DAY 3 and 4?

Amsterdam is all about not knowing what time it is and not caring. Today (Monday) I woke up late (surprise surprise!) and so I decided that renting a bike would not only make me feel like a local, which ironically is what I strive for everywhere I go. When you speak English, the Europeans just cough you up to being a little less than intelligent so looking and feeling like one of them is the closest thing to being treated as an equal, but it would help me catch up on the 3 hours I had missed out on due to late rise. Before anything I had breaky at my hotel finishing it off with an espresso. FYI- there will be no more Tim's for me when I get back to Toronto, no matter where I order an espresso it is always a mean one just the way I like it, and believe me I know, I have about 5-6 a day.

After a quick once-over of my outfit I crossed the street to the bike rental. There was a line-up of Spanish students so what did I do? Of course!!! I had an espresso (I'm an addict) and a yummy pastry from Renee's Patisserie, highly recommended, inexpensive and absolutely heavenly no matter what you order. You can ask any of the stoners that hang out there from dawn to dusk... they'll say the same.

From there I went back to my hotel for outfit change number two, it was far too cold out to look nice so I packed on the layers and hit the street AGAIN. Once on the bike I realized how I underestimated myself! I was a seasoned cyclist after all and whizzed my way through the canals, all the way to the Artist Zoo, got lost, found myself at Anne Frank's Huis (you should've seen the line-up!), peddled over to Rembrant's crib and got lost again so far East of Central that I was huffing and puffing trying to catch my breath! Quick bakery stop for a bite... one salami, three cheese and pineapple panini along with a Fanta to wash it down (trust me, it was divine) I found my way back!!! Length of journey- Four hours. Two broken derriere bones (I actually have bruises) and various aches and pains I was back at the hotel warming up. I had accomplished what most tourists dread, riding a bike in the crazy car/pedestrian/cyclist streets of the Amstel river and the Dams that connect them. I also managed to lock my bike up the right way (I have photos) and didn't collide into anyone or anything. The funniest part of the day? I was giving Portuguese, German and Danish people direction! Hahaha!

On a serious note- What I've realised today is how much at peace one is here. The residents have less wrinkles and are happy people by nature. They take a minute to take a load off, they're out in the fresh outdoor air, they exercise and are generally healthy. I haven't seen or heard one person with a cold or an allergy. Not to say they don't get colds, because I'm sure they do, however their attitude is completely different from ours. These people are thankful for what they have, they're not consumed with what's the newest, coolest, biggest in trends or self-fulfillment through material possessions. It's a nice change. Now, do I get irritated when I'm waiting for the store clerk to ring me up? Absolutely! We have this "I got places to be, time is money" outlook and people here don't pay it any attention. Keeps one in check about not being the centre of the universe.

I finished the day off with some window shopping (everything closed at 6) and Chinese food (there's ethnic cuisine on every street) I actually don't know what the Dutch eat besides cheese that is there own. Oh! I also bumped into one of the couples, the honeymooners from Phoenix, from my Zaandam, Volendam and Edam tour, well technically I almost rode into them because it was my first 10 mins on the bike.

Tomorrow I have an early train to Paris, I want to get to the station to send post cards out and exchange more cha ching. Tot ziens Amsterdam!

DAY 1- I Arrived

Amsterdam! After one delay to another I am finally here! I just wanted you all to know that I am well and made it safely.

Emily- this is the heaviest backpack ever... 20 kilos I may add... but looking at the cobblestone I see you were right and "rolling" my way through Europe would've been impossible! I've already made some friends too!

Here's my entry for first impressions of Amsterdam en route to hotel in Dam Square from Amsterdam Centraal. My friends are from oregon and I met them on the connecting flight from frankfurt to amsterdam... They're way older than me and have friends here so I swamped cards with them when I got here but they went off on their own and that's the end of our friendship for now. I just got to the hotel and I'm a little culture shocked, I guess. There's a lot of really stoned people here and they actually seem intimidating. They just stand around high as kites and look at you weird and ask you if you want to go to bed with them. From what I can tell you can walk everywhere. Renting a bike is something I wanted to do but there's like thousands of people, cars and the bikes just weave throughout all of it and race everyone and everything on the road. Three things I hope to accomplish is: see the windmills, tulips, anne frank's house, van gogh's gallery and one more place I can't remember. My hotel has an italian restaurant below it so I'll either be smelling pizza for the next three days or I'll smell like pizza! The word backpack stand for the word bitch, it's heavy, uncomfortable and makes your posture worse than ever and really, what was I thinking? I look like a lepricon with green fuzz al over me from the airplane blanket I brought and didn't have time to wash to get rid of the extra fuzz/lint that is now on my pants, sweater and the rest of my "person" as the flight attendants say. Anyhow, that's my first impression. I think everyone here is a tourist too and I've heard a mixture of languages just in the first few minutes of being here. I'm tired as hell but I have to keep going!!! Going to shower and change and get out there in this pro-cannibis city.

Hugs all around!