Absolute Amsterdam

Hotel de Lantaerne?

The hallway stairs were extremely steep and narrow, and each stair the sound of decaying wood cracked louder with every step.  No, I was not in a place which most people associate with Amsterdam, but rather my hotel.  From the Presidential Suite in Prague (because of my prior hotel status which I no longer have), to the Copacabana Beach Marriott, this stay was going to be different.  No phone, no lights, not a single luxury. Like Robinson Crusoe, as primitive as can be.  There were lights, and a TV with cable, but my wireless did not want to work.  Although the bathroom was odd, because it contained no tub, just a tiled floor, with a toilet, sink, shower head, and drain.  It did not help that the floor was not sloped towards the drain so I am not sure why they included a shower curtain as the water spread anywhere once on the floor.  Also, I booked my reservation at Hotel de Lantaerne as recommended by my friend because of the nice location, however, the name of the hotel on the outside was Hotel Marnix (unless my Dutch is really that bad), and my room was on the other side of the street after the canal apart from the reception area, which I found strange.  But I was not here to spend the weekend in the hotel, only to explore the sites and sounds of Amsterdam while wishing a friend good luck on her and her boyfriends three year journey to San Diego. 

As part of a mini IBM Corporate Service Corps reunion, Friday night I met my friend Luan and her boyfriend Bart at their going away party (ski gear theme) in Amsterdam which they were preparing to depart for San Diego to begin a three year assignment.  Francesco and his wife were also able to fly up from Italy to join us, so it was a really nice time, and I wish the others could have joined.  I continued to show that I am the worst dancer of the group, with very little improvement over last year. 

Red Light District

Saturday morning began with some rain which unfortunately continued for most of the weekend, however, there were times that it held off and I was able to get some nice pictures.  Now I sure that the first two things that come to people’s minds when they hear Amsterdam are not canals and tulips, however, the city has many of them.  Wondering through the streets and bridges over the canals, you notice the beautiful architecture of the buildings and churches, along with numerous house boats docked on the sides.  As I continue to wander down the main shopping streets, I constantly come across the aroma of burning cannabis from bakery shops, coffee stores, and, in some cases, random people walking down the street.  Upon crossing the bridge just past Oude Kerk, one of the largest churches in the city, while passing through a small connecting street, I am initially startled by a half naked woman behind a glass door taping on the window.  I have just entered the infamous red light district, packed with tourists from all different customs, ages, and sexes.  Walking down the street you will find numerous shops and women in windows, and next pass a normal house with a kitchen table in the window.  The night ended with a sushi dinner, which the rolls were more comparable to wraps, and I had to check with the chef if I should use the chop sticks to pick apart the meal or just use my hand to eat as a traditional wrap.  He confirmed that I should eat like a traditional wrap, so I did not have to attempt to demonstrate any chop stick skills by picking up an oversized wrap of spicy tuna and rice. 

Bicycle Garage

Sunday morning consisted of a boat tour through the canals, a visit to the Anne Frank house, and as I typically do while on the road in a new country, a trip to the grocery store early Sunday.  I was astonished at the Doritos, Ben & Jerry’s, and Kellogg’s cereal selection, which is non-extent here in Slovakia.  Unfortunately I had no room left in my backpack for anything to bring back.  The one thing I did not get the chance to do was bike through the city.  Even in winter, the main source of transportation is bicycles, and you constantly hear the sound of bike bells warning that someone is approaching.  Amsterdam seems to have something for everyone, and I would like to return in the summer time to enjoy some of the things that I was not able to experience.

It has been a while since I last blogged; it was a crazy couple of weeks as it was my first management reviews with 21 employees, which required write-ups, and hour long discussions which went well, and yesterday presented to the 400 people in the center on my Africa Corporate Service Corps experience.

Amsterdam Photos