The First Excursion

After finally getting a few hours of sleep last night, my parents and I set off to find a place to eat lunch, and walk around for a while, doing a little bit of shopping.

As such, here are really my first impressions of Amsterdam. We walked from our hotel to Dam Square, which among other things, felt like a macabre version of Covent Garden. The square was much more open than Covent Garden, but there were a bunch of creepy mimes...creepier than usual, because they were all scary looking, holding scythes or wearing scary masks. (Though there was one that looked like a blue Incan warrior). I wish I had gotten better pictures of them, but I am sort of scared of mimes, after one tried to hit my friends and I when I was 10 with one of his props. (Long story). There is clearly some cultural thing I'm missing here.

We spent some time wandering in the de Biienkorf department store, which was rather similar in layout and architecture to John Lewis in London, so that was a little unnerving. I did have my first experience with Dutch coffee, in that it is not as watered down as American coffee. I have to say, I quite enjoyed it. Adding to my list of things to do: drink lots more coffee (knowing me, this really shouldn't be a problem).

I am also quite amazed by the variety of food that I've come across already. Just in our travels today, we walked by Thai, Chinese, Argentinean, American (New York pizza!), Mexican, Italian, Spanish, and of course, Dutch. Since we didn't walk all that far, I was impressed.

My parents and I ended up getting dinner with a friend of mine from high school, who happens to be in Amsterdam for a few days for her study abroad program, along with her roommate. We ate at a dutch restaurant that was very good, but I suspect a tourist trap, as the menus were written in five different languages. Still, trying to eat somewhere where the menus were all in dutch would just stress my mother out, so I suppose it all worked out in the end.

This will most likely be my last post for a few days - orientation starts tomorrow, and I'll be in a hostel for 2 nights until I am allowed in to my dorm. Wish me luck!