Non-Stop Weekend

This weekend I went to Amsterdam along with everyone else, but unlike the rest of the group Katie, Karen and I also went to Brugge. We arrived in Amsterdam Saturday morning about thirty minutes later than we had planned because our first train was twenty minutes late. Therefore, we missed the next one even though we chased after it as fast as we could. In Amsterdam the first thing we did was paddle boat down the cannels, and we paddled from the Anne Frank house to the Rijksmuseum. That was so much fun, but it was really hard to steer, and we had to dodge the parked boats along the sides of the canals and the fast boats coming towards us and from behind us. The museum was good, and I liked that there wasn't too much too have to look at. The coolest part of the museum was when they showed Rembrant's the Night Watchmen (I think that is what it is called) with a special effects lighting show to sort of re-enact the story of the painting. From there we went to the Heineken Brewery which was a lot of fun. (I didn't know they could do so many decorative things with beer bottles). As part of the price you got three free beers and a free gift. I got one free beer and I drank a couple sips, but I did not like it at all. As Katie said "It tastes like woodchips." The next two I got fanta instead and that was a lot better!! The last thing we did was go to the Anne Frank house and walk through the Red Light District. Anne Frank's house was really neat to see, but very sad. I was surprised about how big it was because from reading the book I was expecting something a lot smaller. And lastly the Red Light District...it pretty much speaks for itself. I was very shocked that they actually allow all the naked women pictures and let the girls stand out in public in such skimpy outfits!!

Next was Brugge. We arrived there at two in the morning on Sunday and we had to walk at night through the streets to try to find our hostel. We finally found it with a little trouble (because our map did not label all the streets), and then they told us they did not have our reservation and that they were completely booked!! He tried calling other hostels and hotels for us, but they were either not open or full. Finally he offered an open double bed room for a reduced price and free breakfast. We did have to fit three girls in a double bed, but we were so tired it did not matter. In the morning we went up the Belfry Belltower and were up there at noon when the carillon played and the bells went off. It was so cool!! After lunch and some serious chocolate buying, we went to the Church of the Holy Blood where they have a vile containing the blood of Christ. We accidentally timed it right because the blood vile was out and you could go up to the alter and lay your hand on it. It was an awesome experience!!! The last thing we did that day was rent bikes and bike to the coast. Although, we had to turn back when we were two miles from the North Sea because we had a train to catch. The ride started out fun, and it was really beautiful countryside, but it was a lot farther than I ever imagined and I was getting really tired. Plus it got really windy making pedalling that much harder and we got rained on a little. The next time I want to go to the sea from Brugge I think I will take a bus!!

Kathy