I magically survived Amsterdam.
First of all, Amsterdam has got to be the dirtiest city ever to be created!! There was garbage overflowing out of trash cans, garbage on the ground, people just tossing garbage on the ground or in the canals. Just a lot of trash in general. Then there is the whole smelling weed every step you took, even if it is 9 in the morning...
So we get to Amsterdam in the early evening and I had intended to call Adam, the ex-boyfriend, from a payphone. Guess what. Pay phones simply do not exist in Amsterdam! There wasn't any phone from which you could put coins in and make a quick call in the city. So, no call to Adam.
Then, after a confusing train ride out of the city and calling the youth hostel from a dingy bar to come pick us up, we arrive at the youth hostel. A huge surprise to us, it was a freaking campground!! That's right, we're talking about tiny, one bed trailors for a room. What sucks is that we had five people (originally six, but one got left in Cologne. long story.), but I had booked only 4 people. We ended up sneaking Ashley into one of the campers and had a very bonding two nights.
We spent Friday night walking around the city. I wish I could say that I remember most of it.... but I don't.
The next day, we visited the Anne Frank House and the van Gogh Museum and many, many shops. That was a very long day and I spent way too much money on food. I bought some gifts, but I can't reveal their nature as I like surprises.
Then I don't really remember that night either... we somehow got back to the campground, sneaked Ashley in again, and slept. Then we dicked over the hostel and got on our train to go back to Cologne, which never looked so beautiful.
I used to hear how incredibly insane Amsterdam is -- and I can contest to that! I would never want to live there. I don't even have any desire to return for a second visit. However, I can say that I did go there and it was certainly an adventure.
