Amsterdam di Belanda

I'm squeezing between my study hours (**ehem..**ehem**) to update this blog. So I hope you read it! So, read it!

Arrived in Amstel bus station in amsterdam at 6am after 6 hours of bus ride from Paris. Some reviews about Eurolines (the bus company we took)...their coach was not too comfy, leg rooms were not spacious enuff, the whole journey the driver didn't turn off the interior light which costed me bad sleep!! $%#!&^$*&^!!!! and there were ths 3 vietnamese friends who kept on talking the whole nite (no racism intended here, just amazement to the fact that they could keep yakking the nite away).

Upon arrival, we were searching for sumthg to eat and a cuppa coffee. nada! nil! zero! enol! So we waited till 7 at the station for cafe to open and the sun to wake up. And guess wat we ate for breakfast...a cuppa coffee and some croissant from "C'est du pain" so much for dutch adventure, huh...

Anyway, we started moving from the station at around 8am, outside still dark, no sign of any drop of sunshine. And BLOODY COOOOOLLDD!!!! FREEEEZZIIIINNGGG!!! like fridge freezing!

First thing's first: Tourist office. Got ourselves a map and a "I AmSterdam" card inclusive of transports, a whole list of free museums and entrance fees discounts, discounts in cafe, resto and such. We started walking in the cold (it was about -2 degrees outside, it's nothing for winter but hey i am a hot-blooded asian woman) and admiring the city with its pretty architectures, cute small shops, some food chain that dont exist in France.

First visit: Madame Tussaud. Quite expensive, we paid 15 euros after discount. The wax statues were quite disappointing and to make things worse they've got this Pirates of Carribean section where the concept is similar to Haunted House. There were people scaring the shit out of you, some scarry puppets with bloods and eyes coming out and all.... gosh...i hate that...i am a chicken for that!

I took pictures with bob marley, President of China, spice girls and the rest which i forgot cuz they didnt impress me. One of the worst wax made was Oprah Winfrey!!! like HELO! why her! She's like my heeeyroooww.....!!!

oh, and pierre-louis touched J-Lo's ass which gave a loud disgusting fart! Cracked me up man! haha...

Then we continued our visit, we had second breakfast at Mcd where pierre-louis tried McKroket. Not bad. Exploring the small streets full of shops are always fun! that's one of my fave things in Europe. Being able to walk outside, at the same time enjoying the glass windows of shops nicely decorated without having to go inside a mall.

We had lunch in this big chinese resto (Amsterdam's full of good asian food, indo resto are quite numerous) that Hera brought us to. The food was delishhheeeouuss..... we were bloated with noodle and peking duck...yum! Sadly, I didn't spend much time with my cuzin Hera cuz one thing or another... Kinda regreted it now.

With Hera, my cousin who's studying in the Netherland

The visit continued in Rijkmuseum where they have some masterpieces from famous artists such as Rembrandt, and whose name I forgot once I exit the door :) But I really enjoyed the Van Gogh Museum. I enjoyed his art, I enjoyed his story. I would like to have one of these at my home later...

Olive Trees

Almond branches in bloom

they are just so pretty....(imagining them hanging on my future living room)

Rijkmuseum

We visited Anne Frank House too. Too bad I haven't read the book cuz even without reading it you can feel the fear and the uncomfort of the 8 people in hiding, living in worry all the time at the back of a jam factory. It was really a memorable visit. I have no photos since it's not allowed inside.

The highlight of Amsterdam is done. other than that, I really enjoyed the pastry, the waffels, the kroket, the asian food...

and I went inside a "coffeeshop" where they sell joints. Everywhere smells like marijuana cuz people are just smoking it all the time, not on the streets though. We took a look at the Red Light district where women are selling themselves behind the glass window. they look like mannequins parading the latest fashion except that they are real girls in bikini, smoking, waving at u and showing off their best "assets" ! Yikes!

These girls are sure costly, if your budget is a bit restrained, why dont you walk down the small streets where you can find much less attractive women in tights, shorts and half-covered breasts BUT much fatter, bad make up, bad choice of clothes, big thighs, big arms, and all you CAN'T imagine :)

Oh yeah! It snowed for one night! it was magical! i loved it I was soooo excited (kampungan...biasa....)

There you go! One more city I visited. Oh how glad I am... five or six more to go.. Haha! Hope this upcoming sales wont dry up my traveling budget of 2008!

The rest of the photos are in my facebook