I got to Amsterdam on Sunday night, stayed in a Christian hostel, it was a bit nice.. and cheap! Only 13 euros! I ended up staying up talking to the workers there and just writing in my journal. The workers there were so great, I really connected with one, Franzi, she was soo sweet and I felt a little disappointed I was only staying there for one night.
The next day, I went on a walking tour of the city, met a guy named Glen from England, and we ended up talking quite a bit throughout the tour which was nice. The guide, David, took us all throughout Amsterdam; the red light district, passed some "coffeeshops," (which I did not go in, might I add), showed us some buildings with pee guards in the inside corners of doorways etc.. (photo below), tons of canals, the Anne Frank House, Dam Square (which has an ugly monument and palace), and Nieuwmarkt (which has a castle in the middle of it)!
After the tour, I met up with my couchsurfing host, Simon, he's actually not from Holland, but from Austria. And he is wonderful!! I could tell right away that it was going to be a good next few days. He rode me around the streets of Amsterdam on the back of his bike for a bit, the cobblestone was a bit much for my butt, but I managed to find a comfortable way of sitting on the back of it. Then we got tea and played some pool. After we headed to the theater at the university, and saw a movie there with a bunch of his friends! When it was over, we met up with Liz, another couchsurfer (who I met in Gent)! And we headed back to Simon's place. He made us dinner, and by the time we were all done eating and talking, it was already past midnight!
We went to bed and the next morning we slept in then all had breakfast together! It was good. Simon had class and would meet us in the center after, and Liz and I finished up.. took forever to get going, but it was ok, because we had some great laughs and conversations.
We walked around the city center then met up with Simon.. actually, we came up from behind him and scared the crap out of him in Dam Square! and then walked a bit more. Went passed the Anne Frank and Liz and I went in. After going through, we met Simon at a nearby cafe, but on the way, went past the Cheese Museum! We went in and sure got our fill of samples!! ...really though, I was incredibly full after lol. We headed around the city center a bit more, Simon went back to do some work as Liz and I wandered all around the city. After, we headed back to Simon's place, had dinner, hung out and talked, and just had a really great night hanging out.
Liz left the next day:( We are hoping to meet up at another point in the trip though, Berlin maybe!!?? I spent sometime this morning looking for a host for Hamburg.. and found one!! Her name is Louisa.. she seems great and I'm excited to meet her.. looks like I might be seeing a hockey game while in Hamburg too! I went into the city center and met up with Simon, and we went to the "I amsterdam" sign and through museum square, got some photos :) and then I wandered a bit more, he went back to do some work and I headed back later on. We had dinner together and just hung out for the night, watched some How I Met Your Mother episodes :) This morning, I got ready, packed up and headed out around 12:30.. I'm going to miss Simon, he was really great.
Hamburg here I come!
So I'm on the train to Hamburg and met these awesome people from Vancouver Island, Canada. .They are on a 4 month trip and going to spend a month in Italy and then 2 in India! We chatted pretty much the whole way to Hamburg. It's soo nice meeting other travellers while travelling. :)
Awww, it sounds like things are going wonderfully, you're getting incredibly lucky with the people you're staying with, and they're being such gracious hosts. What a wonderful way to be traveling!
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