AMSTERDAM 2011

In February 2011, three friends and I took an amazing trip to Amsterdam. I was really excited to go to another new country I have never been to before. My favorite part of this trip was experiencing the Dutch culture, the architecture of Amsterdam, the people of Holland, and the great nightlife in this city. My friend found us an apartment in a perfect location so we were in walking distance of everything we wanted to see. It was right above a nice coffee shop, only a few blocks from the Red Light District, and walking distance to many other main attractions and nightlife. Also, with having the apartment, we were able to save a lot of money and buy groceries to cook in the apartment. We did go out to eat sometimes of course! We went to a Thai restaurant (shown on the left 2 pictures) that was delicious and I got to have some Saki, which brought me right back to those days of working at Kaji Japanese Grill...for those of you that know about my work experience there, you know it brought back GREAT memories! :) Holland seemed to be much more ahead of times than Sicily and what I'm used to there because we were in heaven when we saw their supermarket! It felt like I was back in America again! You people living in America now, never take advantage of the amazing supermarkets we have available, because its not fun when its taken away from you! In Sicily I have gotten used to the limited selection of foods and brands, so it was great to see all the selection in Amsterdam again! One huge plus Sicily supermarkets have is the freshness of the produce: fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses- you name it, its there and fresh! My diet since I have started living in Sicily has became very rich with fresh, good quality foods...delicious!
Back to Amsterdam...the culture here was so unique and different compared to Italy. The architecture is very beautifully unique style to it that I loved. We noticed how a lot of the buildings were leaning and not all the buildings were straight and matching each other. Some were leaning in, some were leaning back- it was crazy! This picture of the street shows an example of how the buildings were. The city is also filled with canals splitting the heart of Amsterdam into streets and sections. We walked everywhere we went in Amsterdam, which allowed us to experience just how beautiful this city truly is. On our way back from the supermarket, we walked past the house of Anne Frank. We didn't wait in line to go inside because the line went halfway down the next block, but we definitely took pictures of the outside to make sure it looked like we went inside- and of course for the memory. haha
We were fortunate to be in Amsterdam on a Sunday because we were able to walk through the Sunday street market. This market was crowded with fresh food, clothing, shoes, accessories, and more. Our groups favorite was the amazing cheddar cheese we miss so much from the States (we only have found a select store in Palermo that sells cheddar cheese and the quality is nowhere near Wisconsin cheddar!!) and the fresh dried fruits- never had better tasting dried cranberries and blueberries! Amsterdam also has many little bars, like the picture shown, filled with amazing munchy snack food....pizza, sweets, burgers, fries, waffle crisps, you name it- all delicious!!
Of course, many people know of the Amsterdam Red Light District...a must see if ever in Amsterdam. It was definitely something unique and interesting to see! And yes, we found out- not by experience of course- that it costs the same for women as it does for men... a random American guy asked my girl friend and I, so of course, I had to find out- to help out a fellow American of course! The District was full of red lights, naturally, women standing in windows, sex show places that look like movie theater entrances..the whole works. It just honestly is a fun experience to walk through and see, even if you're not interested participating in events that take place there.
The clubs and nightlife we found were a lot of fun. There is a variety of places from chill to nightclub dancing. Our favorite place we found is the nightclub Escape. It was a bit pricey for the entrance fee, but it was totally worth it. My friend and I, especially my friend, have traveled quite a bit around the world and have been to some great dance clubs and nightlife, but this was one of our favorite clubs we have ever been! There were two floors with different types of music, both were fantastic, great dj's, a VIP area that we somehow got into and danced at...so much fun! I would love to go back to Amsterdam just to go to Escape again!
Since we were there in February, the weather was of course a bit chilly. It was cold (for us) in Sicily, and Amsterdam had that bite of cold air like the Midwest that I have not missed! It was still bearable and it didn't snow while we were there. It was fun to get use out of my winter hats and mittens. I also bought an Amsterdam winter hat that can go straight into my suitcase for going back home because the weather here in Sicily is getting so beautiful! It definitely is springtime here in March! The weather is becoming sunny and beautiful! I almost forgot how strong the sun is in Sicily. If you're in the shade, you need a jacket. If in the sun, no need! Completely different temperatures. I can't wait for the weather to get even more beautiful so we can begin again our BBQs, beach time, and tanning! :)