Third Stop: The Netherlands

When I thought London was cold, I was mistaken.

Once we arrived to Amsterdam, I then remembered what cold was again.

I'm talking mid-winter Utah cold, and when the night falls it is CHILLAY!

Let me say a little something about Amsterdam right off: Beware.

Beware of drugs and sex right up in your face! I think me and Shane had a little different perception of what the Netherlands was going to be like, but by the end of the trip there we had to just laugh. 

We had to laugh at people getting sloppy drunk and whatnot, to the point where friends are all holding them up. 

You have to laugh at the prostitutes that are in the windows, as they are there for "window shopping" in the Red light district, literally. Funny story: Shane and I doing our normal wondering start walking towards this big church type building, going down an ally. Shane was a bit in front of me and I was getting my camera out and he walks back towards me and goes "Rachael look at this girl coming up on the left in the window she is wearing only a bra and underwear" I walk forward to look and she hits the window all mad at me thinking I am about to take a picture of her nasty half naked self. I was so confused, so we quickly walked passed her. Before we knew it we were in what is known as "the redlight district" and straight up prostitutes were standing in so many windows. Fat, skinny, young, old, black, mexican, super blonde haired ones, ugly, attractive... you name it, there is one there. I am not kidding about this. As we realized what was going on and that there really was prostitutes fingering you to come towards them so they could open there doors and let you in for a little skanky hanky panky, we kept our heads down. We were both kinda quite for a bit and then Shane says "I feel like my innocence is being taken away from me" I agreed and we wanted that bad feeling to leave so ... we then just laughed in disgust at them. How pathetic each one was, how worthless each one was, laughing at the dirty men that give in and walk up to the door and go in. It is a terrible thing, but honestly after walking through, it is comical.

Needless to say, we never went that way again. 

But we did walk along the tons of water canals flowing through the city, we did eat pancakes, we did see the tons of "Coffee Shops", we did see the hundreds of bikers of the town, we did see a movie and do some shopping, and we did enjoy ourselves. Half, if not more of the city's people ride bikes. Half of the lanes on the roads are strictly for bikers, and I liked that a lot.

All in all, our little vacation was a blast. Don't think I will go back to the Netherlands again, I feel like seeing it once was fun and enough. I will go back to Scotland though, there is much more of that country I would die to see but there just wasn't enough time. It was so nice to get back to Rome last night, I missed Rome and my own bed instead of a twin size hostel bed. Today the skies were blue and a bit of snow was still left on the ground, it was quite beautiful. I love Rome, so cheers to that!

Huge awesome yellow couch at the movie theatre!

some trippy store we walked in, thats me holding the 3d glasses up

money from all over the world!

Our flight home, flying over the snowy beautiful Alps!


p.s. I know, I know ... if you haven't noticed yet you will after all the pictures from the trip: I wear that black dang puffy jacket and green scarf every day. Every single day I wore that outfit. Packing light isn't my thing I decided.  Shane and I had to share a bag so I could only fit a few shirts and one extra pair of leggings. You know how sick I was of wearing the exact same boots and jacket every day? Not to mention rotating between two socks the whole time... hmm! Thats why I took my jacket off for some pictures, I really couldn't stand looking at myself in that attire anymore haha. Well now that you know something you might have not even caught onto: enjoy the pictures! :)