“How do you feel about staying on a houseboat?”
While planning for this trip I spent many a night up perusing my new favorite site, hostelworld.com. When it was time to book lodging for Amsterdam I began to notice a trend, houseboats. That would be sort of hilarious and a good way to mix up what we’re used to accommodation wise, I thought to myself. So after Jenny gave her consent, I booked it. Stepping off that train at Amsterdam Central, we made the trek to the Oosterdok, where our new home would be well, floating. There she was, looking a bit like the ship out of CAPTAIN RON, before its makeover, The Avanti. We climbed on board and were welcomed by British Jesse who showed us to our room. Now, I absolutely love houseboats and have been going on them for years down on Lake Cumberland in Kentucky. In fact, it is my favorite vacation. I’ve done this a million times. It will be great I thought! What I forgot about those trips was that my friends’ and my bags always slept in our designated rooms, but we did not. We were always sleeping in the middle of the living room or in tents on the roof. I didn’t realize how little space there would be to have all of our belongings and ourselves holed up in one room on The Avanti. To give you a better idea this room was probably 6.5 feet by 4 feet complete with a set of built in bunk beds that were the narrowest beds I’ve ever slumbered in. Seriously, if I’d eaten one more croissant or that crepe baby would have had even a day more development, I would have hung right off that thing. Jenny’s bed on the bottom, not so bad.
Mine on the other hand had a sloping roof right above it so really only half of the smallest bed ever was even usable. Needless to say I would try to wedge myself under the roof slant but woke up many a morning by banging my arm on the roof or my head on the porthole window that was conveniently placed right at head height. The comical part about the room was that we couldn’t both get ready at the same time because you just spent all morning bumping into one another and getting frustrated so one person had to sit in their bed until the other was ready. I thought we had a hard time getting out the door before but this just about doubled it. While it sounds as if I’ve done a lot of griping here I actually sort of enjoyed waking up on the water. It was a nice change and once my body stopped rocking on land it was no big deal.
I have to say I had absolutely no idea what to expect from Amsterdam. All I can tell you is that I imagined half naked women in windows in the Red Light District (true story) and the smell of weed permeating from every crevice (also, a true story). What I didn’t realize was just how many canals make up Amsterdam. Our first day Jenny and I took a canal cruise and I was just blown away. All the locals were out on boats eating and drinking and cruising the waterways or people were out on deckchairs on their houseboats that were parked in the canal. It really felt like my kind of lifestyle. Furthermore, people ride their bikes everywhere in Amsterdam.
Of course to fit in Jenny and I did the same. Now, I had been used to the cushiness of the seat on my beach cruiser in California…this was not that. I have never had my butt be so uncomfortable in my life, but the important part, as always, is that I couldn’t have felt any cuter if I tried.The second day Jenny and I set out for the Anne Frank House. Let me tell you, that was an experience. I actually found myself getting kind of emotional when I really let the reality of the whole story and the place sink in. How horrifying that she died but one month before the end of the war. To be in her room and see the decorations she hung up to cheer herself up just felt a bit surreal. A really depressing experience but I’m very glad I went. Of course afterwards to lighten the mood of the day, Jenny and I headed to the Heineken Brewery.
For the small price of 15 Euro you get to tour the brewery, see some 4D show where you “get brewed” and then of course, sample much of the product. Not a bad way to spend the day. Overall, Amsterdam was just so much more than I expected and I sort of can’t wait to go back. Only this time, I’ll bring an inflatable cushion for my ass.
And NowEuropeToDate...
No comments:
Post a Comment