Amsterdam (first visit)

Sunday, June 3rd, 1990 10:05am

We left Copenhagen, and traveled all day arriving in Amsterdam at 11:15pm at night. We took a ferry that cruised the Øresund strait, which connects the Baltic sea to the North sea.

Featured photograph by: Håkan Dahlström

When we arrived in Amsterdam, we couldn’t find a place to sleep for over an hour and half, but then “D” (Danny) hooked us up with a “nice” pad for free! Tonight was SO much fun! Hard Rock Cafe was so fricking cool! Cool music, cool people, cool sights! The bartenders were so cool and friendly.

We brought along a Neville Brothers cassette tape from Tipitina’s into Q’s club ( I happened to have it on me in my jacket). They played it over the sickest sound system, and we were lovin’ the fact that we brought a piece of New Orleans to Amsterdam and the whole bar was jamming to our cassette. Classic!

 

This town has sooo much to see and we’ll spend a bout 4 days here.

HDR photo by Trey Ratcliff, Stuck In Customs

Public transportation is free. Monorail-like trollys are free and very efficient and reliable. Outdoor cafes were everywere, but the “seedy” side was plain to see everywhere – this town is also pretty lewd.

HDR photo by Trey Ratcliff, Stuck In Customs

June 4th, 1990 2:25am

We went into the red light district tonight after dinner. At first witnessing what was on the streets and in the windows was an extreme shock. It’s as low as low can go. Nothing classy about it, but luring at the same time because of the mystery of that way of life. Chicks stand in windows with red lights glowing around the frame – they were actually “for sale” – it was the most realistic “window shopping” experience ever. Prostitution is legal, sex to them is a business.

June 5th, 1990 1:35pm

Time has no boundaries in this town. Today seemed to be the longest day. We went to Anne Frank’s house where she and her family hid from the Nazis during the Holocaust. Very moving. It’s amazing and utterly insane to grasp the magnitude of 6 millions Jews were hunted and killed because they’ve been scapegoats through the ages. Hitler believed in Fascism and one supreme race where all other races are “subordinate” to them. I’m really glad I went – it was an eye-opening experience and affected me pretty deeply.

Later that afternoon, we “coffeehoused” and went back to the Red Light District where my friends had to “take care of business.” Late night, we hung out at an outdoor cafe on the water, then wondered back into the Hard Rock, watched some killer old school reggae on the tv screens – so chill, comfy and cool.

Wed June 6th, 1990

What a DAY!!! At 9am this morning we got tickets to the Van Gough Museum! It was SOOOO GOOD! Since he is my absolute favorite artist and I’ve loved him for so long, I finally got to see his actual works. This exhibit was the premiere collection of the largest body of his work ever assembled for the 100th anniversary of his death. The collection was fabulous, extremely fulfilling. It was the first time I had experienced an audio guide and the narrator had a deep baritone soothing voice that took you on a journey through his life. Letters b/c Van Gough and his brother Theo were read and associated to the paintings in front of my eyes. It was probably the best museum exprience I had in my short museum-going life.

Everyone rides bikes here. Bikes are everywhere!

HDR photo by Trey Ratcliff, Stuck In Customs

Later, we went to the Stedlijk museum of Modern Art. It was great too, but nothing liek the Van Gough experience. Next we went to the Heinekin Brewery! The best part of the tour was drinking the freshest Heinekin at a precisely crispy 45 degrees, mmmmmmmm. We continued to tour the colorful town for our last night in the city. It was bittersweet to leave, and I enjoyed every minute here, but we were just beginning our trip and PARIS WAS NEXT!

Here’s a snapshot of me as we were leaving for the train station. Amsterdam was a “colorful” town, in more ways than one, he he.