Amsterdam, Netherlands

December 29, 2007 - January 9, 2008

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE!!! The Crazian has invaded Europe! I have been in Amsterdam for 2 weeks now and it has been absolutely surreal.

15 hours after leaving Vancouver (including a 2 hour delay where everyone on the flight had to deplane and re-board a new plane), I finally arrived in Amsterdam! Boy was I ever happy to finally be reunited with my best friends. CFL together once again!


CFL outside of F.Do's apartment (black building to the left)



F.DO'S APARTMENT BUILDING: That hook on the top of the building is used to hoist large objects e.g. furniture into the apartment because hallways are too narrow.



F.Do's graffiti message.



That's right, "CFL in da DAM!"



View from F.Do's apartment. Still feels unreal when I look out the window and see canals!






View looking to the right



As Beyonce put it... "to the left, to the left..."



You're probably wondering what this paparazzi-looking picture is all about. But I had to add it in. I've only been here for 2 weeks and I have seen this pair several times now but it's only been me seeing them. So one day I took a picture from the apartment window to show F.Do... I know, stalkerish huh? Anyways, I am still trying to figure out what they're all about with their temple shaped hats, dolls hanging from their chest and alien looking symbols on their ankles... hmmm... Though I do not think I'll get the chance to confirm anything since I saw them at the train station the other day going to the airport. I think they're American since I heard them speak... I know, I know, stalkerish...




CENTRAAL STATION: the main hub for all trains (local, national and international):



Bike Parking Lot right outside of Centraal Station: Everyone rides a bike here. Though there is a high rate of bike theft, so everyone rides a "crappy" one. Can you believe how many bikes are parked here? How can one possibly find their bike when they return???



People are really skilled cyclists. I've seen everything from adults riding with their baby placed on the front of their bikes to people balancing all their bags and barely riding with any hands!!!




Amsterdam is one of the most dense cities in the world. Even surpassing Beijing, China! Coming from Vancouver (where the only crowds you find are in clubs) the crowds certainly takes getting used to...




DAM SQUARE





NATIONAL MONUMENT: I personally thought it was the Homo-Monument (who wouldn't?)







ST. NICOLAASKERK: Kerk = Church in Dutch. There are many kerks in Amsterdam. This one is located on the way to Centraal Station.




CANALS, CANALS, AND MORE CANALS





When you are giving directions instead of saying "it is so and so blocks away," you say "it is so and so CANALS away."



Canal @ Sunset




TULIPS: Tulips are everywhere in Amsterdam. When I arrived, F.Do gave me these white tulips.



Tulips, Tulips Everywhere!




UGLYDOLLS: I grew a huge liking to UglyDolls while in Vancouver (blame Fi!) and have been spreading their love across the world. OX (the green one) is F.Do's, the one in the middle is Moxy and she belongs to me, and the blue one on his head is Wedgehead who belongs to Cathy. CFL together in person and UglyDolls!



Gifts from F.Do!




SINGEL 404: A cafe across the canal from F.Do's apartment. It has amazing open-face sandwiches that are appropriately also the same size as my face!




Walking around F.Do's area, the 9 Streets:




Free Gluwine!




BEER: why choose any other drink when Beer is the cheapest thing on the menu???





JORDAAN NEIGHBOURHOOD:



WESTERKERK: located right beside Anne Frank's Huise



View of Westerkerk from a distance:



HOUSE BOATS: People actually live in these!



Right after this picture a bird shat on me!!! CaThy totally busted a gut laughing, but a few days later, a bird shat on her!!! We are now waiting to see when F.Do's turn will come...




LIEN & GIEL: This is the first place I've found that had my name and wasn't a Vietnamese Restaurant!




BANGKOK RESTAURANT: A yummy Thai Restaurant. Here are 2 rice buckets...




KAAS CHEESE: a cheese shop that is dangerously close to F.Do's apartment.



Brie just isn't creamy enough, so they decided to add cream cheese into the middle! There are endless combinations of Brie e.g. Brie and truffles which was to die for!




STROOPWAFELS: sticky caramel covered with chewy (and you know how i love CHEWY!) waffels... ohhhh yeah!




RED LIGHT DISTRICT: no explanation needed.



Nothing says "Merry Xmas" like a condom tree!



A restaurant just on the border of the Red Light District.



A cute statue in the Red Light District.



English Pub in the Red Light District: straight to the point. If you're dodgy, please do not enter.




CHINATOWN: Dutch people really like their explosives! From the moment I arrived I've been hearing fireworks going off at all times of the day and night! Though this day the fireworks were legit. I believe they were blessing all the stores for the new year!



Just look at the whole line of fireworks! They certainly are not minimalists!



NAM KEE RESTUARANT: Here I am indulging in their famous steamed Black Bean oysters. They're so famous there is a movie named after them!




GIANT WOODEN CLOG:




FEBO: These are EVERYWHERE!!! Everything from hot fried chicken to hamburgers sitting in a little coin operated glass shoe box! Believe it or not, it's really popular!!!




SEX MUSEUM:



So large, I had to climb it!



So many to choose from!




HARLEEM: a quaint little town approx. 15 mins (by train) away from Amsterdam.



Train Station



A real windmill! It makes me so happy, I think I'll jump for joy!




NOMAD RESTAURANT: a Persian restaurant complete with beds and belly dancers!





...and Shisha of course!




Leidsestraat: walking down the street filled with shops, trams and people!




RIJKSMUSEUM:





Rijksmuseum from the side!




VAN GOGH MUSEUM:


After a full day of museums, I fell upon this statue that made me laugh out loud. What a comic relief to my day!



Spot all the Beer signs!!!




Poor F.Do has been working like a mad woman. Here she is on a work call with some appetizers.



I made us a healthy dinner to compensate for all our unhealthy indulges throughout the last few weeks.



I am off to Brussels, Belgium for the day and then Oslo, Norway for the weekend! Followed by Paris, London, Berlin, Prague and perhaps Ireland? Who knows what this Crazian will be up to...