AMSTERDAM!!!

We arrived in Amsterdam on the 1/04/11 – the start of our travels! Just a brief 3 night stop over before heading off to unknown Poland. I've been to Amsterdam a few time before, either for lads holidays and even for Neweys stag doo... the previous week if you can believe that. On my eariler ventures into the Dutch capital, I have become very familiar with certain, more undesirable parts of this wonderful city. I was looking forward to a more 'cultured' experience this time around.

The Easyjet flight from Luton to Amsterdam was the usual cattle cart stuff, but still Eloise and I were very excited to be starting our world tour. We arrived at our first hostel,
Stay Okay Vondelpark situated right next to the main park in the city, and much further away from the usual action I've seen on previous encounters. I've only ever stayed in youth hostels en masse with the lads so I was unsure what to expect, concerned with potentially sharing a room with 8 large, Dutch nutters. We checked in and were talked through the usual procedures; I couldn't see any drug addled, dread lock wearing hippy beatniks chilling out to Marley in the communal area - So far so good! We headed up the stairs and located our room, also noting the important fact that the breakfast room was situated on the floor below. The room was what I think must be an international standard for shared dorm rooms – Bunk beds, sinks and lockers by the beds. Also two communal toilets and two showers, both really clean. The one slightly discontenting thing upon entering the room was the presence of a 6”5 Mohawk toting German lad. Pleasantry exchanged, we chucked our bags on the floor and after I lost scissor paper stone, started making my top bunk. Provided were some shrink wrapped sheets,duvet and pillow covers which was a nice touch. The rubber mattress would make a certain Welsh friend of mine extremely happy.

As we arrived quite late, we thought we'd just head out for a while just to get the vibe and see what was near by. The hostel is literally a 5 minute walk from the Leidseplein, a popular area for night-life rammed with bars, restaurants and plenty of tourists! I recognised the Dolphin's Coffee-Shop and popped in for a tea and a relaxing time. We started speaking to a well travelled English couple who'd settled over here. They told us some cool places to visit and explained about Holland's advantageous tax benefits to ex-pats which was quite interesting, and they also mentioned that on Fridays one can visit the Van Gogh museum later than usual, beating the crowds and also being able to walk around with beers! I was sold.

The next day we ventured downstairs for breakfast, an exiting moment for me! Breakfast runs from 7:30am to 10, so we joined quite a large queue of people who clearly had the same idea as us and had come down at 9. Buffet style serving was the order of the day, help yourself to as must as you want! The usual continental affair was laid our, ham, cheese, slices of bread, preservatives, crackers, eggs, cereals, yoghurt, juice and an excellent quality coffee machine pumping out free espressos and cappuccinos. Obviously my eyes were too big for my belly and I stuffed myself to bursting point, reassuring myself that now as an intrepid world traveller, that this glorious meal may be my last for sometime. I clocked that several people were making sandwiches to take with them for the day ahead, good tactic I thought, the next day I would follow suit.

Both clutching our bellies, we hit the Amsterdam streets for our first full day of being in a different country on the first day of our travels! We walked all day, stopping off in cafés, coffee-shops, pubs and bars getting the feel of the place – culminating with a tired walk around the Van Gogh museum late at night. Again, luckily the museum was just around the corner from the hostel – bed was much needed!
Arriving back at the dorm, the room now had more occupants, 2 Japanese girls and an older group of Russians with an English guy, who now lives in Germany, showing them the sights of the 'Dam. I wouldn’t have thought a hostel would be the sort of place for older visitors, but the place was very age neutral and mixed, again to my surprise.

Saturday morning; Sandwiches made and stuffed in my pockets ready for smuggling out of the cafeteria, we planned to hire bikes today and tour the city in a bit more style. There are literally bikes everywhere in Amsterdam, and the road system and streets are so well thought through its very safe and quick to ride from one end of the city to another with relative ease. It was excellent fun riding around the streets and parks, especially after a Heineken or two with lunch! We went to Vondelpark and sat by the water, sun blazing, tucking into our breakfast sandwiches. It was so nice in the park that we decided to go and get more supplies and head back down to the park a bit later.

It appeared that every Amsterdamer had the same thought process, because when we returned from the supermarket with beers, and from a local coffee-shop – the park was rammed with people soaking up the sun and generally having a wicked time. Euro-dance music pumping from speakers, we had an amazing afternoon chilling out and getting burnt.

Unfortunately this lovely event was ruined at the end of the day. I could smell dog shit for quite a while when we were sat down, but I could see a nice little pile a few meters away so convinced myself that that was the source of the smell. To my horror (and to Eloise's great amusement) I had in fact been sat an a massive pile of dog shit for three hours... I had to hand scrub my trousers, pants, belt and t-shirt in the hostel sink!

On our last day in Amsterdam, the sheer amount of bread consumption, along with multiple 'Chipsy King' visits was taking its toll on me. The Dutch love chips/Belgian fries plastered with mountains of mayonnaise and dangerous levels of salt clearly over the RDA of the largest man. Those who know me are all too familiar with my love for the eggy stuff! We couldn’t pass the tasty unhealthy potato snack vendors without buying a portion each. Suffice to say, my gut is expanding when I thought it would be increasing.

Prices vary massively I've come to learn. The previous weekend on the Stag doo, beer prices were astronomical. Further out of the main town they drop hugely. In supermarkets, Heineken and Grolsch bottles were £.0.40-0.50! I think I'll get used to the travellers budgeting food mindset quite easily. Bread, salad, crisps and beer all come very cheap.

Flying to Warsaw(Poland) via Riga(Latvia) on AirBaltic, it quickly hits home fast how shit EasyJet is. Its simple: EasyJet en route to Amsterdam – two spotty men looking very uninterested in what their doing. AirBaltic – a team of foxy looking Latvian chicks eager to help! Arriving in Riga, a quick transfer to another AirBaltic flight destined for Warsaw on a much smaller twin prop Fokker 50 plane. It was quite novel being on a plane like this as I’ve only ever flown on a jet. Much smaller, but strangely more leg room and a much smoother flight. The arm rests even had ash trays...

Next stop, Krakow!