Dear collegiettes™,
I’m writing to you as I sit in a train leaving Paris and heading to Barcelona. The past few days have been quite crazy. I can’t express how thankful and happy I am to be doing this. I’ll tell you a bit about what to expect and where you should go if you ever head to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam
Luckily, I stayed in a hostel that was in the center (Leidseplein) of Amsterdam so it was quite easy to get around. However, it was not the best hostel experience I’ve had. First of all, Wi-Fi did not reach our room so of course I was disconnected from the world 98% of my time in Amsterdam. Secondly, our bathroom in the hostel was quite disgusting and the room next to us seemed to have a million and one people staying there. ANYWAY! Enough complaints, on to the good stuff!
Bicycles, Bicycles, Bicycles… and more bicyles!
In case you didn’t know, Amsterdam is known for its cycling life. There are parking lots for bicycles and you will find bicycle lanes everywhere! So of course my friend and I had to rent bicycles. You can’t go to Amsterdam and not rent a bicycle! It’s all in the experience. I almost got run over and almost fell a few times, but it’s all for the fun of it.
Michelle and I by a canal with our bikes! (Maybe next week I’ll include a video with us riding!)
Canals, canals… you got it! More canals!
Amsterdam is beautiful and a lot of it has to do with the fact that canals surround it. Every five minutes or less, you will find yourself staring into a canal. What did my friend and I do? Of course we did a canal cruise! It’s beautiful, affordable and an easy way for you to get to know the city. To our surprise, the captain of the boat let my friend and I ride the boat for about 3-5 minutes each. How many people can say they did that? We can! It was great!
My friend Michelle getting us through the waves! (If you want to see me, check my Facebook for photos coming soon!)
Anne Frank House
Hopefully most of you know what the Anne Frank House is. In case you don’t know, it is the house where a few Jews hid during the Holocaust. Anne Frank kept a journal, which was later published, and now there’s a museum at the office where they hid. If you have never heard of this, please stop right now and Google this! The wait was roughly 1:30-2:00 hours, but it was worth it. If you like history and quotes, you will enjoy this visit. I wrote a comment on the visitor’s online portal so you may just be able to find my comment if you look on the website ;)
A portion of the line to get into the Anne Frank House
Van Gogh Museum
Van Gogh is one of the most famous artists in the world. Amsterdam has a museum with most of his paintings and if you are into art, you should definitely check this out. (Even if you’re not, I strongly recommend going). Make sure you purchase your tickets beforehand! This saved us at least one hour waiting (we still waited roughly 45 minutes). His paintings are beautiful and it’s quite interesting when you read his descriptions and see how much thought he put into his work.
In the museum you will also learn a bit of his story, in case some of you are wondering… yes! They mention that he cut off a piece of his ear. You can also see paintings from when he was in the psychiatric hospital! Luckily, there was a free workshop going on when we got there and Michelle and I were able to paint sunflowers for free in the Van Gogh Museum! Of course we kept our paintings for souvenirs and memories! Best thing is that it was all FREE!
Me getting ready to paint at the Van Gogh Museum!
Big Amsterdam Letters
These letters are located very close to the Van Gogh Museum. It is a must see when you are in Amsterdam. Climb the letters and take loads of photos! The area is filled with tourists and it’s a fun place to see.
I Amsterdam!
Coffee Shops
As many of you know, marijuana is legal in Amsterdam. Every 5 minutes or so you will run into these stores called “coffee shops.” These are similar to bars, but for marijuana. They sell you whatever flavor you want (once available) and they sell non-alcoholic beverages. They also have menus for “munchies” and other treats. If that’s up your alley, be sure to experience that while you are in Amsterdam!
I know, it’s an awful photo but I’m trying to keep everything original! One of the many coffee shops you will find in Amsterdam.
The Red Light District
As you may be aware, prostitution is also legal in Amsterdam! It’s famous for the Red Light District, which comes alive at night! It’s a couple of strips with glass rooms/windows with ladies of all sizes, colors and shapes in lingerie trying to attract their customers. If the curtain is closed, it means someone is getting busy! It’s always quite funny when you see someone leaving a room. They always seem to be satisfied as there’s always a big smile or a small smirk on their face. You may see a few blue lights; these are for tranvestites! Hey, everyone needs some fun and pleasure.
By the way, if you go during the day you may still see a few windows open. Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo to show you of a window but just look for a small stoplight! Trust me, once you are in the area at night, follow the crowds; it’s where everyone is going!
At night this stoplight turns red. Once you see this, you’re in the Red Light district my friend!
Collegiettes™, I’m getting homesick from Amsterdam just writing this to you! I wish I could tell you more, but I know that you’ve read quite a lot so I’ll leave it at this. GO TO AMSTERDAM! It’s definitely one of my favorites from all the cities I’ve been to so far. The people are also very nice and the atmosphere is relaxed and positive. No bad vibes!
Alright collegiettes™, thanks for keeping up with my journey. Stay tuned for next week where I tell you about Paris, Barcelona and Madrid. I may have to do a video for that one! ;)
HCxo,
Joycelyn