Getting back home was surreal. That weekend was a blur. Our flight arrived early so we went out for breakfast in Stanmore. My brother Sam shaved off his beard which he had been growing for the ten weeks we were away on a dare. David hadn’t shaved since Barcelona but Sam definitely outbearded him! David kept his for another week. We slept mostly normally, although I kept waking up at about 2am unable to sleep for around 3 hours, and continued to do so for the following week that I was back at work. My parents, having been avid fans of the blog, greeted us with hilarious pins inspired by our Arundel visit – “Save the Water Vole – WEAR MINK!”. We gave gifts, caught up with my workmate Laura for dinner, who also explained some of my job role to me so that I could prepare for Monday. The idea of getting straight back into it was hard, but there was no choice but to jump back into it, In a few days I realized I love my new position at work (doing English language teaching, group and support work), but I keep looking back with longing to our trip of a lifetime. Already we are looking at more travel as soon as we can.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig
Our flight home with Qantas was more comfortable than our flight over with Cathay Pacific. It was strange hearing so many Australian accents. They sounded more ‘Aussie’ than we remembered. We read, slept, and watched movies and television on the in flight entertainment sets. The selection is really quite good on those things. Our stopover in Singapore was a good chance to get the blood moving with a walk around the huge terminal at Changi. The gardens were pretty – lots of orchids, my favourites. We also got a free foot and leg massage!
Getting back home was surreal. That weekend was a blur. Our flight arrived early so we went out for breakfast in Stanmore. My brother Sam shaved off his beard which he had been growing for the ten weeks we were away on a dare. David hadn’t shaved since Barcelona but Sam definitely outbearded him! David kept his for another week. We slept mostly normally, although I kept waking up at about 2am unable to sleep for around 3 hours, and continued to do so for the following week that I was back at work. My parents, having been avid fans of the blog, greeted us with hilarious pins inspired by our Arundel visit – “Save the Water Vole – WEAR MINK!”. We gave gifts, caught up with my workmate Laura for dinner, who also explained some of my job role to me so that I could prepare for Monday. The idea of getting straight back into it was hard, but there was no choice but to jump back into it, In a few days I realized I love my new position at work (doing English language teaching, group and support work), but I keep looking back with longing to our trip of a lifetime. Already we are looking at more travel as soon as we can.
Getting back home was surreal. That weekend was a blur. Our flight arrived early so we went out for breakfast in Stanmore. My brother Sam shaved off his beard which he had been growing for the ten weeks we were away on a dare. David hadn’t shaved since Barcelona but Sam definitely outbearded him! David kept his for another week. We slept mostly normally, although I kept waking up at about 2am unable to sleep for around 3 hours, and continued to do so for the following week that I was back at work. My parents, having been avid fans of the blog, greeted us with hilarious pins inspired by our Arundel visit – “Save the Water Vole – WEAR MINK!”. We gave gifts, caught up with my workmate Laura for dinner, who also explained some of my job role to me so that I could prepare for Monday. The idea of getting straight back into it was hard, but there was no choice but to jump back into it, In a few days I realized I love my new position at work (doing English language teaching, group and support work), but I keep looking back with longing to our trip of a lifetime. Already we are looking at more travel as soon as we can.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
The Frankfurt Finale
On Monday we left our hostel in Cologne and walked back along the water. It really is a pretty city. We were quite sad to be heading to our final stop on the trip but looking forward to seeing Frankfurt again. Our train was delayed by about 70 minutes which was very frustrating. We finally got on though, and the journey was incredibly scenic. The tracks went alongside the Rhine. The hilly landscape was dotted with castles and old towns and vineyards. It was gorgeous and we were glad we had picked the train that took this longer route.
In Frankfurt we made our way from the Hauptbahnhof on the tram (first the wrong tram and then one that took us back in the right direction!) over to the beautiful old Romerberg square. Our hotel was not far from here. We reflected on how much we had loved this city when we arrived and had considered that it was simply awe at our first taste of travel together. But seeing it again reminded us that it is really something special and we are glad to finish our trip here where it started. The hotel was fine but a bit disappointing in its lack of character. It cost more than anywhere else we stayed because we wanted to finish the trip on a high note. It is certainly better than a hostel but very sterile, plain and a bit dark. We went to get some food from a grocer and a drink or two. We were really situated in a great area of the city this time. We found the shopping high street that we had not seen back in July, and some more nice little squares with bars and restaurants. We had a drink in a local bar and then headed back with our shopping. Our groceries were from somewhere a lot like Aldi with the added benefit of cheap beer, spirits and wine. We bought two beers and a bottle of wine. They were so bad we had to throw them out! Like drinking fizzy paint thinner, ugh! Still, seeing some different shops and the way different things are sold was pretty cool. We have really come to see how we get ripped off for certain things in Australia!
Over the next few days we continued to make the most of the time we had left as much as we possibly could.
