Amsterdam at night is like a party the whole world was invited to. Neon lights line the streets full of people from different parts of the world just looking for a good time. Adorable brick buildings line the streets on either side of the canals housing little boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops, and girls in the window.
Of course being in Amsterdam at night we had to walk through the Red Light District, which wasn’t hard to find. Red lights could be seen from a few streets away down a crowded alley. The windows were large with the lights around the border presenting barely dressed women evoking men to come in. I was more interested in seeing how the men around me were acting towards the prostitutes rather than the women themselves. Each one of them had wide eyes darting from window to window with their mouths gaped open as they moved slowly down the street. I can’t say I would walk down that street again, but I’m in only in Amsterdam once, so why not check it out?
I’m sure you know that marijuana is legal in Amsterdam, but I wasn’t expecting to see such an emphasis on it. I thought it would be an accepted part of life, just like how having a drink in America is part of our social experiences. There were many head shops and souvenir shops with paraphernalia and products decorated with weed leaves. There is so much more to Amsterdam other than coffee shops and brothels.
We couldn’t have asked for better weather our first full day in Amsterdam. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky our entire time there. It reminded me of Venice with many canals running through the city. As we walked along the canals and had a beer looking at the water I realized just how many cities we have been to that incorporate a river or canals into their lives. Many people had boats out on the canals either having lunch, lounging with friends, or drinking on a Sunday afternoon. Amsterdam is absolutely gorgeous with full bright green trees along the canals and colorful brick houses and decorated bikes riding through the streets.
Before coming to our last city I decided to read Anne Frank’s diary so I could go to the Anne Frank House with the knowledge of her thoughts and experience. I had picked up the book many times when I was younger but for some reason never finished it. Determined to finish it before Amsterdam, I read through it quickly on our trains and buses, but I didn’t expect it to become so important and emotional to me. (If you haven’t read it, please do.) So, we waited in line to enter the house and crawl up into the hiding space of eight people during WWII. All of the furniture had been removed but there were pictures and trinkets displayed. Anne’s room still had the magazine clippings and pictures that she had pasted to the wall to liven it up.
And so, that concludes our grand European adventure together. Amsterdam was the best place to end our travels thanks to the beautiful weather, an upgraded hotel room, and a relaxing day by the canal. It is so fulfilling to travel with someone you love and creating new memories and really getting to know them. If Ben hadn’t pushed and nagged me to go on this trip and drag me out of my comfort zone I probably never would have gone, but I’m so thankful I did. I have learned a lot about the world, different cultures, and myself during the last few weeks and looking forward to coming home and incorporating what I’ve learned into my everyday life. So while Ben stays in Amsterdam for another week I continue my travels to Oslo, Norway to see my dad who has been living there since February for work.
From Europe With Love
xoxo
From Peru With Love 