It's been too long. I feel like time has gone by so fast and I have no idea where it all went!
First of all: My sickness. Immediately following Russia, I had a raging mad cough that would lead to long bouts of horrible nonstop coughing. It was at this time that homesickness came round and accosted me. I couldn't believe that my Danish visa still wasn't in yet (so therefore no doctor assigned.) And having no idea how the health care system worked or whether I was covered under my insurance, I tried to tough it out. But certainly I was depressed and for some reason or another thought I would for sure die here in Europe as a result and not be able to see my family again. How silly right!
I thought seriously about not getting on that plane to Amsterdam in favour of resting up instead. But ultimately I did go and I am glad I did although certain points of the trip were particularly sickly. =(
Amsterdaaaaaaaaaam was a very memorable trip. Because of my homesickness, I was excited to meet up with Calgary friends and have a taste of home at the very least. It started off with a bang! Right after getting off the train we were hungry and came across a fast food vending machine!! Pure awesomeness! I inserted 2 Euros and out came a piping hot kipburger. (chicken burger) I didn't expect much but it was actually really tasty! We had a couple more of these tasty delights during the trip.
Next we headed to find our new living space for the next 3 nights. We had booked an apartment in the popular neighborhood of Jordaan for those few nights and all 5 of us were to be sleeping there so I really hoped it would be clean. (Although I noticed that because of how sick I was feeling, my other senses were definitely dumbed down. Such as my germophobe-ness. I barely cared where there were germs as long as I wasn't coughing and could still breathe proper. Interesting how the body prioritizes these things!)
Anyway, our flat was absolutely gorgeous! Everything was clean and very stylishly set. We really lucked out! And Lis did a fantastic job of getting us set up with this fantastic pad! Take a look:
Our first night was a great party. We got started by downing a bottle of the complimentary wine left for us by the flat owners and after a short dinner on an outdoor cafe we wandered the infamous red light districts. Eventually we ended up at a packed pub close to our flat. This is where we realized Dutch people are very tall. Apparently the tallest on average in the world? Well after being in that pub I would definitely agree with that since everyone completely towered over me. Next we headed to a club-ish place called Werck and partied there for the rest of the night. It was a really fun place and we danced the night away!
The next day wasn't so hot for me since my cough seemed to reach its peak. But I headed off with the gang in search of the best apple cake in Amsterdam at a place called Winkel. It was right by the outdoor weekend market and boy oh boy were they ever right! Even in my state of ill health where all my senses were dampened including taste, this cake was pretty awesome. I imagine if my senses had been in full force I would have stuck around to eat a whole bunch more cake instead of doing any sight-seeing! Mmm mmm mmm!~!
First of all: My sickness. Immediately following Russia, I had a raging mad cough that would lead to long bouts of horrible nonstop coughing. It was at this time that homesickness came round and accosted me. I couldn't believe that my Danish visa still wasn't in yet (so therefore no doctor assigned.) And having no idea how the health care system worked or whether I was covered under my insurance, I tried to tough it out. But certainly I was depressed and for some reason or another thought I would for sure die here in Europe as a result and not be able to see my family again. How silly right!
I thought seriously about not getting on that plane to Amsterdam in favour of resting up instead. But ultimately I did go and I am glad I did although certain points of the trip were particularly sickly. =(
Amsterdaaaaaaaaaam was a very memorable trip. Because of my homesickness, I was excited to meet up with Calgary friends and have a taste of home at the very least. It started off with a bang! Right after getting off the train we were hungry and came across a fast food vending machine!! Pure awesomeness! I inserted 2 Euros and out came a piping hot kipburger. (chicken burger) I didn't expect much but it was actually really tasty! We had a couple more of these tasty delights during the trip. Next we headed to find our new living space for the next 3 nights. We had booked an apartment in the popular neighborhood of Jordaan for those few nights and all 5 of us were to be sleeping there so I really hoped it would be clean. (Although I noticed that because of how sick I was feeling, my other senses were definitely dumbed down. Such as my germophobe-ness. I barely cared where there were germs as long as I wasn't coughing and could still breathe proper. Interesting how the body prioritizes these things!)