On Tuesday we rugged up and took a walk in the rain using another little guidebook to teach ourselves some of the history of the city and look for landmarks around the streets.
We read about beautiful old buildings like the Alte Opera House, and sculptures and other art pieces in the park (which also happened to be full of rabbits!).
We went to several contemporary art galleries including a gallery of plastic art which also had an exhibition of projection and sound, and another of destroyed mobile housing dredged up from the canals in Venice where it had floated as part of another art piece. Lunch was once again in the wonderful street markets where carts set up in the middle of the day selling paninis and crepes and sausages and cheeses and wine by the glass. Everyone stands around tall round tables and enjoys the fresh air.
We shopped, we kissed, we took another look at the Roman Ruins, being the last we are likely to see in a long time. We went to the beautiful Dom and the Romerberg in the evening to drink local beer and delicious appelwein. I must find a place to get the stuff back home! We also saw the beginnings of a construction in the plastics art museum, right out the front. By lamplight several men were making tunnels out of reams and reams and reams of plastic tape. It looked a lot like a spider’s web and was fascinating. We thought it best not to take photos, though later we would get a chance.
On Wednesday we took a walk past the Jewish Memorial Wall. I just happened to stop in front of the name of Anne Frank which took me by surprise. We also saw the site of Frankfurt’s Jewish Temple, destroyed by the Nazis in 1938.
Our walk finally led us to the zoo where we spent the day ignoring the drizzle and trying to forget that we were headed home the next day. I finally got to see a squirrel which I had hoped to see in Europe all through the trip, and started looking way back in England! It was bright red, jumped like crazy, and had a very bushy tail. I couldn’t photograph it properly. Frankfurt Zoo is claimed by many to be the best in Europe. Though it is certainly not the biggest – this title is held by the Berlin Zoo – it is the most animal friendly, with enough space for each creature to be comfortable, and more done to replicate the natural environment of each animal. Berlin Zoo and other zoos are known to keep the animals in Victorian era cages, uncomfortable and too small to house the species in them. Frankfurt Zoo also has moats rather than much fencing, so you can see the animals well and get quite close.
We normally go to Taronga Zoo once a year, usually on our old anniversary and it really is better than any other zoo we have been to. Frankfurt did have one exhibit it could hold over it though, and that was the excellent nocturnal animal section.
In addition to this, the marine life area was fantastic and had the most responsive seals we’ve ever seen! They chased my hand movements as I waved my scarf around near the glass, like dogs playing a game. We only caught video of this but we did get some lovely photographs of the octopus.
In the evening we went to the Romerberg again! Another beautiful view of the Dom by night, a great dinner in the Romer square (David had schnitzel, I braved the liver dumplings!), more beer and appelwein, a stroll over the bridge where I cried at the beauty of Frankfurt the day we first arrived, and we headed in to the nightlife district – a maze of brilliant pubs, bars and clubs.
We picked a Turkish bar with great music and shisha/hookah/hubbly bubbly. We got an apple smoker and some cocktails. Then some Canadians got talking to us and shouted us some bourbon. Straight! We headed back to the hotel feeling satisfied that we had got a good taste of Frankfurt nightlife. If we ever went there again I would not hesitate to check out another bar around there. What a cool area!
Finally it was Thursday. Probably our hardest day. Was our honeymoon really over? Our flight to Singapore and then to Sydney was to leave just before midnight. We checked out of our hotel having packed our bags as perfectly as possible, and left them at the desk. After another cold walk down by the Main river we went to the fascinating Jewish Museum, and then shopping in an amazing modern centre.
Back in the area of the Romerberg we had a last tour inside the Dom, basking in the beauty of a marvelous old European cathedral one last time after we had seen so many.
We also got to see the completed plastic tunnels display. You could actually get up inside and crawl around!
Finally it was time for our last meal in Germany, and in Europe. We chose the restaurant that we had gone to for our first meal – lunch on that bright sunny first day, right next to the Dom. David finally got to have a stein of beer, something he had been intending to do all through Germany.
We picked up our bags and made our way to the airport by train. I got a bit teary, not only from the sadness of leaving and excitement of coming home, but also that same feeling of being overwhelmed and full of amazement, awe and gratitude for all that we had seen and done and experienced together. It was simply glorious.
In Frankfurt we made our way from the Hauptbahnhof on the tram (first the wrong tram and then one that took us back in the right direction!) over to the beautiful old Romerberg square. Our hotel was not far from here. We reflected on how much we had loved this city when we arrived and had considered that it was simply awe at our first taste of travel together. But seeing it again reminded us that it is really something special and we are glad to finish our trip here where it started. The hotel was fine but a bit disappointing in its lack of character. It cost more than anywhere else we stayed because we wanted to finish the trip on a high note. It is certainly better than a hostel but very sterile, plain and a bit dark. We went to get some food from a grocer and a drink or two. We were really situated in a great area of the city this time. We found the shopping high street that we had not seen back in July, and some more nice little squares with bars and restaurants. We had a drink in a local bar and then headed back with our shopping. Our groceries were from somewhere a lot like Aldi with the added benefit of cheap beer, spirits and wine. We bought two beers and a bottle of wine. They were so bad we had to throw them out! Like drinking fizzy paint thinner, ugh! Still, seeing some different shops and the way different things are sold was pretty cool. We have really come to see how we get ripped off for certain things in Australia!
