Simple (buffet) breakfast followed by two large beers while waiting for the train. In a drunken impulse I purchased a sweet happy meal, and finally got some French fries and a kids toy. I was expecting more from the toy, I don’t know why.. it’s just that a toy tiger that’s left arm twists at the shoulder, and right arm touches a stick of bamboo that moves one inch when pushed was way under my level of expectations. For the same effort something could have been way more cool, I just can’t imagine the three year olds I see with iTouches being pleased with crap. Anyway, after 7 1/2 hours of card games, talking and sleeping, we arrived in Amsterdam with Steve and Adina waiting to escort us to a coffee shop. Oh yes, we brought the rainstorm with us to Amsterdam. Fabulous, queue ridiculous and slightly cute red riding hood poncho.
I don’t get the feeling this “coffee” shop sells much coffee, maybe soda, chips and candy bars, but the real bar is at the end of the room, with a man wearing a dealer shirt and a few shelves full of weed behind him for our viewing and purchasing pleasure. Steve casually buys some and we use Dad’s new pipe. Prices are damn decent and so’s the product. The coffee shop is in the red light district, didn’t see any of the expected sex workers in the windows but apparently the city is trying to “straighten up its image” and reduce the numbers of smoking and sex work establishments. Great, ruin the one city that doesn’t criminalize activity that should be a matter of personal choice. Hopefully Amsterdam lightens up, or at least the locals don’t enforce the issue. At least we’re here now, and weed’s legal medicinal purposes in California anyway. I suppose less tourist gawking of the sex workers might be a safer for them, I’ll learn more before I make judgments.
Headed to the sweet ass hotel that was offering its rooms at 1/4th the price, (lastminutehotels.com), and enjoyed delicious Belgium beer compliments of Steve. Amsterdam is great so far, and it doesn’t hurt that this is the first place in three weeks where everybody speaks and understands English. Not that being in non-English speaking countries was all that much trouble (it was mostly fun and humbling), but it is a lot harder to get around and buy tickets when nobody understands what you’re saying. After having stayed up till almost 5am now it’s time to get to bed and look forward to morning coffee. Actual coffee.
