I've met some pretty cool people so far. That Ferederico guy that I mentioned before lives in Rome, I will have to stop by and say "Hi" when I am in that area. I totally like Italians, I like their attitudes and language. Plus, like 80% of all the girls I've dated have been at least half-italian. Definitely seems like the place for me.
I've been hanging out with this other guy named Jessie from Colorado. He's this hippie dude, I definitely don't agree with some of his lifestyle choices. He is a totally nice, generous guy and he is definitely interesting to talk to, so thats cool. Plus, I have a place to stay in colorado right next to a ski resort if I am ever so inclined, so thats awesome.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Europeans
I really do like the Europeans, and the European way of life. I pretty much just walk around all day, stop at any sights or galleries that catch my eye, and enjoy a leisurely lunch at a cafe by a canal. I mean, I am going to have to figure out when and how I will ever get any more work done, but so far I have to admit I have been really enjoying a simple life. My calves are really sore from all the walking though! It is hard to get started once I have sat down somewhere.
The food is really freaking rich though! I had a slice of pizza and all I could taste was the butter. It tasted like I was eating one giant stick of butter. Most times that wouldn't be such a bad idea, but I'm not too sure about butter flavored pizza.
What I've really learned from the Europeans so far is that it is good to connect with people and be open, but connecting most definitely does not mean agreeing. It is good to say no and push the argument a little bit. I usually kind of strive to find common ground a little too much, even trying to find the small parts of opinions to agree with even if I don't agree with the overall message. It's a lot more fun be more like "hell no, its more like this..."
The food is really freaking rich though! I had a slice of pizza and all I could taste was the butter. It tasted like I was eating one giant stick of butter. Most times that wouldn't be such a bad idea, but I'm not too sure about butter flavored pizza.
What I've really learned from the Europeans so far is that it is good to connect with people and be open, but connecting most definitely does not mean agreeing. It is good to say no and push the argument a little bit. I usually kind of strive to find common ground a little too much, even trying to find the small parts of opinions to agree with even if I don't agree with the overall message. It's a lot more fun be more like "hell no, its more like this..."
Opening Negen Straatjes
Opening Nine Streets.
The dutch are awesome! Apparently they just finished repaving 9 small streets a few blocks out of downtown, and that was reason enough to throw a party. They had a small marching band and balloons and everything, just because their streets got new bricks in them.
I ended up sleeping for about 12 hours last night, so I think that was about the last of the jet-lag weirdness. Not that it was an uninterrupted 12 hours, somebody outside my window started blasting Mexican polka music right outside my window at about 2 in the morning.
Yesterday the compass in my watch got totally stuck. I went to an outdoor store and they couldn't figure it out either, so I had to end up getting a little plastic compass. The compass is the only reason that I picked out this damn watch! I could have just saved $300 and just bought a cheap plastic compass in the first place.
But other than that yesterday was pretty cool, I went to Madame Tussuad's which was actually a lot cooler than I was expecting. The "scary" part was actually pretty freaky. They had a screen with night vision right after the scary part so that you can see all the people behind you get totally freaked by the stuff that you went through, which was pretty funny. And the sculptures were so real! Sometimes it was hard to tell the other tourists apart from the statues.
I also went to the "Experience Heineken" museum. It was an old Heineken factory that they converted inta a tourist attraction. It was totall cheesy and boring, but the had some lame/funny rides. One ride was supposed to show you what it is like to be a bottle in the heineken factory. The 10 euro price of admission was totally worth it though, since it came with 3 beers and a pretty nice bottle opener.
The dutch are awesome! Apparently they just finished repaving 9 small streets a few blocks out of downtown, and that was reason enough to throw a party. They had a small marching band and balloons and everything, just because their streets got new bricks in them.
I ended up sleeping for about 12 hours last night, so I think that was about the last of the jet-lag weirdness. Not that it was an uninterrupted 12 hours, somebody outside my window started blasting Mexican polka music right outside my window at about 2 in the morning.
