It's Sunday afternoon and I'm sitting at my (temporary) new local, The Bulldog - don't blame me, it's free wifi if I buy a drink! I've spent the last 4 days traipsing around Amsterdam and tomorrow my life changes with the first full-time job I've ever had. Shock, horror... work.
Having traveled around Europe for the last 2 months, segued by 2 weeks back home to settle my affairs (clever yes?), I'm back with the intention contributing to the Dutch economy. The flight over was well planned, a 5pm departure gave me a long night which meant sleeping wasn't a problem. Landing in A-Dam by about 8am, I sorted out some very dodgy hostel accomodation and began my explorations of the city. Getting bearings, finding the immediate landmarks and a small walking tour, the lure of free wifi inevitably dragged to a coffeeshop for some legalised weed - simply reiterating my disdain for it, haha.
Basic highlights have been Rijksmuseum, and de Pijp, both explored on foot and reminding me that a bicycle is an necessary purchase! But I'm now getting the hang of the Damage and I feel confident in the immediate surrounds of the centre.
My only qualm is the influx of pommy and seppo tourists who are purely here to get stoned. After only a few days here you can tell that the city is so beautiful once you escape the confines of the tourist areas. I'm also starting to get slightly hostile towards backpackers in general. Don't get me wrong, I can see some pluses - you get to meet other young people and it's cheap(ish), but the majority here are just interested in going out and getting stoned. I'm starting to head towards the idea of moving away from tourist-centric places - small places that you won't hear some seppo whinging that a cafe doesn't have American coffee, which is basically either a long black or an espresso! (Well, obviously not quite, but close enough to sate one's caffeine addiction.)
So, I'm stepping off my high horse for the arvo and getting back to satisfying my recent Bret Easton Ellis desires...
