Amsterdam: Day 3, Part 1...
I did a surprising amount of stuff on day 3 so it'll be best to separate this into a 2 parter: morning to mid-afternoon then evening to night. This first post will be more photo heavy than the next.
I was up early again as I had a countryside bike tour booked with Mike's Bike Tours. But first, tattoo reveal!
Freshly unwrapped in the morning sun; all puffy. This is on my left inner bicep.
Monica and I decided to add atomic green to the frame as an homage to my bike, Minty Fresh. Delightful!
I should've eaten a bigger breakfast than some pineapple and strawberries. I would come to regret that later. I headed out to find Mike's Bike Tours. I have no idea what this building was, but I loved their sign. I should've tried to find it again and see what it was all about.
I arrived in time for the tour and waited around. It was cool that morning and, as I said, I hadn't thought to bring along gloves for my trip. So while I was waiting, I bought a fluffy tourist toque that has a giant pompom on the top and ear covers that says "AMSTERDAM" across it and the matching gloves. They're very warm, but definitely scream "tourist". I didn't have time to find a shop that sold these things.
Mike's Bike Tour advertisement bike outside the shop
We stopped at a bakery for people to get snacks for the ride. I was only able to get a tiny pre-made smoothie, but I thought it would be better than nothing. We stopped at the Skinny Bridge and the tour guide talked about that and the history of Amsterdam's houses. You know how they're so tall and skinny? That came about because the city started to charge property taxes based on the width of the house. The people thought, "No problem. We'll make them skinny and tall instead!" The rest is history.
Skinny Bridge
We biked outside the city and the scenery was beautiful. I really wish the guide stopped more often so people could take photos. That wasn't the case. We didn't stop until we got to this active windmill at Amstelveen.
The tour guide insisted on taking my photo in front of the windmill with my bike. When we started the tour, she admired my bike and said that riding it suited me (her words).
Then we were biking again until we got to Rembrandt Hoeve farm where they make cheese and clogs. Naturally, I was more interested in playing with the cows.
One of them licked my hand then put the whole thing in his mouth. When I pulled it back, he tried to eat my sleeve. What the hell?!
They went over the whole thing of how they make their cheeses and, well, I tuned out. They passed samples around and I skipped it. Then they showed us how they make clogs. It was interesting, I guess. I got a couple of tiny souvenirs for gifts then just sat outside, drank my smoothie, played with the cows, and tried to avoid the tourists in my group. I really was starting to feel more like a 'Dammer and had no interest in the tourists. In fact, Dutch people had started to think I was either Dutch or had recently moved to the Netherlands.
Off we went again. The tour guide showed us this hydro dam. I know the one we have here in Manitoba is far bigger and more intense.
Unless her definition of "hydro dam" is different than ours. When I looked up Waternet (who made this building), it looks to be about water treatment, not generating hydro electricity.
There was no stopping until we got back to the city. I was really disappointed in that. There were so many beautiful photos to be had in the countryside, but the guide wouldn't stop. I was exhausted. I hadn't had enough caloric intake for this kind of ride and the wind was picking up. The other tourists were doing so-so mainly because they hadn't been using a bike as their mode of getting around while they stayed in Amsterdam. We finally stopped at Vondlepark.
My displeasure was evident. I flopped on the ground, exhausted, and didn't bother to get my photo taken with this sign nor did I take other pictures of the park. It was the afternoon by then and the temperature was (thankfully) warming up. Still, I was starving and unhappy that there hadn't been stops. I was tempted to depart from the group (they were just going back to the shop to return their bikes) and head out on my own to either go to a restaurant or return to the flat. Begrudgingly, I stuck it out. As we got closer to the shop, a guy in the group started talking to me. He was from Israel and his brother had been a pilot for Perimeter Airline in Winnipeg. I pretended to be interested. He said he noticed I didn't eat the cheese at the farm and asked if I was vegan. I was mildly intrigued that he noticed that detail and said I was so we talked a bit about that.