Yesterday the compass in my watch got totally stuck. I went to an outdoor store and they couldn't figure it out either, so I had to end up getting a little plastic compass. The compass is the only reason that I picked out this damn watch! I could have just saved $300 and just bought a cheap plastic compass in the first place.
But other than that yesterday was pretty cool, I went to Madame Tussuad's which was actually a lot cooler than I was expecting. The "scary" part was actually pretty freaky. They had a screen with night vision right after the scary part so that you can see all the people behind you get totally freaked by the stuff that you went through, which was pretty funny. And the sculptures were so real! Sometimes it was hard to tell the other tourists apart from the statues.
I also went to the "Experience Heineken" museum. It was an old Heineken factory that they converted inta a tourist attraction. It was totall cheesy and boring, but the had some lame/funny rides. One ride was supposed to show you what it is like to be a bottle in the heineken factory. The 10 euro price of admission was totally worth it though, since it came with 3 beers and a pretty nice bottle opener.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Fitting in
Its nice, I seem to be blending in with the europeans really well. A lot of times people will come up to me and just start talking gibberish, and then I ask "what?" and they say "Oh, English?"
And then after that they still assume that I mean England.
I think it must be the faux-hawk.
And then after that they still assume that I mean England.
I think it must be the faux-hawk.
people are strange, when you're a stranger...
Ok, its the morning of the 3rd day and I'm starting to get into the groove of things now. Foreign people are starting to grow on me and I am adjusting pretty well. That first day was horrible! I have never felt so lonely in my whole life!
I was lying in bed, thinking that there is no shame in buying a plane ticket home. I don't give a shit about foreign people or museums, what the hell am I doing here? But then I met my roommates and they were pretty cool. Alex from Spain and Frederico from Italy. They were both chain smoking potheads, but really nice!
Yesterday was a pretty relaxing day. I went to the Van Gogh museum and walked around the Vondelpark for a while. At night me and Frederico walked around the red light district. Those hookers scare me! I always see a woman standing in the window in lingerie or a bikini and just assume its a mannequin... then she'll wink at me or something and I get totally startled!
Today I have got to change rooms, and then I will probably go see the Anne Frank house and wax museum or something.
I was lying in bed, thinking that there is no shame in buying a plane ticket home. I don't give a shit about foreign people or museums, what the hell am I doing here? But then I met my roommates and they were pretty cool. Alex from Spain and Frederico from Italy. They were both chain smoking potheads, but really nice!
Yesterday was a pretty relaxing day. I went to the Van Gogh museum and walked around the Vondelpark for a while. At night me and Frederico walked around the red light district. Those hookers scare me! I always see a woman standing in the window in lingerie or a bikini and just assume its a mannequin... then she'll wink at me or something and I get totally startled!
Today I have got to change rooms, and then I will probably go see the Anne Frank house and wax museum or something.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
I'm here!
I just got in to Amsterdam, welcomed by some of the grayest skies I have ever seen. From the parts I've seen so far, it does seem like a very beautiful/historical city. Plenty of attractive women too :D
The plane ride actually wasn't bad, but the first leg to Chicago was by far the best. I got bumped up to Economy Plus, so there was a lot more leg room and they sat me next to this really cool girl flying home to Boston. The big flight from Chicago to Amsterdam was much more cramped, and they sat me next to a stinky arab dude.
You win some, you lose some.
Now I have made it through customs and I am wandering the city trying to find a place to sleep tonight and wash myself. I'm actually not too tired at the moment, pretty good considering I only dozed off for about 2 hours on the plane, and I only got about 3 hours of sleep the night before because of nerves.
The plane ride actually wasn't bad, but the first leg to Chicago was by far the best. I got bumped up to Economy Plus, so there was a lot more leg room and they sat me next to this really cool girl flying home to Boston. The big flight from Chicago to Amsterdam was much more cramped, and they sat me next to a stinky arab dude.
You win some, you lose some.
Now I have made it through customs and I am wandering the city trying to find a place to sleep tonight and wash myself. I'm actually not too tired at the moment, pretty good considering I only dozed off for about 2 hours on the plane, and I only got about 3 hours of sleep the night before because of nerves.
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