All I can say after this Amsterdam
experience is that I’m glad to be going back to Bonn for a week. I have mixed
feelings about Amsterdam as a whole. The daytime experience and life was
perfectly normal, but the second nighttime came around the city changed
completely. All the strange people started coming out of the creepy alleys and
trying to sell you things you never knew they could sell on the street.
As
usual we came in late Friday night and immediately went to check into the
hostel and settle down. I was planning on falling asleep early in preparation
for the Anne Frank House, however that was a fail because about an hour into
lying down the group bothered me. Therefore, instead of sleeping I made an
interesting adventure to the red light district. We had to ask at least three
times where the street was. If I could go back now I definitely would’ve stayed
asleep. The red light district was on the brink of traumatizing, I practically
ran through the streets just to say I had been there. I didn’t feel comfortable
again until I saw the hostel, it didn’t help that we also passed through
the homosexual district during gay pride week.
The
gay pride parade was actually and interesting point about Saturday. Saturday
was the conclusion of the festival so we got to see a very flamboyant parade.
Along with the flamboyant parade came the not so commonly half dressed men
walking around expressing their sexual preference wearing not so manly
garments. Also on Saturday, we went to the Rijks museum because it had recently
been reopened after a ten-year remodel. Not to hate too much on it, but I don’t
know who remodeled that museum because had they not given me a map I would have
been lost multiple times. Even with the map I got lost once and somehow exited
the museum. Luckily I was able to show my ticket again and reenter and continue
what was seemingly a scavenger hunt. Apart from the terrible layout the museum
was quite enjoyable and large. Out of the entire museum I’d have to say my
favorite exhibit was the arms collection. It was a large room full of old
pirate like pistols and cannons. To narrow it down even more, my favorite piece
was a gun that was about two and a half feet long with a pistol grip on
it. I don’t know if you are
supposed to mount it to a ship or free hand hold it. All I know is that if you had
to free hand hold it you probably hardly ever hit anything.
Sunday
was more of a relaxing day because we didn’t get up until about 10 o’clock. I
think for the most part we all slept in due to the fact that every other day on
this trip we’ve been getting up earlier than 8. It was finally time to get a
late start to a day and get a full night sleep. Also, Amsterdam really didn’t
have as much to see as I was expecting. They had a number of museums, but none
really seemed to constitute a visit by me. Instead of more museums we decided
to do a little shopping around the main square and Heineken experience
building. I think I’ve officially got a gift for everyone I needed to, except
for my dad. I got three different pieces from the royal delftware store for the
ladies in my life, grandma, mom, and girlfriend. I also got a few things from
the Heineken store for my brother. The only person left on my list is my main
financial contributor and greatest father ever. It’s extremely hard to pick for
him though, so hopefully I come up with something good sooner rather than later.
I’ve got about two more weeks by myself with the program, then a week with my
parents. The end of the program is closing in fast, but until then I will have
a few more blogs. So…until next time.
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