imisstony.com

No, I haven't been drunk or high in Amsterdam but it seems like everyone else is, all day long. From 10am smokes fills coffee shops to 2am booze and horniness fill groups of men. I just realized that this is the second blog today, though it is 2am and I've just returned from the Red Light District. Before we get to that, a recap of the evening...

I went for a canal boat ride which was pretty chill. It was nice to see a canal's point of view zig-zagging around the city. As I looked at the buildings along the canal, I kept wondering why there are hooks at the top of many of them. Anyone know? I'm thinking it was for some sort of pulley system? Or maybe to hang flowers?

Next was the Van Gogh museum. Also very chill as DJ Goldfinger was spinning beats as museum visitors explored Vincent's life in paintings. I daydreamed about having the life of an artist and being able to leave behind pieces of the world through my eyes.

Then dinner. I thought about Dutch pancakes but it was a little too late so I headed over towards the Red Light District in search of cheap eats. The cheap eats were mostly junk food so I popped into a place called Eat Mode featuring 'Asian Fusion'. Gyoza and Chicken Chow Mein it is. I thought about seeking out some nightlife so I hopped a tram to Rembrantplein which is a major square filled with bars and French style cafes. It was a bit dead so I went to Leidseplein (plein means square btw). On the tram I actually watched a team of two pickpockets trying to rob an Indian couple. It was wild. One guy positioned himself to the left and reached for the man's bag by going under his jacket (so it looked like he was reaching into his own coat, he may have even had a whole in the other side). His partner acted as a lookout and a cover. They kept glancing back at me but I pretended to be in a stoned haze or something. I was really trying to figure out what the heck I was going to do. Do I rat them out and get stabbed? Do I bring it to the couple's attention? Fortunately, the Indian man felt his backpack being unzipped and reached around to close it. This all happened as I was getting off at Leidseplein so I don't know what the pickpockets did. In hindsight, I should have said something as I got off but I was in sort of a mental haze.

The square was pretty jumpin' but I strolled around a bit and decided that I couldn't really make any moves solo so I went back to the hostel. I realized that there will be certain things that I can't really do without the appropriate 'partners in crime'. My hostel room (did I mention there are 19 beds in it?) was taken over by a dozen rowdy Spaniards from Barcelona. After they left to go out, I washed up and decided to see why one shouldn't visit the RLD after midnight.

I'll let you know tomorrow.

Labels: Netherlands