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Trip Start Jun 01, 2007 Trip End Jun 02, 2007

  Amsterdam, Netherlands
Monday, June 4, 2007

Hello from Nijmegen. I made a short weekend trip to Amsterdam to do some work, and see some of my buddies. I lived in Amsterdam for a year, and recently relocated to the town of Nijmegen, and this was my first "trip" for the travel logs. I left Nijmegen at around 10:30 in the morning, and arrived in Amsterdam around 12:15. The weather has finally turned nice, which is a short lived thing here in the Netherlands, so consequently, tourists and residents do their best to get out and enjoy the sun.
Amsterdam life was in full swing upon arriving at Central station. There's always plenty of bike riders, people walking, really high tourists wandering around, street performers, and of course the charming city itself with it's crooked 400 year old houses, and canals.
This trip was short, but, functional. I stayed over night with my friends Eric and MaryJo, who run the restaurant "Eat at Jo's," in the famous performing hall the "Melkweg." If you should come to Amsterdam you should treat yourself to dinner at "Eat at Jo's." The food is always excellent, and what I would call "American" portions. You won't leave this restaurant hungry.....
I didn't have alot of time to see all of my friends while I was there, but, I did manage to hook up with two of my American friends who stay in Amsterdam, Steve, and Larry. Larry just came back to Amsterdam from Colorado, and Steve lives there full time.
We sat at the terrace of the Rocket, a coffeeshop in the Niew Market, right in the heart of the red-light district.
The government has recently changed the rules for coffeeshops. It is no longer legal for a coffeeshop to sell alcohol, which was a nice combination for those who like to smoke and drink. Also, the coffeshops with terraces used to stay open until 3:00AM, so, you could sit outdoors enjoying whatever your pleasures may be with no hassles. Now, those same coffeeshops must close at 1:00, and some have elected to close their terraces even earlier. It's too bad that the government is creating more rules to regulate what little bit of freedom Amsterdam offered. Also, they have recently shut down some of the red light windows, where sex is being offered for sell. What are they thinking, that the tourists will come to Amsterdam for the museums???????

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