Amsterdammit
One of my friends is leaving the country in a few weeks, to go back to his native Brazil.
Before this, he’s going on a mini-tour of Holland and Scandinavia, and one of the cities he is staying in is Amsterdam. Damn it! I wish I could go with him!
I really love this city, and I think anyone else who has been there admires it too. It’s so pretty and clean-looking. The rings of canals with the quaint little bridges. The rows of 17th and 18th century terraced houses flanking them. The trams, the bicycles, the pot shops (and we ain’t talking daisies here). I just love it!!!
Then there’s the squares, the flower markets, the bars, the nightclubs, the shopping, and cuisine from every part of the world along just a few streets. My favourite was a small traditional dutch place which served us little pancakes, and of all things, a japanese place with great sushi (ever seen a japanese speak dutch??).
People wonder about the red-light district and so it’s a huge tourist attraction. I will say I was shocked when I walked down those streets. Not because I couldn’t believe that women were selling themselves (come on! I’m a londoner!), but because they didn’t look real. What I mean is, I was walking along a street with my friend one night and hadn’t realise I’d come across the area. It started to become a bit more crowded and I looked in a bright window at what I thought was a shop mannequin for lingerie. I know, I know - laugh all you want! The words ‘naïve’ or ‘drunk’ may be in your head - but these women, my goodness! They were abslutely pristine. Like full-sized barbies with poseable everything, and perfect porcelain faces akin to an ivory victorian doll (minus innocent expression).
Aside from all of this, I must go back one day, and invite anyone who reads this to come too!
Before this, he’s going on a mini-tour of Holland and Scandinavia, and one of the cities he is staying in is Amsterdam. Damn it! I wish I could go with him!
I really love this city, and I think anyone else who has been there admires it too. It’s so pretty and clean-looking. The rings of canals with the quaint little bridges. The rows of 17th and 18th century terraced houses flanking them. The trams, the bicycles, the pot shops (and we ain’t talking daisies here). I just love it!!!
Then there’s the squares, the flower markets, the bars, the nightclubs, the shopping, and cuisine from every part of the world along just a few streets. My favourite was a small traditional dutch place which served us little pancakes, and of all things, a japanese place with great sushi (ever seen a japanese speak dutch??).
People wonder about the red-light district and so it’s a huge tourist attraction. I will say I was shocked when I walked down those streets. Not because I couldn’t believe that women were selling themselves (come on! I’m a londoner!), but because they didn’t look real. What I mean is, I was walking along a street with my friend one night and hadn’t realise I’d come across the area. It started to become a bit more crowded and I looked in a bright window at what I thought was a shop mannequin for lingerie. I know, I know - laugh all you want! The words ‘naïve’ or ‘drunk’ may be in your head - but these women, my goodness! They were abslutely pristine. Like full-sized barbies with poseable everything, and perfect porcelain faces akin to an ivory victorian doll (minus innocent expression).
Aside from all of this, I must go back one day, and invite anyone who reads this to come too!