Over the next few days we continued to make the most of the time we had left as much as we possibly could.
On Tuesday we rugged up and took a walk in the rain using another little guidebook to teach ourselves some of the history of the city and look for landmarks around the streets.
We read about beautiful old buildings like the Alte Opera House, and sculptures and other art pieces in the park (which also happened to be full of rabbits!).
We went to several contemporary art galleries including a gallery of plastic art which also had an exhibition of projection and sound, and another of destroyed mobile housing dredged up from the canals in Venice where it had floated as part of another art piece. Lunch was once again in the wonderful street markets where carts set up in the middle of the day selling paninis and crepes and sausages and cheeses and wine by the glass. Everyone stands around tall round tables and enjoys the fresh air.
We shopped, we kissed, we took another look at the Roman Ruins, being the last we are likely to see in a long time. We went to the beautiful Dom and the Romerberg in the evening to drink local beer and delicious appelwein. I must find a place to get the stuff back home! We also saw the beginnings of a construction in the plastics art museum, right out the front. By lamplight several men were making tunnels out of reams and reams and reams of plastic tape. It looked a lot like a spider’s web and was fascinating. We thought it best not to take photos, though later we would get a chance.
On Wednesday we took a walk past the Jewish Memorial Wall. I just happened to stop in front of the name of Anne Frank which took me by surprise. We also saw the site of Frankfurt’s Jewish Temple, destroyed by the Nazis in 1938.
Our walk finally led us to the zoo where we spent the day ignoring the drizzle and trying to forget that we were headed home the next day. I finally got to see a squirrel which I had hoped to see in Europe all through the trip, and started looking way back in England! It was bright red, jumped like crazy, and had a very bushy tail. I couldn’t photograph it properly. Frankfurt Zoo is claimed by many to be the best in Europe. Though it is certainly not the biggest – this title is held by the Berlin Zoo – it is the most animal friendly, with enough space for each creature to be comfortable, and more done to replicate the natural environment of each animal. Berlin Zoo and other zoos are known to keep the animals in Victorian era cages, uncomfortable and too small to house the species in them. Frankfurt Zoo also has moats rather than much fencing, so you can see the animals well and get quite close.
We normally go to Taronga Zoo once a year, usually on our old anniversary and it really is better than any other zoo we have been to. Frankfurt did have one exhibit it could hold over it though, and that was the excellent nocturnal animal section.
In addition to this, the marine life area was fantastic and had the most responsive seals we’ve ever seen! They chased my hand movements as I waved my scarf around near the glass, like dogs playing a game. We only caught video of this but we did get some lovely photographs of the octopus.
In the evening we went to the Romerberg again! Another beautiful view of the Dom by night, a great dinner in the Romer square (David had schnitzel, I braved the liver dumplings!), more beer and appelwein, a stroll over the bridge where I cried at the beauty of Frankfurt the day we first arrived, and we headed in to the nightlife district – a maze of brilliant pubs, bars and clubs.
We picked a Turkish bar with great music and shisha/hookah/hubbly bubbly. We got an apple smoker and some cocktails. Then some Canadians got talking to us and shouted us some bourbon. Straight! We headed back to the hotel feeling satisfied that we had got a good taste of Frankfurt nightlife. If we ever went there again I would not hesitate to check out another bar around there. What a cool area!
Finally it was Thursday. Probably our hardest day. Was our honeymoon really over? Our flight to Singapore and then to Sydney was to leave just before midnight. We checked out of our hotel having packed our bags as perfectly as possible, and left them at the desk. After another cold walk down by the Main river we went to the fascinating Jewish Museum, and then shopping in an amazing modern centre.
Back in the area of the Romerberg we had a last tour inside the Dom, basking in the beauty of a marvelous old European cathedral one last time after we had seen so many.
We also got to see the completed plastic tunnels display. You could actually get up inside and crawl around!
Finally it was time for our last meal in Germany, and in Europe. We chose the restaurant that we had gone to for our first meal – lunch on that bright sunny first day, right next to the Dom. David finally got to have a stein of beer, something he had been intending to do all through Germany.