Anyway, our flat was absolutely gorgeous! Everything was clean and very stylishly set. We really lucked out! And Lis did a fantastic job of getting us set up with this fantastic pad! Take a look:
Our first night was a great party. We got started by downing a bottle of the complimentary wine left for us by the flat owners and after a short dinner on an outdoor cafe we wandered the infamous red light districts. Eventually we ended up at a packed pub close to our flat. This is where we realized Dutch people are very tall. Apparently the tallest on average in the world? Well after being in that pub I would definitely agree with that since everyone completely towered over me. Next we headed to a club-ish place called Werck and partied there for the rest of the night. It was a really fun place and we danced the night away!
The next day wasn't so hot for me since my cough seemed to reach its peak. But I headed off with the gang in search of the best apple cake in Amsterdam at a place called Winkel. It was right by the outdoor weekend market and boy oh boy were they ever right! Even in my state of ill health where all my senses were dampened including taste, this cake was pretty awesome. I imagine if my senses had been in full force I would have stuck around to eat a whole bunch more cake instead of doing any sight-seeing! Mmm mmm mmm!~!
Next up was a wandering through many of the city streets along the canals and a scoping out of many of the different markets in town.
The buildings were sooo crooked!!
University of Amsterdam: I almost went here instead!
I think they might even love their bicycles more here than in CPH!!
Over the course of the next few days we ate several rounds of pancakes, both savoury and sweet, Dutch and Japanese inspired, drank a heck of a lot of Heineken and indulged in a variety of pocket fries vendors dipped generously in a gamut of different sauces including garlic mayo! YUM. But this wasn't just an eating vacation and so we also managed to visit The Heineken Experience, the Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum.
Amsterdam has a weird lineup system. Lineups seem to happen all the time even though there are many ways to avoid them. We bought tickets online beforehand for the Anne Frank House so skipped the line but when we got to Van Gogh there was yet another looonng line. We stood in the line for a bit but quickly realized that there was a large sign at the entrance of the museum directing people to go buy tickets across the street. So we did and then ended up skipping the line and getting straight in. Whaaaaattt, you say? My sentiments exactly.
PS - Don't waste your time (and 16 Euros!) on the Heineken experience. You can do WAY better spending that money on extra pancakes and apple cake.
PPS - We had Japanese pancakes here and they were fabulous! Rutsu you would've loved it!! I thought of you immediately and how we will have to have another okonomiyaki party when I'm back in cowtown!
Next up: A word on the red light district. I was totally weirded out by it. I had been to Hamburg and had walked down the forbidden street but that didn't prepare me for how in-your-face this red light district was. There were so many streets and so many girls in the windows. It was all just right there and so many people walking down the streets every night and day. I am pretty ignorant when it comes to issues like human trafficking and stuffs and I know that there may be girls there voluntarily as well but I couldn't really bring myself to look any of them in the eye. I would try to just look down the street at where I was going but would still manage to catch their eye. Then I would feel embarrassed and look away immediately. Most people on the streets were tourists like ourselves but it was also weird seeing dudes negotiating pricing with the girls. Overall it was just really weird.
And then when I got back to CPH I got Canadian visitors!! Just in time to cure my homesickness. =)
To be honest I think I was just about the worst tour guide ever although some pictures taken would have you believe otherwise. I blame it on the fact that I was sick. But I realized I don't really know the transit system that well here. I have been bike-riding everywhere and only just got a buspass for this month! Everytime they asked me what a building was or why something was there I didn't have any answers for them. Also, I managed to drag them to a 2-hour lecture on corporate social responsibility instead of a beer tasting tour of the Carlsberg brewery. Oops. In addition to all that lameness, I would bail on them everyday about mid-afternoon in order to go home and take a nap. I have no idea how you guys managed not to hate me for making you come visit!! I just hope that maybe the hot dogs and danishes made up for my lack of skills as a tour guide.
Fabulous lunch at Cafe Norden! Gigantic Sandwiches!
Den Lille Havfrue (The Little Mermaid)
The CSR Seminar I dragged them to
The beers that made up for the seminar later...
MOJO: My favourite live music bar in CPH so far
The night of the Christmas beers!
The feast of a dinner they took me out for at Det Lille Apotek: Oven roasted duck!
By far I think the highlight of the visit was our first football game together! FC København vs. Lyngby. FC København won 3-0!! Woohoo! Now I didn't buy my team scarf for nothing!
And London tomorrow! Yippee!
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