Building near Mike's Bikes
When we got back to the shop, I looked at the Happy Cow app to find the closest vegan restaurant. I showed the address to the tour guide and she started giving me a route with "a lovely canal". I stopped her and said, "I'm starving. I've had nearly nothing to eat today. I need the fastest route there." Israeli said he knew how to get there and asked if he could tag along. I sighed in a clearly uninterested voice, but I'm Canadian and can't say no, "Surrrrre..." I told him to get his bike and we'd go. He didn't have one. I sighed and said, "Fine, I guess I'll just push mine along." It was clear the more we talked the less we had in common. He was staying at a known party hostel (Flying Pig) and he was likely quite a bit younger than me. He made fun of me when I admitted to having got lost a few times. As we were going along, I said to him, "I don't think this is the right way to the restaurant." He insisted that it was so as he was talking, I opened Ulmon Maps and my blood pressure went up. I held it up to his face and said, "I told you we were going the wrong way." He blushed then conceded that he had gotten lost in Amsterdam, too. After making fun of me! I turned around and started heading the right way. It would've been a lot faster if I could be actually biking, but no. He asked if I had been to the Red Light District yet and I said no, I'll get there at some point. He said, "You should go, it's great! You just walk in and girls are all like, 'Heeeey!' and you feel like a superstar." I looked at him like he was a fucking moron and said, "You realize they do that because you're a mark, right? They just want your money." It was then that I saw a grocery store. Without saying a word, I locked up my bike and headed in. Israeli followed me and asked what I was doing. My Canadian politeness was gone. "I'm starving. NOW. I was starving 10 minutes ago, but you sent us the wrong way. I need food RIGHT NOW or I'm going to pass out. So I'm going to grab an energy bar and some fruit." He was taken aback by my curtness and said, "Oh...but I'd still like to go to the restaurant." I said, "You go ahead then. I'm hungry right now and I need to eat this very second." I turned to get something off a shelf and he stood a moment before saying, "Well...it was nice meeting you." I muttered something and walked off to the produce. My anger was replaced with how pleased I was with myself. That I should've said no when he asked to come to the restaurant with me. I should've trusted myself to find my way to the restaurant. That all boiled over to a rude outburst, but I felt no regret or shame over it.
With some food in my belly, I headed back to the flat for a larger meal and a nap. My legs were quite sore after all that biking and I had four flights to crawl up to my bed. From my Facebook:
I felt like I was going to die on that bike tour as it was so long with very few stops.
Most shops in Amsterdam close by 5 or 6 pm (it's just after 4 now), but I needed to come back for a room recovery before going anywhere. I'm hoping to try a vegan restaurant this evening.
I was up early again as I had a countryside bike tour booked with Mike's Bike Tours. But first, tattoo reveal!
Freshly unwrapped in the morning sun; all puffy. This is on my left inner bicep.
Monica and I decided to add atomic green to the frame as an homage to my bike, Minty Fresh. Delightful!
I should've eaten a bigger breakfast than some pineapple and strawberries. I would come to regret that later. I headed out to find Mike's Bike Tours. I have no idea what this building was, but I loved their sign. I should've tried to find it again and see what it was all about.
I arrived in time for the tour and waited around. It was cool that morning and, as I said, I hadn't thought to bring along gloves for my trip. So while I was waiting, I bought a fluffy tourist toque that has a giant pompom on the top and ear covers that says "AMSTERDAM" across it and the matching gloves. They're very warm, but definitely scream "tourist". I didn't have time to find a shop that sold these things.
Mike's Bike Tour advertisement bike outside the shop
We stopped at a bakery for people to get snacks for the ride. I was only able to get a tiny pre-made smoothie, but I thought it would be better than nothing. We stopped at the Skinny Bridge and the tour guide talked about that and the history of Amsterdam's houses. You know how they're so tall and skinny? That came about because the city started to charge property taxes based on the width of the house. The people thought, "No problem. We'll make them skinny and tall instead!" The rest is history.
Skinny Bridge
We biked outside the city and the scenery was beautiful. I really wish the guide stopped more often so people could take photos. That wasn't the case. We didn't stop until we got to this active windmill at Amstelveen.
The tour guide insisted on taking my photo in front of the windmill with my bike. When we started the tour, she admired my bike and said that riding it suited me (her words).
Then we were biking again until we got to Rembrandt Hoeve farm where they make cheese and clogs. Naturally, I was more interested in playing with the cows.
One of them licked my hand then put the whole thing in his mouth. When I pulled it back, he tried to eat my sleeve. What the hell?!