We picked up our bags and made our way to the airport by train. I got a bit teary, not only from the sadness of leaving and excitement of coming home, but also that same feeling of being overwhelmed and full of amazement, awe and gratitude for all that we had seen and done and experienced together. It was simply glorious.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Cologne
On Saturday we caught the train to Cologne. Despite paying 120 Euros we had no seats and had to change trains midway. We walked along the Rheine River to find our hostel. It was well located but very shabby and we were disappointed to find that there was no kitchen. We had hoped that cooking our own meals during our time in Cologne could be a good money saver. It was mid afternoon and we hadn't eaten lunch so we checked the budget and decided we could afford a meal out anyway. At a pub near the hostel we ordered a huge amount of food - bread with Dutch gouda, beef goulash, and a pork knuckle served with red cabbage and potato dumplings all to share. It was fantastic, although we couldn't get through all of it. The pork knuckle was particularly challenging, and it wasn't slow cooked as we had hoped. I thought the dumplings were terrific though!
Afterwards we went walking by the river and took a nap in the hostel before getting ready to go out in the evening. We really didn't need any dinner after the meal we had had for our late lunch so we went exploring a few squares including Heumarkt and Aldt. We had a drink at one pub and then found a take away cocktail bar! It had a tropical theme and sold potent sugary concoctions in plastic cups for only 5 euros. We took two down to the Rheine river where a party boat was playing cheesy music for a mostly over 50s crowd.
It was fun sitting there and singing to the songs from the 80s and 90s, talking about our trip. It really is winding down now with less than a week to go though we have been trying not to think about it! It has just been so amazing. We got back to find the hostel thumping with the noise of the gay bar downstairs where there was a loud and extravagant drag show continuing until late into the night!
To make matters worse we were woken early to the sounds of more pumping music and a man speaking German enthusiatically and jovially about something we obviously couldn't understand over a PA system. We waited for it to pass, thinking it was some kind of aerobics session outside an office building. Then I wondered if it was some kind of Christian youth thing as it was a Sunday morning. David sugested it might be a television show being filmed by the river. After a couple of hours of lying there unable to sleep we decided to just get up and out for the day. We found that there was a triathalon on and the starting line was right in our street with grandstands of people, musicians, commentators and huge speakers aimed directly at our hostel! We needed to get out of the area as the noise was just overwhelming so we went to the Hauptbahnhof to organise our tickets to Frankfurt on Monday. It was a bit of a blow to find that once again we were in a country of very expensive train transport. All the Inter City Express trains were going to cost 128 euros for two tickets. Then we found a slow train that would cost 82. Reasonable success!
Next we went to the Dom to admire its amazing architecture. Though we have seen many many cathedrals on our trip this one was particularly beautiful. As it was a Sunday there were religious services taking place so we could only go in certain areas but we took a lot of photos of the stained glass windows, the statues and the amazing ceilings.
For lunch we ordered by pointing randomly at the menu in a cheap cafe where noone spoke English. We ended up with chips, some sort of shredded meat with a yoghurt sauce and a pastry scroll that had spinach and cheese. Not bad! We decided we would see the most of the city by going on a day tour with a bus. We picked a reasonably priced two hour tour with a multilingual audioguide. It was alright but a good few of the major roads in the city centre were inaccessible due to the triathlon. We did see some great views though, and some medieval areas of the city.
We went back to the hotel to update the blog and get ready for the evening. It was much quieter being a Sunday night and just lovely in the city. We had a fantastic Spanish meal in a tiny square tucked out of the way up a little side street.
Afterwards we went for a walk by the river. The buildings were so pretty lit up at night and the lights twinkling across the water of the Rheine at us made a romantic atmosphere. We kept talking about what an amzing trip we have had and how we feel it has changed us and opened our eyes, especially places like Spain, Greece, Albania and Croatia. We talked about our favourite places, foods, songs that remind us of being in different cities, and what we think we have got out of it all. We also talked about things we are looking forward to back home to make the end of our honeymoon feel like less of a blow. Travelling has given us such an incredible high and it seems that coming back to normal life might bring us crashing down. We already have more trips in planning now. It is such a fantastic experience.
Afterwards we went walking by the river and took a nap in the hostel before getting ready to go out in the evening. We really didn't need any dinner after the meal we had had for our late lunch so we went exploring a few squares including Heumarkt and Aldt. We had a drink at one pub and then found a take away cocktail bar! It had a tropical theme and sold potent sugary concoctions in plastic cups for only 5 euros. We took two down to the Rheine river where a party boat was playing cheesy music for a mostly over 50s crowd.
It was fun sitting there and singing to the songs from the 80s and 90s, talking about our trip. It really is winding down now with less than a week to go though we have been trying not to think about it! It has just been so amazing. We got back to find the hostel thumping with the noise of the gay bar downstairs where there was a loud and extravagant drag show continuing until late into the night!
To make matters worse we were woken early to the sounds of more pumping music and a man speaking German enthusiatically and jovially about something we obviously couldn't understand over a PA system. We waited for it to pass, thinking it was some kind of aerobics session outside an office building. Then I wondered if it was some kind of Christian youth thing as it was a Sunday morning. David sugested it might be a television show being filmed by the river. After a couple of hours of lying there unable to sleep we decided to just get up and out for the day. We found that there was a triathalon on and the starting line was right in our street with grandstands of people, musicians, commentators and huge speakers aimed directly at our hostel! We needed to get out of the area as the noise was just overwhelming so we went to the Hauptbahnhof to organise our tickets to Frankfurt on Monday. It was a bit of a blow to find that once again we were in a country of very expensive train transport. All the Inter City Express trains were going to cost 128 euros for two tickets. Then we found a slow train that would cost 82. Reasonable success!
