ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND

Planes, trains, automobiles and bicycles

Waiting for my plane in London

So if getting there is any indication of what's to come I'm in trouble.  First plane to TO landed 5 minutes after I was supposed to be boarding the first one to London.  I made it but doubt my luggage did.  Oh well who needs clean underwear anyway.  Second plane left London 3 hours late cause the original plane was struck by lightning and they had to replace it.  Finally get to Amsterdam, luggage too, guess that was lucky; however, the train into town isn't running because the other day there was a big train crash that killed people.  Okay, I'll take the bus.  Sounds safer anyway.  Hop off the bus only to be attacked by, wait for it, bicycles.  Yup, they're everywhere.  After being "rung" off the path twice I realized the third lane is not an extra sidewalk.  It's a bike lane.  Finally some big dude actually manhandles me from behind, right off the path as he slams on the brakes so he doesn't crush me.  Gotta stop walking around like a tourist and look where I'm going.  Finally by 8pm on my second day of travel I've found a Hostel.  Sure it's in the middle of the red light district but it's cheap.  And close to the sights right?  After I settle in it's time to head out and see what there is to see.

Me just before being run down by bikes

Roxanne! Put on the red light.

So sure I'm nervous.  Maybe it's jet lag, or no sleep, or a new strange city, or maybe it's cause I'm in the middle of sin city central!  But then, I've never been one to shirk from adventure before.  So here goes...

Red lit windows like this all over central Amsterdam

Central Amsterdam is great.  Tall ancient brick buildings standing wall to wall, canals lined with boats, bridges and sidewalks packed with people.  Sure there's red lit windows with scantily clad girls lining every other block, pimps standing in the streets watching ominously, lots of coffee shops that sell, well more than coffee.  So since I'm sure I stand out as a tourist I keep my hand on my wallet, but then I stop and take a look around me.  Walking through the streets are tourists pulling suitcases, couples holding hands, couples pushing prams with babies, ya babies, and lots of them.  What am I worried about?  Also there are seniors tour groups, trying to take pictures of the girls in windows.   It makes the girls mad and they knock on the windows and frown all angry like.  They they notice you staring and laughing so they turn all seductive and knock the window again while waving you in.  It was really too much to take in.  Finally I stumbles my exhausted way back to the hostel and although a bunch of girls in the 30 person room were yakkity yakking for hours I slept like a rock.  Welcome to Amsterdam

Canals of Amsterdam

It's got a head the size of a freakin planet.
Made from water right out or the Amstel
 River.  Hence the name.