Finally, our long awaited trip to Europe!
We took a Thursday night flight from JFK to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam and arrived super early Friday morning.
FYI Almost immediately after exiting the plane and sitting on a bench, a local man sat down next to us and sparked up.
Welcome to Amsterdam.
The best way to quench thirst? Weniger Zucker.
We were very tired, but we had a lot of time to kill before we could check in to the Hotel Y Boulevard, so we hopped on Bus 58 to spend the morning at Keukenhof - the famous tulip park of the Netherlands.
Turns out, the park was closing for the season on Sunday. We made it just in time!
The Dutch make the best shoes!
Dutch ducks (say it ten times fast)
Organ music is annoying no matter what the language.
Giant chess pieces translates into giant nerds.
Fire tulips! Awkward pose!
Keukenhof had really interesting pathways.
This guy tried to get his son to take this pathway, but the kid refused. The kid had the right idea since on the other side of that ladder is a shaky bridge that sinks into the water. The father got his pants wet. (Cue wha wha trumpet sound)
Obligatory windmill shot.
Passed out on the train we didn't purchase tickets for.
Woo! Criminals!
And passed out in our hotel room. Woo! Jetlag!
Please acknowlege that instead of one big bed, we had two twin beds pushed together.
This is how they roll in Amsterdam.
Our room had a huge private bathroom and a tv that got Dutch MTV! Interestingly, a lot of Dutch tv shows had English words interspersed in their dialogue.
Sleep overtook us about 4 and we napped until about 7, then decided to take a stroll thru the surrounding neighborhoods: Chinatown and the Red Light District.
We also ate some good, spicy Thai food by a canal.
Yummy waffles covered in yummy waffle coatings:
chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate with nuts, banana, strawberry, custard
Double-fisting waffles and donuts by a canal.
Feel the excitement!
Saturday May 19th, 2007
Some sort of Tibetan parade.
Amstel Canal: tastes just like the beer.
Amsterdam was actually much chillier than we expected. At the open air martket in Waterlooplein, Bryan got the above comfy jacket - made in Nepal!
Behind the giant letters (spells out I amsterdam) is the Rijksmuseum.
We did not visit this museum.
This odd triangular grassy knoll, wasn't so grassy.
Cigarette butts and bottle caps littered it.
However, it was sort of fun walking up the incline.
A few meters away (yes, meters) is the Van Gogh Museum. I don't think we saw any Van Gogh paintings, but we did munch some mushrooms and soak in the Max Beckmann exhibit.
That round building on the right is part of the Van Gogh Museum which houses the Beckmann exhibit. We had trouble finding the entrance and kept walking around and around and around the building. Other people did this too. Then we realized there is no entrance on the round building. We had to enter the building across from it and walk through an underground hallway.
The Beckmann exhibit was wonderful, albet many of his paintings are rather bleak. Understandably bleak - Beckmann lived in Germany during the rise of the Nazi regime and Hitler hated modern art. And when Hitler hates something......well, you know the rest.
Here's a blub-o from Wikipedia:
His fortunes changed with the rise to power of Hitler whose dislike of Modern Art quickly led to its suppression by the state. In 1933, the Nazi government bizarrely called Beckmann a "cultural Bolshevik" and dismissed him from his teaching position at the Art School in Frankfurt. In 1937 more than 500 of his works were confiscated from German museums, and several of these works were put on display in the notorious Degenerate Art exhibition.
For ten years, Beckmann lived in poverty in self-imposed exile in Amsterdam, failing in his desperate attempts to obtain a visa for the US. In 1944 the Germans attempted to draft him into the army, despite the fact that the sixty-year-old artist had suffered a heart attack. The works completed in his Amsterdam studio were even more powerful and intense than the ones of his master years in Frankfurt, and included several large triptychs, which stand as a summation of Beckmann's art.
After the war, Beckmann moved to America, and during the last three years of his life, he taught at the art schools of Washington University in St. Louis (with the German-American painter and printmaker Werner Drewes) and the Brooklyn Museum. He suffered from angina pectoris and died after Christmas 1950, struck down by a heart attack on 61st Street/Central Park West in Manhattan.
His late works mirror the landscapes, skyscrapers and the populace of mid-century America.
Here's a piece entitled The Actors:
This painting is very large in person and is on three panels.
It was accompanied by a cool interactive screen. You could click on different areas of the virtual painting and it would give you the significance behind each character.
This gallery contained really cool functional art. That lump of drawers is a dresser and the bench just inside the window was filled with marbles. On top of the marbles rested two big plates which are seats. We sat on them and rolled across the marbles. Everyone should have one in their home.
Sunday May 20th, 2007 -- Happy First Anniversary to Us!
"Excuse me sir, which way to the Smartshop?"
