AMSTERDAM!!!! One of the best places yet...

SO last time you heard from me, I was discovering Belgium one beer and one chocolate at a time. As of now, we are actually in a small town outside of Frankfurt, Germany, after spending 6 wonderful days in Amsterdam, Holland. This place was AWESOME!!! We met up with some friends of mine from traveling, and they really showed us the true beauty of Amsterdam. The canals are spectacular and the buildings are phenomenal. The food is good too, esp the brownies and cakes...that one is for you Evan...and we even tried the famous french fries with mayonnaise....interesting...but not my style. Other than that we had a great time here. Everyday we would wake up at our hotel....which we didn't realize was located at the heart of the red light district when we booked it...with our window facing the main street and a giant neon yellow, vertical sign spelling H-O-T-E-L out our window. Each morning we would have some breaky and head out on the town as soon as possible. We spent 5 nights there....with not a lot of sleep, but hey, when in Amsterdam. Anyways, everyday we decided to explore a different part of the city, and what a beautiful and picturesque place. I can see how Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and many other artists flourished here. What a spectacular view around every corner...and no, I am not talking about the flashy red lights....although they were quite a distraction for Jessie....if you didnt know, she loves bright flashy things....so Amsterdam was filled with constant visual stimulations. But once you get out of the downtown and red light area...the culture, the people, the pace of life, and the openness to all walks of life, are all spectacular. I could definitely see myself coming back here...if not owning a flat or canal boat here at some point in my life...what a great place to have a vacation getaway.



We spent the first two days touring the city, the next at the Van Gogh museum, the next wandering around aimlessly and sitting on random benches and visiting the many cafes of Amsterdam. We also spent a day meandering through the canals, which then brought us to a very long line to see the Anne Frank House...but it was completely worth it...The museum and the historical facts and figures were very well done. Overall, the trip to Amsterdam was absolutely wonderful. On our last day in town, we decided to make a road trip by train...with a small detour, due to the fact that we were quite distracted by the beautiful countryside of Holland, to an area outside of Amsterdam, called Zaandam...where some mates we met in Belgium are from. They took us out there and really showed us the more local side of the Holland. What a beautiful country, both inside and out. We then spent the last night at our hotel, where I had a few pints and watched a local Dutch band rock out to Led Zep, Skynard, Sublime, Bob Marley, Rolling Stones, etc...which was a perfect way to end our last night in Holland. This morning, we got on a train heading south to Frankfurt, Germany...and I will do my best to put it into words, but the countryside of The Netherlands and Germany is BEAUTIFUL! From lush, green, rolling hills filled with pastures and wheat fields, to dense oak forests, the countryside is filled with character. So far we have been in Germany for about 12 hours and I already love it. We are planning on spending the next few days around the Frankfurt coutryside, and then heading north to visit a good buddy of mine from back in the day...Mr. Sean Whitty...who is completing his PhD in Germany. We are going to stay with him in his hometown of Braunschweig...and then east towards Berlin and then south to Prague.



Jessie and I are truely seeing the beauty of every place we go to, and everyday awaits new dreams and adventures. This trip has been very insightful and has shown me some wonderful places, as well as the true beauty of what life has to offer. I feel this journey has given me, and my mind, a great chance to wander and to really look inside myself for what life is and where I might be going with it. Who knows what path I am heading down, but I do know that my mind is clear, by body is able, and my heart is leading the way. To whatever dreams and adventures hold in my future...I look forward to embracing them with open arms and a progressive step forward. Until next time....be well, live well, and laugh often. Cheers to all.