Next we went to the Dom to admire its amazing architecture. Though we have seen many many cathedrals on our trip this one was particularly beautiful. As it was a Sunday there were religious services taking place so we could only go in certain areas but we took a lot of photos of the stained glass windows, the statues and the amazing ceilings.
For lunch we ordered by pointing randomly at the menu in a cheap cafe where noone spoke English. We ended up with chips, some sort of shredded meat with a yoghurt sauce and a pastry scroll that had spinach and cheese. Not bad! We decided we would see the most of the city by going on a day tour with a bus. We picked a reasonably priced two hour tour with a multilingual audioguide. It was alright but a good few of the major roads in the city centre were inaccessible due to the triathlon. We did see some great views though, and some medieval areas of the city.
We went back to the hotel to update the blog and get ready for the evening. It was much quieter being a Sunday night and just lovely in the city. We had a fantastic Spanish meal in a tiny square tucked out of the way up a little side street.
Afterwards we went for a walk by the river. The buildings were so pretty lit up at night and the lights twinkling across the water of the Rheine at us made a romantic atmosphere. We kept talking about what an amzing trip we have had and how we feel it has changed us and opened our eyes, especially places like Spain, Greece, Albania and Croatia. We talked about our favourite places, foods, songs that remind us of being in different cities, and what we think we have got out of it all. We also talked about things we are looking forward to back home to make the end of our honeymoon feel like less of a blow. Travelling has given us such an incredible high and it seems that coming back to normal life might bring us crashing down. We already have more trips in planning now. It is such a fantastic experience.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Amsterdamming It
On Monday we took an early train from Rotterdam to Amsterdam. Rotterdam had been nice enough but we were really looking forward to meeting up with Edward and Alex and seeing the prettier sights of Amsterdam. The train ride was awful though - we were squished in the corridor as they had obviously overbooked the train which was supposed to have designated seats, and our ticket was never checked. One booth had 3 staff members of the rail service sitting inside when it had seats for 6. They never checked any rail tickets, just one of them stood up for the stops and folded her arms in front of the door so than noone would enter their booth. They sat in there with their shoes off and feet up on the seats, one picking his nose, another playing with his feet and then sniffing his fingers. We couldn't get over it! It was an absolute relief to get on the train as we had to stand up all the way from Rotterdam to Amsterdam while this bizarre behaviour went on. We went to check in to our hotel, The Old Quarter. It had a beautiful pub on the first floor with a really warm cosy feel and fantastic decor - intricate embossed wall paper, soft lighting, faded wedding photos on the walls of couples from the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s, and booths that looked like old train seats with luggage racks above and a few battered old leather suitcases perched on them.
We really scored with the accommodation, the downstairs bar was so cute and our room itself, while plain, had its own bathroom, lots of light and an incredible view of the canal. Straight below the window was a drop down to the water! We were three stories up and very pleased.
After we checked in we had a drink downstairs with Edward and Alex. It was time for lunch so the boys suggested we got to Wok And Walk, a great little noodle bar where you select your base, ingredients and sauce. Affordable and very tasty. With tummies full of noodles, vegies and chilli we explored the area a bit. We realised that technically we are staying in the red light district! It is not too seedy though, our street is lively and full of cafes, bars and 'coffee shops' as well as a few adult shops but is comparitively tame compared to the true red light area with its many windows. Edward and Alex showed us where to catch trams and we headed to Leidesplein, the quieter entertainment quarter. The boys were staying at The Flying Pig, a well known party spot and hostel very popular among Australians. It had a cheap bar downstairs and a kitchen area so the boys were well set up! Leidesplein is very close to the beautiful Vondelpark. We went there next and sat by the water. We watched the ducks and other unfamilar and strange waterbirds. There were some little black birds that had huge feet that didn't seem to match their tiny bodies, like a person walking awkwardly in flippers or clown shoes! It was was really pretty and a nice place just to relax and birdwatch. We headed back into town for dinner in a funny little kebab shop and to Pinocchio's Pub across the road from our hotel. The bartender gave us full control of the music and gave us all free drinks when we counted down to Ed's birthday! We chatted to a few funny people and generally had a great night.
Tuesday was Edward's birthday. After a sleep in the boys met us at our hotel. We walked around the area a bit and had lunch at a restaurant with an old carousel in the centre. Afterwards we went to the Heineken Brewery which was fascinating even to those among us who are not huge fans of beer (i.e. me). We toured a museum that told the story of the brewery being founded and passed down in the family, and saw the raw ingredients, different implements from making beer in earlier years, and finally the large machinery that is used to produce Heineken beer now. At the end we got to take some fun pictures and try some of the beer. We got a few extra beer tokens because it was Ed's birthday too!
