the las vegas of europe

New Location- Amsterdam, The Netherlands

After an hour flight, I touched down in Amsterdam around noon on Friday. The first thing I noticed was English. Lots of it. It dawned on me slowly that Amsterdam was a mythical haven for 18-25 year old foreigners, a lawless land of decriminalized drugs and free-roaming dames de la nuit set against a background of European exoticism. I had 72 hours in this country, and my agenda contained only one item: Have a-dam good time. Mission accomplished, and with several interesting experiences.

1. Our hostel. The sign upon entering read "Currently under contracting, water may leak from ceilings." We're off to a good start. The 320 euros we owed upon check-in (cash only, of course) bypassed the register in favor of the desk clerk's front pocket. The 4 of us were placed in a 5-person room (complete with heinous decor) that contained 3 available beds and 2 duvets. I know marijuana is fair game in Holland, but it only takes 2 functioning brain cells to figure out this isn't going to add up. The hall bathroom also proved unconventional. I've never had to sit on the john side-saddle, but when the front of the bowl is 4 cm from the wall, I don't suppose there's much choice. I still can't figure out which I like better, the lime green walls or the sagging, musty curtains.

2. The red-light district. We saw the hookers, giggled/marvelled/speculated at the items in the sex shops, and inhaled the tangy synthesis of cannabis and syphilis wafting in the breeze. Though the city is gradually purchasing all the windows and shutting down the district, the selection is like standing in front of a Jelly Belly display. There are more colors and flavors than you can possibly imagine, some natural and others that activate your gag reflex. Note: Do not photograph the ladies in their windows. They will chase you down and douse you with a cup of liquid they've prepared earlier. And it isn't water.

3. The canals. I got to the city hours earlier than the rest of the group, and wound up walking along the canals quite a bit. Lanterns appear in the windows of the houseboats, streetlamps bathe everything in a dull, soft glow. Oddly, the red-light district's canals are home to bevies of swans, an odd juxtaposition to behold. To me, canals are the most enduring and identifiable element of the city. They're also quite handy for disposing of dissentors: the city used to execute troublemakers by putting them in a bag with a feral cat and tossing them in.

4. The van Gogh museum. I may have a new favorite ginger. I can't believe the museum managed to aggregate so many of his works. Despite missing The Starry Night (which is in MoMA), 12 euros still bought you views of The Potato Eaters, Skull of a Skeleton with Burning Cigarette, Bedroom in Arles, and The Yellow House. We caught the current exhibition, which chronicles van Gogh's life through letters he exchanged with his brother, with whom he was very close. Insanity and brilliance are truly 2 sides of the same coin. Van Gogh is evidence of that.

I'd been to Amsterdam before, but with a completely different group of people and in a completely different context when I was here during globe. The weekend was a microcosmic representation of this transatlantic experience: the places remain but the people and terms differ. Fun for sure, but bizarre indeed.