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Date Posted: 08:06:53 09/21/03 Sun
Author: Sam IV
Subject:

Phase 1 Europe
In reply to: Sam IV 's message, "Phase 1 Europe" on 08:02:18 09/21/03 Sun

Greetings people!
Well the final phase of this trip is finally in place! That's right campers, I finally arrived in Amsterdam on friday morning at about 9.00am.
Thanks to the joy that are airports I had to get up at 4.30am to catch my plane from Edinburgh and it felt strange. I'm finally left Edinburgh...
I wish to say a big hello to all the cool people I've met there and say that I'll be back sooner or later.
I've finally left now that I have a cool social network but I guess that's life. I managed to make a few last trips to the pub and a live few of the old traditions. Like going to the bakery that opens it's delivery doors after midnight and lets you buy stuff fresh out of the oven. Or going to the Shakespeare to watch the football �nd hearing salty footy cries like "Kill him yeh wee shite!" Or the memorable "was that yer best kick?! I bet yeh hit yer wife harder than that!
Ahh memories...

Anyway, I'm getting distracted now, Amsterdam, Holland, the Netherlands, yes.
I flew in at a hideous hour in the morning in a plane filled mostly by holidaying Scots. The longest part of the flight was the actual landing. We hit the tarmac and taxied long enough for me to believe that the pilot landed in the Hague and drove the rest of the way. Trust me, it really sucks when even the planes can't get a decent park at the airport.
But as we came to a stop the Stewardess had to make the following announcement:
"We hope you enjoy your stay in Amsterdam, however we've just been informed that this weekend is a national non-smoking holiday and all the 'coffee'shops will be closed'." It was hilarious at the outporing of disgust that greeted this.
"What are we supposed to do?"
"Well there are other attractions like the Van Gogh Museum and the house of Anne Frank."
"Ahh don't give me that shite!"
It was great.

Amsterdam is my kinda town. Ever been to a place, struck an Austin Powers style pose and yelled "yeah baby!" Well to be honest neither have I as I didn't, but the impulse was there.
The city centre never gets up before ten and is like a huge wild life refuge for all the Arts Graduates I went to university with. A place where they can safely read weird books, drink gallons of coffee, have a discreet smoke and visit second hand book stores, galleries, kooky little shops and the odd place that knows the value of combining pancakes with anything from syrup to chicken curry.
-All without walking further than a block.
I heartily recommend just exploring the city and taking in some incredible sights like the house of Anne Frank. They've put an amazing amount of effort into telling the story and showing the conditions and you can't help but be touched by it. I've stood in the room that she spent two years in, unable to make any noise during office hours and barely any noise after them. I had enough after a couple of minutes, you stand on the hardwood floors and look at her remaining pictures of Greta Garbo and Ginger Rogers, wanting something else to do. Even the windows are blacked out by tight mesh curtains to prevent detection.
On a lighter note there is also the Heineken factory. You get three free beers and there are rides like 'be a beer bottle!'and interactive games and displays. The only thing that was slightly out of touch with the very dutch and green decoration was the massive amounts of Americans working there. I think they have an exchange program with Miller or something.

Of course this is all within the cosy city centre. I imagine that outside this caffeine fuelled oasis things aren't as rosy. The country is still in shock at the incredible political shake-up, then subsequent assasination of Pim Fortyn.
Only The Netherlands could produce an openly gay and what could be considered left wing politician, with incredibly strong right wing policies and a desire to shake the system until the teeth of the nearest Romanian fell out.
Interesting place the Netherlands...

I'm not in Amsterdam right now though, I've met up with a friend I met in Canada called Sabine. She and her boyfriend have been showing me around the south of the country and I've had a blast. Today I had to rise bright and early and we spent a few hours in the car heading on our way to go cave biking. After getting a bit lost (GPS be damned!) We eventually turned up at a small house in the start of a field. Let me put it to you this way, there are no mountains in Holland. It's pretty much flat.
That's about all you can say about that.
But upon entering said house we discovered that it merely covered a circular staircase that took you about 20 metres below the surface. we had to walk for a while and then were presented with bike, hairnet and helmet. There are no lights in the caves as you travel along and you rely on the dynamo attached to the front tire. This means that the slower you go, the darker it gets. But also the faster you go, the deeper the holes get and the lower the roof gets.
At least that's how it seemed.
I was given a crash course in conversational cave biking Dutch and had to learn to yell words like BUKKEN! and STOPPEN! There were a few others and as we were pretty much in single file they referred to problems up ahead. Problems like sudden turns, people stopped around the corner and times when the roof suddenly dropped by a foot or two. Twice I was mentaly checking the reference cards for different words and it went badly for me. The first time I whacked my head on the roof, yay for the helmet.
The second time it was the Dutch for 'sudden downhill slope' By the time I figured it out I was already flying down through the cave at the speed of sound and had to kick off the wall at the sudden turn.
All in all it was great fun though and I'd recommend it to anyone.
From there we went to a viewing tower in an area of playgrounds and the like. Think Commonwealth Park, Canberrans.
Unfortunately we were too busy talking, missed the turn and accidently went to Germany.
Don't laugh, it's easier than it sounds.
We eventually got there and enjoyed the view that lets you see into Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands all by just turning the Mark 1 Human Neck. I'll send photos when I eventually get the technology.
We also went to White Town and trust me, it's name is not a mystery. It was gorgeous though, however we spent ages looking for a kebab shop and had to settle on pancakes instead. Turkish food is kinda rare in Dutch tourist villages.
I had my pancakes with Salami and cheese and my cohorts went with onion plus other stuff I couldn't see and... You guessed it! Chicken curry.
But I'm going back to Amsterdam on Monday, then leaving for Berlin on Tuesday. I should also be in Prague by the end of the week. I'm also looking into trains into Poland but I don't know how feasible that really is.
I'll catch you later!
Remember: If you don't want to travel for the people, experience or fun of it, then just do it for the food.
Seeya!
Sam.

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