We decided to get ready for the evening so the boys went back to the hostel for a shower and we walked back to our hotel. I had barely gone 3 steps when I was hit by a bicycle. The cyclist was very angry with me for stepping in the bike lane, but seriously, I had looked both ways and he was miles away and obviously going too fast. The bikes in Amsterdam are crazy - they go in either direction and are not in directional lanes, they go on either side of the road, the bike paths are totally unclear most of the time, marked only by a slightly different coloured pavement, they have no speed limits, no helmets and no lights on the bikes at night, the cyclists ride around crazily in pedestrian only zones, and the bike paths are used also by scooters, motorbikes, and even tiny two person smartcars. We saw four people piled on one bike, many cyclists riding whilst talking on their mobile, eating, drinking or smoking, and the most spectacularly dangerous one was a man riding with one hand on the handlebars and the other pushing a wobbly pram with a tiny baby in it alongside his bike! I am all for choosing to ride for a variety of reasons, not least of which is for the environment, but I found the bikes pretty terrifying and the riders very reckless and arrogant. They would slow down for other bikes but not pedestrians, and often fly through red lights. They were chained all over the city, sometimes blocking the footpath completely. Anyway, I nursed my damaged arm and my damaged pride and got ready for the night. In the evening we ended up having dinner at the same Shoarma kebab shop again but went for the turkish pizza this time. It was very cheap and quite tasty, rolled up and covered in salad. Afterwards we bar hopped a bit, and even took a walk around the infamous red light district! It was pretty eye opening but not really that dangerous. There is actually some decent security in the area to protect the women dancing in the windows and beckoning their 'clients'. It is at least good to know that these young women are quite safe, and noone was really disrespecting them. There were just lots of curious onlookers - some of them conservative looking couples at retirement age! As with Barcelona and Rome, we simply kept our hands on the stuff in our pockets and none of us got pickpocketed. There is a bit of drug pushing in the area but as long as you keep your head down and just keep walking it really isn't a problem. We ended up in Pinocchio's pub again, right across the street from Hotel Old Quarter. Again the bartender let us choose the music and the drinks were well priced. It was a really fun day and so good to spend Ed's birthday with him.
In the morning on Wednesday we had to say a sad goodbye to Edward and Alex. The tears held off until after they left but it was pretty upsetting to see them go and not be sure when we will be together again. Even though they are now miles apart it is pretty clear that David feels very close to his brother. We moped around a bit in the morning, eating our hotel breakfast and watching a bit of Seinfeld on the laptop to try and cheer us up. We perked up a bit with some lunch at Wok to Walk again. Super spicy and healthy! Then we walked to the Marijuana Museum to learn about the history of the plant, its many uses, and why it is actually legal in Holland. We saw some of the plants growing as well! They were very smelly.
When we had seen enough of peace pipes, organic plastics and hemp pants we headed back to the hotel to get ready for a reunion with my old uni friend Tahlia who is living in Amsterdam as a nanny. We met her at Rembrandtplein, the trendy cafe, pub and club centre of the city. We walked around the square and talked. It had been a good 3 or 4 years since we had seen each other and it was great to catch up as well as have a local's advice on what to see, do and eat in the city. We settled at Coco's Australian pub, a local favourite. It was a good walk from our hotel and we had missed dinner so David and I had a cheeky burger on the long trek home.
On Thursday we decided to have a really good walk around the city and go a bit further than we had before. We walked a long and indirect way to the Anne Frank Museum. We got to see the house where her family lived in the secret annex and she wrote her diary of her experiences. It is unfurnished as her father, Otto Frank wished it to stay. Her pictures on the original wall paper have been cut out in sections and mounted on the newly restored wall under perspex. There are quotes from her diary all over the place, and screens showing interviews with her father and friends after the war. It was a very moving experience and quite upsetting.
David and I came away with a particular sense of sorrow for her father. We walked around in silence for a while feeling really quite upset. Eventually we agreed that it was time for lunch and headed to Leidseplein. We found a pub called 'Hole In The Wall' that served small tapas plates for two. Afterwards we walked to Museumplein for a wander beside the water and a visit to the Van Gogh gallery. It was excellent and we got a deal on a canal cruise for the next day. I especially loved the woman in the green dress which was intended as a tribute to motherhood and meant to be displayed between Van Gogh's two best sunflower paintings. I had never noticed the string wrapped around her finger which was to show that she is rocking a cradle across the room. Apparently Van Gogh was also interpreting the madonna and child differently! There were four levels with works by Van Gogh himself as well as a range of artists who influenced his work at the time. We passed by some pretty markets but at this point we were exhausted and it was getting quite late so we caught the tram back to Dam Square, as close as we could get to the hotel. Over the road we bought some Chinese and Malaysian food - duck, soup and super spicy pork. An excellent end to the day!
