Amsterdam

Ahh…Amsterdam. I had been in the city less than 10 minutes when I first smelled the famous forbidden plant burning. I arrived in Amsterdam at 5:30am local time. After exchanging a few US dollars for Euros, I took a train into the center of the city at around six. As soon as I emerged from beneath the airport into the dense Amsterdam Fog, I knew I had arrived in Europe. It is not unlike the US in many ways yet it is still vastly different. The overwhelming subtleties really set Europe apart from the US—smaller cars, better style, older buildings, smaller streets, etc. When I left the train station and officially planted my foot in foreign soil for the first time (I’m not counting Canada. It’s just America’s attic) I felt liberated. I was alone and thousands of miles from home, but the first thing that caught my eye was the huge number of bikes. They were everywhere. They lined the streets and sidewalks. Not a single pole, railing, or piece of fence was left naked. Each was kept company by at least one two-wheeled companion. While in the city I basically just walked around. I considered stopping in one of the many bars open at 6:30am for a pint but decided against it. I’m tired as hell right now. I still have about two hours before my flight leaves for Istanbul. I haven’t slept a wink and probably won’t. Try to sleep on the plane is terribly hard.