Amsterdam (Pt. 3)

 Got into Amsterdam around 6ish maybe and saw city right from the train station. A ton of old fashioned buildings and a ton of people crowding the streets. I herad that Asmterdam looks much like new York city did in the 1800's so it was really cool to walk around the city with that in mind. It was also nice that everyone i talked too knew English quite well. The dutch language is very obscure and sounds like a throat disease. A street name that was less 5 syllables was rare. Went around Amsterdam for a short while because my feet were killing me. I took a bus to the Uptown Flying pig hostel which was much more larger than the one on the beach in Noordwijk. The bar area a bit more classier and there was even a seating area.

That night I met an interesting Japanese surfer from Tokyo named Ray. I got to know Ray pretty well. He is 26 and is travelling the world before he goes and works for his Dad who owns a company that sells electronic devices to auto manufactures. I met him about have way through his journey as he had already visited France, Spain, and Italy. He said his favorite place so far was Barcelona I convinced him to go visit Athens before he leaves back to Tokyo.

The next morning me and ray went around town. We had some of the hostels complimentary breakfast which consisted of toast, nutella, hard boiled eggs and cereal. I also met, probably, the only other American in the hostel named Phil Defranco who happens to be a pretty big youtube star.Waited in line for the Ann Frank museum for about 20 minutes. The family ahead of us noticed that I was speaking English. the mother asked where i was from I said, New york, they said where in new york, I said Buffalo, they said where in buffalo, and I said Orchard park/Hamburg border. Turns out this family was from Hamburg as well. They said they could notice my Buffalo accent. They were visiting a daughter that was studying in Amsterdam. Small world.

The Ann Frank museum was really interesting. We got to see things like an actual layout of the annex that they all stayed in that the father described in his own words. We got to go through Ann franks room as well as everyone elses room. We were not allowed to take any pictures.After seeing the annex, we got to see actual journals, shorts stories and all the diaries she wrote in an English translation. It was very neat and interesting yet I would have to say that the next museum we went to was much more fruitful and interesting.

Next we went to the Heineken brewery and museum. First we saw old memorabilia and history of the heineken beer. next we went through old brewing "tuns" and saw where the ingredients were mixed. Heineken is made with hops, barley, water, and "A" yeast which only 2 people in the world know how to culture. We got to make and taste the "wort" which is the barley and water mixed together i think. Next we got to go through a "4-d" experience as if we were being made in the beer, with moving and shaking floors, water spray, heaters etc. next we got to do a Heineken beer tasting. Next was pretty cool but it really just felt like we were being brainwashed into buying Heineken. At the end, we got 2 free Heinekens at the bar.

Afterwards I convinced Ray to go get some Japanese food because he was saying that japanese food is often made by Chinese. The difference is that Chinese food is much more oilier. Turns out the place we had our rice and chicken was made by Chiness people.

We tried to go to the van gogh museum but it was closed so we went back to the hostel. Our room finally had everyone in it. There was one guy from Japan (ray), me, a Spaniard (david), 2 french and 2 Germans(nina and daniel). It was an eyeopener that the only thing we had in common was that we all could speak in English. The Spaniard was ordering beer specials up from the bar so things in our room got pretty crazy. That night me and david wanted to see Amsterdam at night and both of us had to go to the train station anyway the next morning. The streets were empty probably because it was a Monday and the tourists had exited the city. Walking to the train station got pretty eery. Lots of deadbeats and people talking to themselves.

Train Station

Got to the train station safely and said bye to David. He wasn't very good at English so I couldn't really understand him. He was from Santander, Spain and really wanted to go to the Red Light District. That's about it. I got to the airport at about 4 Am so I got burger at burger king and fell asleep sitting up on a chair. The plane left for Madrid at 9:30AM.

Got in Madrid and it was around 60 degrees which was what i needed. I think I am keeping my beard but I'll probably take a shower maybe sometime this week when I feel like it.