On Friday we got our packing out of the way so that we would not have to do it in the evening. Our packs are getting alarmingly heavy at this late stage of the trip! We then went to the station where we bought dreadfully overpriced train tickets to take us to Cologne the next day, totally blowing our budget. All the other train trips have been no more than 26 euro each for any long journey in Italy, Belgium or Holland. These were 60 each! There was nothing for it but I really wished I had tried for a cheap flight instead. The staff at the station were really rude to us too. We walked out annoyed and worried about money. We went to the Erotica Museum which was cheap and a bit of a giggle but mostly pretty silly.
Afterwards we went to the grotty fast food shop 'Febo' to try a croquette on the advice of one of my workmates who was here. It was a small, fried piece of saucy meat and soft filling. Definitely not the most satisfying or nutritional lunch but certainly interesting! We walked down to explore some more of the outer area of Leidesplein. It is such a pretty place. We shared an ice cream and then hopped on the last canal cruise of the day. It was a beautiful way to see the city and there was a bit of audio commentary as well. We sat opposite a nice older businessman from Florida who was just in for a meeting in the morning and wanted to see as much of the city as he could that day. He asked us about our travels and we talked about some of our favourite places.
After the cruise we went back to the gorgeous pub at our hotel for a traditional Dutch meal. I had a wonderful brown bean soup and David had potato and endive mash with a big meatball. Afterwards we went back to Rembrandtplein to meet up with Tahlia for drinks, followed by late night snacks- stroopwaffels!
We really scored with the accommodation, the downstairs bar was so cute and our room itself, while plain, had its own bathroom, lots of light and an incredible view of the canal. Straight below the window was a drop down to the water! We were three stories up and very pleased.
After we checked in we had a drink downstairs with Edward and Alex. It was time for lunch so the boys suggested we got to Wok And Walk, a great little noodle bar where you select your base, ingredients and sauce. Affordable and very tasty. With tummies full of noodles, vegies and chilli we explored the area a bit. We realised that technically we are staying in the red light district! It is not too seedy though, our street is lively and full of cafes, bars and 'coffee shops' as well as a few adult shops but is comparitively tame compared to the true red light area with its many windows. Edward and Alex showed us where to catch trams and we headed to Leidesplein, the quieter entertainment quarter. The boys were staying at The Flying Pig, a well known party spot and hostel very popular among Australians. It had a cheap bar downstairs and a kitchen area so the boys were well set up! Leidesplein is very close to the beautiful Vondelpark. We went there next and sat by the water. We watched the ducks and other unfamilar and strange waterbirds. There were some little black birds that had huge feet that didn't seem to match their tiny bodies, like a person walking awkwardly in flippers or clown shoes! It was was really pretty and a nice place just to relax and birdwatch. We headed back into town for dinner in a funny little kebab shop and to Pinocchio's Pub across the road from our hotel. The bartender gave us full control of the music and gave us all free drinks when we counted down to Ed's birthday! We chatted to a few funny people and generally had a great night.
Tuesday was Edward's birthday. After a sleep in the boys met us at our hotel. We walked around the area a bit and had lunch at a restaurant with an old carousel in the centre. Afterwards we went to the Heineken Brewery which was fascinating even to those among us who are not huge fans of beer (i.e. me). We toured a museum that told the story of the brewery being founded and passed down in the family, and saw the raw ingredients, different implements from making beer in earlier years, and finally the large machinery that is used to produce Heineken beer now. At the end we got to take some fun pictures and try some of the beer. We got a few extra beer tokens because it was Ed's birthday too!
We decided to get ready for the evening so the boys went back to the hostel for a shower and we walked back to our hotel. I had barely gone 3 steps when I was hit by a bicycle. The cyclist was very angry with me for stepping in the bike lane, but seriously, I had looked both ways and he was miles away and obviously going too fast. The bikes in Amsterdam are crazy - they go in either direction and are not in directional lanes, they go on either side of the road, the bike paths are totally unclear most of the time, marked only by a slightly different coloured pavement, they have no speed limits, no helmets and no lights on the bikes at night, the cyclists ride around crazily in pedestrian only zones, and the bike paths are used also by scooters, motorbikes, and even tiny two person smartcars. We saw four people piled on one bike, many cyclists riding whilst talking on their mobile, eating, drinking or smoking, and the most spectacularly dangerous one was a man riding with one hand on the handlebars and the other pushing a wobbly pram with a tiny baby in it alongside his bike! I am all for choosing to ride for a variety of reasons, not least of which is for the environment, but I found the bikes pretty terrifying and the riders very reckless and arrogant. They would slow down for other bikes but not pedestrians, and often fly through red lights. They were chained all over the city, sometimes blocking the footpath completely. Anyway, I nursed my damaged arm and my damaged pride and got ready for the night. In the evening we ended up having dinner at the same Shoarma kebab shop again but went for the turkish pizza this time. It was very cheap and quite tasty, rolled up and covered in salad. Afterwards we bar hopped a bit, and even took a walk around the infamous red light district! It was pretty eye opening but not really that dangerous. There is actually some decent security in the area to protect the women dancing in the windows and beckoning their 'clients'. It is at least good to know that these young women are quite safe, and noone was really disrespecting them. There were just lots of curious onlookers - some of them conservative looking couples at retirement age! As with Barcelona and Rome, we simply kept our hands on the stuff in our pockets and none of us got pickpocketed. There is a bit of drug pushing in the area but as long as you keep your head down and just keep walking it really isn't a problem. We ended up in Pinocchio's pub again, right across the street from Hotel Old Quarter. Again the bartender let us choose the music and the drinks were well priced. It was a really fun day and so good to spend Ed's birthday with him.
