amsterdam

when you think of amsterdam, you may think of anne frank

(here's her house)

but maybe not chocolate genitalia

but what you should think of is BIKES! they're everywhere!! here's a parking structure built just for bikes... and it's probably full.

when i was in high school i had a penpal, angela, from the netherlands. she came to florida to visit me. eventually, we lost touch but when i went to holland, i looked her up and we met for lunch. great gal!

the other thing i wasn't prepared to experience in amsterdam was the slew of canals!

and they're pretty green up there. here's a tiny car for handicapped people, old people, etc. who can drive it in the bike lanes (which are on like every road, btw). they only go like 35kph, but it's enough... and i want one. i think they're only available in holland, though.

here i am with my friend and host, remy. he's dutch but his english is on a native level. we went on a canal cruise and had an all around good time!

here i am sitting in a stereotype

pot/weed/marijuana is legal in the netherlands. so there are places called "coffee shops" where you can drink and smoke whatever you want.

of course we went in and saw what there was to see...

here's a 'space cake' or brownie made with pot in it

and there's a bar in there

that happens to sell all kinds of weed and weed products

and paraphernalia is also available

we went to the heineken experience and saw how they make heineken

in the factory there's a heineken museum as well as tons of football (soccer) junk

here i am in the stinky room with all the vats. we tasted the unfinished beer products and could touch the hops and yeast, etc.

then, of course, free beer!

on tap

here is "the dam" after which the city takes its name

closer... oooh, ahhh

canals, bikes, and celebrations

the narrowest house is 4 stories high, but only as wide as a window!

next time i'm there, i'm going in madame tussaud's

omg, pretty

there was an ice cream BOAT! this guy scooped up whatever you wanted right from his boat to yours. sweeeet!

bikes, bikes, bikes.

it really is quite a beautiful place full of weird stuff...

like the world famous 'red light district'

apparently some people want to make sure everyone knows they're not part of the RLD

(with signs like this)

but some places are unmistakably part of it

there's no shame about the red light district there.

on the contrary, here's a statue of a prostitute.

here are the red lights

it's about 2 streets wide and 3 blocks long

not too big, but makes its impression

pretty girls in the window... for rent. :(

there's no place like amsterdam, that's for sure. i'm glad i went and it's a good place to visit. while i wouldn't like to live there, i'm sure i'll make it back that way again some time. i want to see the only missing stereotype: windmills!