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Amsterdam weeps for no one

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Weeper's Tower

Weeper's Tower

There is a small tower that sits on the edge of Amsterdam called the Schreierstoren where young 15th century women would wave farewell to their lovers and hope that they would return one day soon. In English, this place is called the Weeper’s Tower.

While I’m not sure I will return to Amsterdam anytime soon, I doubt there was any weeping for my departure. The city has a life of its own and its cares are reserved only for where the next drink or puff will take place. Its nonchalant attitude is one of its many charms and the only tears you can expect come from the skies to quickly wash away any remnants of the previous night before sun breaks.

Since the city was littered with aspiring Millie Browns last weekend, it was probably a good thing the rain pressure-washed the streets each day that we were there. The aftereffects of the city’s raucous evenings could be seen in the desolate streets during the morning. Women in regular street clothes were found in the glass display cages of the red light district eating breakfast and reading magazines as they waited for their clientele to wake from a heavy stupor, and the only pedestrians were foreigners like ourselves touring the windows of the condomerie (condom shop), gazing at the creepy dolls above Café ‘t Mandje (the first gay bar), and wishing there were still monkeys at the Café Int Aepjen where travellers short of cash once paid the barkeep with foreign animals until there were too many to handle. The monkeys eventually became the first inhabitants of the Artis Royal Zoo.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Around noon on Sunday, the city was back up and running (literally) as what appeared to be the entire city decked out in costumes ranging from The Mask to brides and rock and roll stars jogged between the canals in a citywide marathon. By Monday morning, everyone returned to regular working schedules and could be viewed in their own corporate glass display cages along unlit streets. The Dutch seem to have a good balance of play and work in their daily lives that works. I’d like to transport this mentality along with the express food walls back home with me, but alas the souvenir stands only carried clogs.

 

 

 

This amazing trip was both sponsored and organized by the awesome team at Transat Holidays! To take part in a real night of Dutch revelry, start by visiting Air Transat for a schedule of flights. They operate up to four weekly flights from Vancouver, two from Calgary, and four from Toronto until mid to late October, 2012.

Weeper's Tower Monkey bar Rainy tour and soggy tourists Cafe 't Mandje - first gay bar, founded in 1927 by a tough lady Driver's home One of the first duplexes in Amsterdam owned by two brothers in the weaponry business University area Freddy's Bar in Amsterdam - established by the founder of Heineken (Freddy) Amsterdam canal You can plant your own marijuana Cheeeeeeese! Cheeeeeeese! At the cheese store Flower market Clogs at the flower market Aurelie sporting her new poncho. The XXX in Amsterdam stands for the fires, floods, and plague that the Dutch survived Thought this was funny Begijnhof burial Condomerie Weed store Coffee shop High snack Our guide explaining the random art pieces that showed up around town. There's a rumor this is a mold of the Queen's breast Narrowest alleyway in Amsterdam - there are working girls behind glass on both sides i am amsterdam Restaurant Fifteen Amuse Bouche at Restaurant Fifteen In case you want to know what Dutch shrimp looks like Amsterdam has so many bikes that this multi-level bike garage is sometimes overfilled! Floating Chinese restaurant that almost sank when it was built because the architect said it could handle 800 people but what he meant to say was that it could handle 800 Asians, not Dutch House boat of bricks Canal cruise Canal cruise Canal cruise The turrets are held up by poles - I thought this was cheating Canal bike - we were supposed to do this, but it was too cold and wet Anne Frank Huis - my favourite tourist attraction in Amsterdam. So powerful. Dutch pancake Restaurant d'Vijff Vlieghen (5 Flies): The oldest restaurant facade in Amsterdam. Incredible dining areas and inventive cuisine Restaurant d'Vijff Vlieghen (5 Flies): An appetizer that was to die for! Veal with fried tomato, sesame snaps, flavoured mayo, and greens Restaurant d'Vijff Vlieghen (5 Flies): Kelvin, the BEST sommelier ever. His pairings were spot on! Restaurant d'Vijff Vlieghen (5 Flies) Restaurant d'Vijff Vlieghen (5 Flies)

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