In the morning on Wednesday we had to say a sad goodbye to Edward and Alex. The tears held off until after they left but it was pretty upsetting to see them go and not be sure when we will be together again. Even though they are now miles apart it is pretty clear that David feels very close to his brother. We moped around a bit in the morning, eating our hotel breakfast and watching a bit of Seinfeld on the laptop to try and cheer us up. We perked up a bit with some lunch at Wok to Walk again. Super spicy and healthy! Then we walked to the Marijuana Museum to learn about the history of the plant, its many uses, and why it is actually legal in Holland. We saw some of the plants growing as well! They were very smelly.
When we had seen enough of peace pipes, organic plastics and hemp pants we headed back to the hotel to get ready for a reunion with my old uni friend Tahlia who is living in Amsterdam as a nanny. We met her at Rembrandtplein, the trendy cafe, pub and club centre of the city. We walked around the square and talked. It had been a good 3 or 4 years since we had seen each other and it was great to catch up as well as have a local's advice on what to see, do and eat in the city. We settled at Coco's Australian pub, a local favourite. It was a good walk from our hotel and we had missed dinner so David and I had a cheeky burger on the long trek home.
On Thursday we decided to have a really good walk around the city and go a bit further than we had before. We walked a long and indirect way to the Anne Frank Museum. We got to see the house where her family lived in the secret annex and she wrote her diary of her experiences. It is unfurnished as her father, Otto Frank wished it to stay. Her pictures on the original wall paper have been cut out in sections and mounted on the newly restored wall under perspex. There are quotes from her diary all over the place, and screens showing interviews with her father and friends after the war. It was a very moving experience and quite upsetting.
David and I came away with a particular sense of sorrow for her father. We walked around in silence for a while feeling really quite upset. Eventually we agreed that it was time for lunch and headed to Leidseplein. We found a pub called 'Hole In The Wall' that served small tapas plates for two. Afterwards we walked to Museumplein for a wander beside the water and a visit to the Van Gogh gallery. It was excellent and we got a deal on a canal cruise for the next day. I especially loved the woman in the green dress which was intended as a tribute to motherhood and meant to be displayed between Van Gogh's two best sunflower paintings. I had never noticed the string wrapped around her finger which was to show that she is rocking a cradle across the room. Apparently Van Gogh was also interpreting the madonna and child differently! There were four levels with works by Van Gogh himself as well as a range of artists who influenced his work at the time. We passed by some pretty markets but at this point we were exhausted and it was getting quite late so we caught the tram back to Dam Square, as close as we could get to the hotel. Over the road we bought some Chinese and Malaysian food - duck, soup and super spicy pork. An excellent end to the day!
On Friday we got our packing out of the way so that we would not have to do it in the evening. Our packs are getting alarmingly heavy at this late stage of the trip! We then went to the station where we bought dreadfully overpriced train tickets to take us to Cologne the next day, totally blowing our budget. All the other train trips have been no more than 26 euro each for any long journey in Italy, Belgium or Holland. These were 60 each! There was nothing for it but I really wished I had tried for a cheap flight instead. The staff at the station were really rude to us too. We walked out annoyed and worried about money. We went to the Erotica Museum which was cheap and a bit of a giggle but mostly pretty silly.
Afterwards we went to the grotty fast food shop 'Febo' to try a croquette on the advice of one of my workmates who was here. It was a small, fried piece of saucy meat and soft filling. Definitely not the most satisfying or nutritional lunch but certainly interesting! We walked down to explore some more of the outer area of Leidesplein. It is such a pretty place. We shared an ice cream and then hopped on the last canal cruise of the day. It was a beautiful way to see the city and there was a bit of audio commentary as well. We sat opposite a nice older businessman from Florida who was just in for a meeting in the morning and wanted to see as much of the city as he could that day. He asked us about our travels and we talked about some of our favourite places.
After the cruise we went back to the gorgeous pub at our hotel for a traditional Dutch meal. I had a wonderful brown bean soup and David had potato and endive mash with a big meatball. Afterwards we went back to Rembrandtplein to meet up with Tahlia for drinks, followed by late night snacks- stroopwaffels!
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