This photo on the right is the extent of the Red Light District that I cared to photograph. Definitely stumbled upon it when I noticed the window displays went from cheese and souvenirs to naked women!
Anyhow, I bought some bus tickets to the awesome city and fell in love with Holland. Deep, deep, love. Not to mention, the 80 degree weather certainly helped make the country that much more captivating. But still! It was green, flowery, canal-ed, and beauuuutiful.
Amsterdam has so much character, I was captivated at every turn (which was a lot because I was often lost). I swear, once you throw canals into the city, it suddenly becomes impossible to navigate. Venice? Ya don't even get me started. That place was a labyrinth! And now Amsterdam? It's not as small as people claim- at all. This was a big city.
I had to take (and pay mega bucks) each morning and night to the place I was staying called Leiden. The neighborhood and village was so cute, I could've died. Windmills, tulips, trees, canals, restaurant boats on the canals, obviously bikes everywhere, deer, birds, and friendly people.
Holland has the coolest vibe. I would credit this to a few things:
-Underground parking garages for solely bikes
-Bikers having the right-of-way in roundabouts
-A weird, WEIRD language
-Funky architecture that is taller than it is wide
-Suicidally steep stairs
-(Wouldn't doubt) all the Marijuana fumes and popcorn and lollipops and brownies
-Waffles and caramel everywhere
-Pancake houses
-Relaxing cruises around the canals
-Peanut Butter (France fails at this)
-Green and nature and flowers EVERYWHERE
-Fab cheese. Gouda and Edam!
-Their schools are designed to have different philosophies founded by whoever wants to build a school so you choose your primary/elementary/middle school/high school based on philosophies not location
-An idea that conformity is good! In the suburbs, every house is built, laid out, and decorated the same.
-Strict adherence to laws and social acceptability; People don't cross streets without the signal turning green whatever the circumstance. No such thing as hopping over gates to get on trains/metros...Two things Paris does NOT follow.
-The language! "jklnaadz" is probably a word according to their spelling rules.
One of the highlights of my time in Holland was definitely a late lunch I had at Pannenkoeken Huis Upstairs, a dainty little restaurant off one of the canals. When I saw "little", I mean little! People are encouraged to make reservations because 1) it's a popularly good pancake house and 2) there are only 4 tables in the restaurant!
After going through a closet-sized door, you climb up these narrow and STEEEEEP stairs to get to the upstairs where you check-in with the host. I asked how long of a wait for just one person and the man said about 20 minutes. Not a problem, I agreed to come back then and try out this Yelp review :) A guy at one of the tables called me over and said that it was just him and his mom at a four-person table and if I didn't mind, I could join their table. I agreed without even thinking about it and I'm so happy I did!
Turns out, this guy had told his mom he was "kidnapping" her for a weekend so they could celebrate her 60th birthday. They were from Germany and had driven 5 hours to Amsterdam for a quick celebration weekend. He mentioned that they had fallen asleep on their river cruise and I said that it was a crime! But turns out it was only her first time to Amsterdam, not his. And note this: his mom didn't speak any English! While Emmanuel (the guy/son) were talking, she was just sitting and smiling, occasionally asking questions and getting translations from him. She asked about the work as a nanny and so I gave them my honest opinions of the job. And then he went on to tell me that at that moment, his brother was home setting up a huge surprise party for his mom and how a ton of people were going to show up. I stopped him and was like, "wait! She can't understand anything we're saying can she?" And with a smug grin he sat back and said, "nope!". That was probably the funniest thing I had heard in a while.
Basically, his story is as follows: he did a year exchange in Boston during high school and things just kept falling into place where he ended up staying in the US for 12 more years. He returned to Germany with a job transfer working with some technical company like Dell or HG or something in 2013. This guy did not look as old as I guessed after hearing about the whole 12 years after high school thing. And good looking, if I do say so. It was so easy and fun to talk to this guy, we basically exchanged life stories by the end of our pancakes.
I sat down not knowing what to choose and after finding out that I live in France, he suggested savory since sweet crepes are on every corner here. He read my mind and so I decided on the bacon and apple pannenkoeken. It was simple, good, and big. With his background in America, he threw out a few IHOP jokes which made me so happy to hear. What can I say, I miss America! He joked that I could take all of my food discoveries back home to the states and start up my own businesses but then added, "Although I might have to beat you to it". I said that he can take Boston as long as I get Seattle, and he added "we can meet up somewhere in the middle!" Exactly.
As him and his mom got up to leave, he gave me his number in case I ever wanted some locals tips to Frankfurt/Heidelberg area if I got the chance to visit. He made sure to add in "Pancake house guy" so I wouldn't forget who this weird "Emmanuel" guy was in my phone. Dang nab it, I want to visit Germany that much more now!
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So basically, I love love LOVE Holland. I need to get back there some day! And for more than a short vacation!
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