They went over the whole thing of how they make their cheeses and, well, I tuned out. They passed samples around and I skipped it. Then they showed us how they make clogs. It was interesting, I guess. I got a couple of tiny souvenirs for gifts then just sat outside, drank my smoothie, played with the cows, and tried to avoid the tourists in my group. I really was starting to feel more like a 'Dammer and had no interest in the tourists. In fact, Dutch people had started to think I was either Dutch or had recently moved to the Netherlands.
Off we went again. The tour guide showed us this hydro dam. I know the one we have here in Manitoba is far bigger and more intense.
Unless her definition of "hydro dam" is different than ours. When I looked up Waternet (who made this building), it looks to be about water treatment, not generating hydro electricity.
There was no stopping until we got back to the city. I was really disappointed in that. There were so many beautiful photos to be had in the countryside, but the guide wouldn't stop. I was exhausted. I hadn't had enough caloric intake for this kind of ride and the wind was picking up. The other tourists were doing so-so mainly because they hadn't been using a bike as their mode of getting around while they stayed in Amsterdam. We finally stopped at Vondlepark.
My displeasure was evident. I flopped on the ground, exhausted, and didn't bother to get my photo taken with this sign nor did I take other pictures of the park. It was the afternoon by then and the temperature was (thankfully) warming up. Still, I was starving and unhappy that there hadn't been stops. I was tempted to depart from the group (they were just going back to the shop to return their bikes) and head out on my own to either go to a restaurant or return to the flat. Begrudgingly, I stuck it out. As we got closer to the shop, a guy in the group started talking to me. He was from Israel and his brother had been a pilot for Perimeter Airline in Winnipeg. I pretended to be interested. He said he noticed I didn't eat the cheese at the farm and asked if I was vegan. I was mildly intrigued that he noticed that detail and said I was so we talked a bit about that.
Building near Mike's Bikes
When we got back to the shop, I looked at the Happy Cow app to find the closest vegan restaurant. I showed the address to the tour guide and she started giving me a route with "a lovely canal". I stopped her and said, "I'm starving. I've had nearly nothing to eat today. I need the fastest route there." Israeli said he knew how to get there and asked if he could tag along. I sighed in a clearly uninterested voice, but I'm Canadian and can't say no, "Surrrrre..." I told him to get his bike and we'd go. He didn't have one. I sighed and said, "Fine, I guess I'll just push mine along." It was clear the more we talked the less we had in common. He was staying at a known party hostel (Flying Pig) and he was likely quite a bit younger than me. He made fun of me when I admitted to having got lost a few times. As we were going along, I said to him, "I don't think this is the right way to the restaurant." He insisted that it was so as he was talking, I opened Ulmon Maps and my blood pressure went up. I held it up to his face and said, "I told you we were going the wrong way." He blushed then conceded that he had gotten lost in Amsterdam, too. After making fun of me! I turned around and started heading the right way. It would've been a lot faster if I could be actually biking, but no. He asked if I had been to the Red Light District yet and I said no, I'll get there at some point. He said, "You should go, it's great! You just walk in and girls are all like, 'Heeeey!' and you feel like a superstar." I looked at him like he was a fucking moron and said, "You realize they do that because you're a mark, right? They just want your money." It was then that I saw a grocery store. Without saying a word, I locked up my bike and headed in. Israeli followed me and asked what I was doing. My Canadian politeness was gone. "I'm starving. NOW. I was starving 10 minutes ago, but you sent us the wrong way. I need food RIGHT NOW or I'm going to pass out. So I'm going to grab an energy bar and some fruit." He was taken aback by my curtness and said, "Oh...but I'd still like to go to the restaurant." I said, "You go ahead then. I'm hungry right now and I need to eat this very second." I turned to get something off a shelf and he stood a moment before saying, "Well...it was nice meeting you." I muttered something and walked off to the produce. My anger was replaced with how pleased I was with myself. That I should've said no when he asked to come to the restaurant with me. I should've trusted myself to find my way to the restaurant. That all boiled over to a rude outburst, but I felt no regret or shame over it.
With some food in my belly, I headed back to the flat for a larger meal and a nap. My legs were quite sore after all that biking and I had four flights to crawl up to my bed. From my Facebook:
I felt like I was going to die on that bike tour as it was so long with very few stops.
Most shops in Amsterdam close by 5 or 6 pm (it's just after 4 now), but I needed to come back for a room recovery before going anywhere. I'm hoping to try a vegan restaurant this evening.