Yes, we did visit coffee shops (what the Dutch call places to smoke/purchase marijuana; bars are called cafes here). We only went into three and we stayed away from the places overrun by tourists (ps Stay away from any coffee shop with Bulldog in the name - expensive and filled with drunken idiots).
I really liked Old Church on Oudekerksplein. It's located on a cobblestone street across from a pretty church. Good place to get away from the Red Light District without actually leaving the Red Light District. We went there twice and sat at the cute outdoor tables adorned with tiny flowers. There's also a lounge upstairs which we didn't check out.
On our last day, we made it over to the famed Greenhouse Tolstraat. It's located in the Old South district, which is considered "off the map". A lot of nice nooks to sit with pillows, beautiful mosaic stone tables, and there are photos of all the famous people who visited the shop.
I can't remember the name of the third one - it had the colors of Jamaica (surprise surprise) and I got really good hot chocolate there.
I might be one of the only people to visit Amsterdam and not smoke weed - I did share a "space" muffin with Bryan at the rasta coffee shop - but it was quite refreshing to be in a country that realizes the stupidity in criminalizing marijuana (ps Germany and Czech Republic decriminalized it too). The feeling of freedom took a bit to get used to, since it's not ingrained in us (ironic no?).
My thing was definitely the mushrooms. Only Smartshops carry them and how strong visually and physically are outlined on each package. You know exactly what you're getting - unlike in America.
Same with weed. Coffeeshops have menus that describe what kind of bud, how potent, if it's organic, etc.
Interesting sidenote: Coffee shops are not allowed to serve alcohol, cafes cannot sell weed.
As progressive as the Dutch are, they disappointingly still eat a lot of meat. There were few vegetarian places or even veggie options. Above are apple pancakes (Bryan's plate) and cheese pancakes. The pancakes were more like crepes, but yumtastic none the less.
Here is the famous vegetarian Maoz falafel & Belgian fry place, right across from the train station and conveniently located a few blocks from our hotel. We ate here several times. This place was always busy - for good reason: Maoz is fan-frikkin-amazing! Some of the best falafel we've ever had. The two guys behind the counter are gruff and fast. Beautiful.
(Sidenote: there is now a Maoz by Union Square)
I'm excited because my phone actually gets service in Amsterdam (it also worked in Berlin and Prague). Below is a close up of the screen. Instead of "cingular" it says "vodafone NL". Pretty rad. I was tempted to call people, but thought better of it when I realized how much it might cost.
The Anne Frank house is across this canal (Prinsengracht). We toured the house but felt taking pictures inside would be inappropriate. Goes without saying how unbelievably sad the tour was. We used the actual hidden door behind a bookcase. All the furniture is gone - the nazis took it when the house was raided - but the magazine clippings are still up on the walls in Anne's room. At the end of the tour there's a room with her diary in every language pressing and a video of her father, the family's only survivor. He talks about Anne and the living situation. There are also heartbreaking footage of concentration camps and people being rounded up in the streets.
These egrets were so calm and beautiful.
Here's Bolhoed, one of the few sit-down vegetarian places we found.
Incredible food, fun, quirky interior, and friendly staff.
Monday May 21st, 2007
Our last day in Amsterdam. We took a late afternoon flight to Berlin. Which left time for a last jaunt around the city!
Anyone know the names of these buildings? Cause we sure don't.
This gentleman seems to be deciding between two bathroom options (three if you count the canal). On the left is a semi private single urinal made of metal. On the right is a wide open four slot urinal made of plastic. I'll have you know Bryan went in a plastic one on another street. I give him credit because many girls on bikes whized by as he was, well, whizzing.
The above photo was taken in the famed red-light district. Very um, interesting. The store fronts, shall we say, showcasing women were all sort of grouped together. One woman per window. Every shape, size, and ethnicity can be found. They waved sometimes and I always waved back. Nice ladies.
These are the happiest musicians in all of Amsterdam. They're seated right outside the train station and must get tons of drugs thrown in their case. People don't want to take chances leaving Amsterdam and these guys reap all the benefits. Bryan gave them a nice chunk of hash.
We had a bit of a wait at the airport. We got chatted up by a nice older English couple who we will never see again (nothing ominous - the probability of seeing them again is extremely low).
Touch down in Berlin!
Tuesday May 22nd, 2007
Our hostel, BaxPax on Skalitzer Strasse, had a room with a bed inside a VW Beetle.
Our room only had four Canadians (sad face).
Obligatory Berlin Wall shot.
Checkpoint Charlie!
Here's a Wikipedia nugget on Checkpoint Charlie:
Checkpoint Charlie was the name given by the Western Allies to a crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War. Checkpoint Charlie was designated as the single crossing point (by foot or by car) for foreigners and members of the Allied forces. Checkpoint Charlie became a symbol of the Cold War, representing the separation of east and west, and — for some East Germans — a gateway to freedom.
