Archive for July 6th, 2009

We pulled into Amsterdam at 6 am, we wandered through the closed streets, to be faced with thousands of Dutch dressed in Pure white and wearing fairy masks, ears, sparklers and who knows what else. Sensation White was in Amsterdam and the arena was packed to the gills with Dutch and visitors enjoying the Blacklights and city wide rave that SW brings to bear.

we walked the city with these white denizens searching for a hostel and a hotel. after three hours we gave in and used the tourist information office to help us located and book our hostel rooms. they found us one hostel, the WORST hostel (really they’ve won awards) for 22.50 a night. Small towels, no air conditioning, rooms with barred windows that open 2.54 centimeters and dirty floors, graffitied walls, but clean sheets.

The Hans Brinker Budget Hotel has been open and providing the worst service and accomodation for the lowest price in amsterdamn since the 1950s. I dont think they’ve repainted or cleaned since it opened either.

Luckily for me I wasn’t destined to spend much more time than the two evenings I had booked actually in the hostel. Instead I spent my time on a leisurely bike tour, a walk, Heineken tour, and kick butt Zoo tour.

I did enter two coffee shops, however I did not partake. I had a really nice Bananna smoothie and a cigar (straight tobacco).

I then went out and adventured through the streets finding clubs and bars to visit in the night.

Taking thorough documentation of the city I snipped pictures here and there as I wandered and then spent th rest of the time simly enjoying the atmosphere of the city. Although ditry and really strained the city istelf is still a mirror of its seventeenth century beauty.

Quiet an enjoyable and high energy constantly in party mode few days.

Hamburg, Hamburger, haha.

We drove into hamburg around 11:30 pm 23:00… a rough hour. My new friend a talented photographer and videographer name Thomas Zothner took my had, gave me a strong pat on the back and asked me to keep in touch. We’d been driving near 9 hours and had some pretty rough traffick to get through, but we were both energized to be in Hamburg.
I shook his hand once again and started off down the Main bulevard outside the Hamburg Central station. I wandered around a bit until I located a few local police, who offered me a map, and drew my hostel on it (really nice, polite, very cool). I found my hostel (neck deep in a 10-14 year old cheerleading conference that was there) and discovered that it was northern central Germanys holiday times and that the hostel was flooded to the gills with highschool aged Germans and Swedes. I climbed through the masses of children (many of whom with litre steins) and crashed in my room, wiped out from the long days journey.

The next morning I awoke and did a walk along the canals and the lake captured in the heart of Hamburg, walked the docks and the great big central shopping street. Found the red light district and a computer cafe and then finished by purchasing a ticket to Amsterdam for that night at 10:30.

I walked about a bit more, ordered some turkish Adana Kabab, shocked the owner by saying thanks in turkish and then wandered back to gather up my bags.

I cought the bus that night and rode to amsterdam with a Dutch Israeli, 2 Swedes, a Brazilian and 2 24packs of Carlsberg. At 6am we pulled into the ring station just outside of Amsterdam

I left Prague early the next morning. Taking a comfy bus across the border and into Germany. I was on my way to Munich. To explore Bavaria. I arrived at the bus station outside Munich and walked down toward the central station. the Metro system has been under rennovation and reconstruction and as such has limited running availibility. I took a picture of the rail map with my camera to use as a reference guide as I walked toward the HoptBahnhof and set off.

I arrived at the Central station around dark, I wandered about the streets packed to the gills with people from every corner of the world stuffed with Bavarian beer. I wound my way around the station and into a dark side street. wandered down past the empty and forboding parking garages to find 4you youth hostel.

I checked in and dropped my gear. Munich it was.

I woke up early the next day and decided that it was time to get some exploring it. I headed out on a day trip my brother had suggested to visit Neuschwanstein castle. Its the castle that Swan Lake was based on and overlook both the river and waterfalls. Its absolutely beautiful.

Getting there was a trip. I woke up early but still managed to miss my rail connection for the tour of the castle. Instead I wound up jumping in a Black Dodge Ram with two americans who were from the Frankfurt base and taking off on a driving adventure to find Fussen and Neuschwanstein.

After experienceing the castle and its surrounding area, complete with an introduction to the mad Ludwigs we headed back to munich, grabbed a nap and then headed out for a few cold drinks. We went to Hofbrauhous and to Augustiner and then wandered about, ending up in the Atomic Cafe and finishing the night in a Hostel bar down the street and across the station from our own.

Alot of interesting people and more so alot of first time travelers.

On my third day, I took advantage of a bit of a lull in the atmosphere and headed out to the BMW WELT exhibit… which was spectacular, from there I wandered my way to the Olympic park with a canadian friend before we headed back to the hostel and prepared for another full night out and a about.

German atmosphere and drinking culture is a whole new experience. The most starteling part of the experience was Englischer garten. More so the straight up nud sunbathing in the Central park.

We were even fortunate enough to have a live show as a drunk man ran up to the bus naked and did his rendition of meatspin.

Truly frightening.

After a day relaxing and witnessing the beauty of BMW and Olympia and German Fraulines, we returned to Augustiner for our last night out. I woke up the next morning and arranged a car (there are agencies in Germany where you call in and ask if anyone is driving your direction). There was a man headed to Hamburg but no connections to Berlin. The train ticket to Berlin was 120 euro and the car was a pleasant 30 euro even.

Eight hours, some Iggy Pop and a few bagels later, we arrived in Hamburg.