King's Cross Station. It was a short trip on the tube before I reached my hostel, right next to London Bridge. I didn't realize it was London Bridge. I think I expected "Tower Bridge" to be London Bridge. London Bridge is just a cement bridge with nothing special. The one next to it, Tower Bridge is actually amazing and has is what I imagined!

Walking along the Thames past Shakespear's Globe theatre, The Tate Modern Museum, The London Eye and ending at the Westminster Abbey, and Big Ben! This was probably the best bang for your buck as far as walking goes.

There is so many famous things in London it was very difficult to try and see them all! I met my friend Nancy and her boyfriend in Leicester Square for lunch, I ended up being 35 minutes late because I got lost and couldn't find the restuarant. (It had moved and changed to a gay bar, that proved to be interesting when I started asking for directions!)

I then met up with a guy I had met in Barcelona, he was in London on his way back to Ireland so we walked around for a couple hours. I then had to leave to go and watch the Musical I had bought a ticket for.

Les Miserables was fantastic. It was my first "real" musical, and what a better place and show to see than Les Mis at the Queen's theatre in London. It did cost me 60 Pounds, ($100 Canadian) but it was totally worth it! And Nick Jonas played Marius.

I finished the night with a beer from the hostel bar and proceeded to bed as I had been up since 6 that morning.

Sunday morning started early because I wanted to see the changing of the guards. A sight worth seeing especially because the first song the band struck up was the YMCA, I expected God Save the Queen from the royal band infront of buckingham palace but apparently they prefer the Village People!

I met up with Nancy again for lunch, this time was Fish and Chips. had to get my fill of cliche british things!

Walks through Hyde Park, Trafalager Square, Piccadely Circus, The British Museum and then on the London Tower to visit the Crown jewels.

After all of that extremely touristy stuff it was time to find out what London was all about. I met two 20 somethings from Washington DC. They were staying at the same room in the hostel and they invited me to dinner. We went to St George's Pub for traditional sunday roast. Roast beef, baked potato, vegtables and yorkshire pudding. Topped off with a beer and all was good.

That night I met a guy from Burnaby at the hostel. What a small world. It never fails to amaze me the fact that I meet people accros the world from the same city!

Another very plain breakfast from the hostel in the morning and I was back to Frog land in Paris! London blew me away, I really enjoyed my weekend and would consider spending a lot more time in England!

Next weekend... Amsterdam.

"The Manny"