Neat!
Germans have such a great language. Look at this fucker.
The River Spree and Museumsinsel (Museum Island)
Reichstag
I'm having fun imaging this great big lawn filled with Nazis.
We kept getting lost in Berlin. Our map was not helpful and the Germans were not helpful. Well, one German was slightly helpful. But he wasn't German at all ... he was Italian.
Berlin has a huge park, Tiergarten.
We saw a lot of naked, older sun bathers.
We apologize for no photos of old, naked Germans.
This picture makes me look like a German maid.
This picture also makes me want to burn this dress.
After wandering around the park for hours, we were very hungry.
Thankfully, Cafe am Neuen See is located by a small lake inside Tiergarten!
Beir and brezel
Drinking German beer in a German beer garden blew my mind.
Forty-five Germans got out of this car.
This is how I look when I'm lost in Tiergarten.
I told you Germans have an awesome language.
Wednesday May 23rd, 2007
German squatters held a squatters' rights march in the bohemian (think 1980's East Village) neighborhood of Kreuzberg, where we stayed.
You can't tell from these pictures, but the exessive number of police made things extra fun and not tense at all.
Kreuzberg has great street art.
The building below is covered in fish plaques.
Our last meal in Berlin.
We had a crazy delicious breakfast at this Belgian cafe.
I think it was located on Oranien Strasse.
Apple waffles, nutella and banana crepe, and Orangina!
Our train to Prague was made up of different compartments (like in Orient Express!) which made us feel fancy.
At the German border, our door slid open and a policeman asked for our passports. He was only slightly intimidating (not an easy task for a German police officer). At the Czech border however, the military man who entered our compartment with a huge rifle, barked commands in Czech and when we gave bewildered stares, yelled, "PAHSSPORT". We complied.
We stayed at Hostel Sokolska.
It had really neat winding staircases and a backyard.
We had a three bed hostel room all to ourselves. The hostel was very energy conscious - the lights were motion sensitive in the hallways and the shower only stayed on for ten minute intervals (but you could press the level if you felt the pressure letting up and your shower would continue).
Thursday May 24th, 2007
Surprisingly, Prague (or as the Czechs call it, Praha) had the most vegetarian options of all the three cities.
We went to Radost FX Cafe on Belehradska a couple times since it was a few blocks from our hostel. It had an extensive "International" menu - soup, salads, pizza, pasta, Asian, Mexican, and American-style breakfast (omelettes, french toast, waffles) plus the portions are enormous!
It's connected to a cool music shop and has a nightclub downstairs.
We have no idea what this buildings is, perhaps something with government?
These guys were playing football (soccer).
On our way to the Old Jewish Quarter.
We strolled next to the beautiful Vltava River
You can't tell in this picture, but the Medival Torture Museum is in the building above the road.
We did not visit it.
This is the oldest synagogue in Europe still used as a house of prayer.
It's located on Maiselova Street.
The above photo is of Maisel Synagogue, built in 1590.
Maisel is on the main street in Josefov (Old Jewish Quarter).
Below is the newest synagogue in Josefov, built in the 19th Century.
It's called the Spanish Synagogue due to the Moorish-inspired design.
Kafka statue and a Kafka quote:
"Believing in progress does not mean believing that any progress has yet been made."
Wenceslas Square
This door leads to a secret hip-hop skater boy hang out.
We heard good beats and decided to take a chance.
A bit weird going down random stairs into a basement, but it was really fun.
Felt like hanging out in some kid's basement while his parents were away. There was a dj playing great music (thanks to the internerd, I'm sure. How else would they have heard some obsure Brooklyn rapper?) I was the only female there! Hooray!
Friday May 25th, 2007
Prague was very hot. Notice the clothing change (we were sweaty!)
This amazingly good vegetarian restaurant is Lehka Hlava (Clear Head).
It's located in a quiet alley a few blocks from Karlova mostu (Charles Bridge).
Interesting Asian-Mexican fusion (I know, right??) that was unbelievably delicious and huge portions. The staff is friendly and the interior beautiful.
Entrance to Karlova mostu.
The bridge leads over to Old Prague where Prague Castle is located and is lined with creepy religious statues, buskers, and vendors selling jewelery and sketches.
Built in 1357, the bridge was the only connection across the river into Old Town and made Prague an important trade route between east and west Europe.
The statues are all replicas and the originals are now in the National Museum.
Also, the video for Never Tear Us Apart by INXS was filmed on the bridge. I walked in Michael Hutchence's footsteps!
Kafka museum and another Kafka quote:
"Prague never lets you go... this dear little mother has sharp claws."
