Amsterdam!

After spending the night with the other homeless travelers in the Geneva airport, Monica and I met up with Brian and Jon and then took the train to Amsterdam.  Amsterdam was cold but beautiful with canals, open-air markets, cafes, and more bikers than pedestrians.  I was almost hit multiple times when I forgot to look both ways before crossing the bike lanes.  After getting lost and circling around the city we found our hostel, which was very clean and nice despite the peeling maroon wallpaper and bored indifference of the blond women behind the check in desk.  We spent the night aimlessly walking around the red light district with all the other curious tourists gaping at the women for sale in the glass windows.  Instead of shock or disbelief, it seemed more like I was watching a play with cheap scenery and bad actors.  There was also a sex museum, although we did not go in, and instead we unknowingly found ourselves in a local gay bar with disco lights and a fog machine. The next day we walked around the city and went to the Van Gogh museum and the Anne Frank House.

 

sleeping in the airport

The view from our hostel

the bikes of Amsterdam