Now for the entry that my parents have been dreading and everyone else has been waiting for: Amsterdam! Or ‘Amsterdamaged’ if your name is Julie “Julez” Irwin and internal organs such as your liver didn’t exactly make it back in one piece. (See julezirwin.wordpress.com for details.) But before you start cringing, Marti, and prepare to disown me as your one and only daughter, I’d like to kick off this, um, interesting recollection by stating that – contrary to every story I’ve ever heard (partly from friends, mostly from my dad) – there actually is more to Amsterdam than getting high. Bold statement, I know, but read on.
Last semester in Madrid, I remember talking to some friends after they returned from their weekend getaway to this city of stoners. One of them said he instantly thought of me and knew I would appreciate the atmosphere most of all – so, stepping off my Euroline bus, I kept that in mind. More or less the first thing I saw:
So… my friends see me as a nymphomaniac?
But then I took another ten steps. It was then that Amsterdam immediately stole a spot as one of my all-time favorite traveling destinations. It wasn’t about the miscellaneous drugs everywhere you turn (though I’m sure some would see that as a plus, you know who you are); I fell in love with the liberal, relaxed vibe the Dutch people emit, their fairytale-esque architecture, the countless bridges and rivers zigzagging through the landscape, and of course, those fried diabetes-on-a-stick pastries vendors try to sell you. Also I’m a sucker for any place that has a ton of bikes.
Me: “I actually have a lot planned. We want to see the Heineken factory, try traditional Dutch food, and visit the most popular museums!”
My dad, Tim: “Yeah, right.”
Unsurprisingly, Tim had also paid a visit to Amsterdam in his 20s (I’m guessing this was during his 6-week long Euro stunt when he and his friend spontaneously decided to take a quick “break” from medical school. Classic Tim.) and was all too familiar with their world-renowned space cakes. Also, he reads this blog so it’s safe to say his standards of my study abroad experience aren’t too high… no pun intended.
However, I would like to take this moment to announce that I did, in fact, hit up basically every tourist attraction the city had to offer – all within three days, and all while completing my 3000-word essay on corporate feminism. (Of course it had to be due at midnight my last night of traveling. British professors are sadists, what else is new.)
For your viewing pleasure, more mediocre iPhone 4 photos:
Some of the sites we saw included:
– Anne Frank House
– “Kattenkabinet,” commonly known as the Cat Museum
– The Heineken Factory
– The Sex Museum (come on, we couldn’t not go in)
– Dam Square
– Floating Flower Market
– Red light district
And the outcome of this:
The Art of Being Basic 