Oof. I realized that if I were to blog about every city I visited, it would take me 9^9999999 hours to get it written down, so I will just jot down those which left the biggest impresion on me. i.e. my favourites... haha.
Amsterdam is totally, totally different from Switzerland. And I mean totally. First, it's THE most vibrant and happening city I've ever seen in Europe. Most European cities have their shops closed on Sundays, and areas generally become dead after 7pm because everything shuts down. But in Amsterdam, there are tons of cyclists biking around even at midnight. Yes,
midnight. Check out the number of bicycles parked along the side of the street to get an idea of how much people cycle in this city:-
Next, Amsterdam is
literally a melting pot of activities. What do you usually do in a big European city? Museums? Take touristy pictures of the streets? Visit some lame tourist attractions, or take a walk in a park? Go shopping or a pub crawl at night?
Here're but some of the plethora of activities available in Amsterdam - countryside cycling in
Weesp where you can visit castles, rivers etc, visiting
Zaanke Schans, a picturesque windmill village, cheese farm, Dutch pancakes, Red Light District/sex shows, eating 'space' muffins, beautiful Tulip Park called
Keukenhof,
Anne Frank Museum (yes the Jewish girl disenfranchised by the Nazis), lots of shopping, Argentinian food, and ... paying 50 cents Euro for each toilet entry. haha.
I probably spent at least 1.50 Euro on toilet entries in Amsterdam: the amount you can buy decent hawker food for back home. Stupid Amsterdam!
In this city, besides always keeping a lookout on streets to avoid being crashed onto by swerving bicycles, you'll be pleasantly surprised to see many happy people around. Businessmen (in suits) usually look stressed and depressed in other major cities, but over here they can be caught laughing together while standing in a circle in the middle of the street. Amsterdam is also, I would say, a nice mix between Venice and Florence: the scenic canals, waterways and boats of Venice, and the vibrance and charm of Florence. Check out how the city looks:
The charming waterways...
Interesting stuff in an open square just like this...
Yes, the 2 goons above the letter 'm' was my Korean friend and I. This was at midnight, and we were wandering through the streets,
lost. haha.
Beautiful tulips that make you feel
alive (I'm no flower lover by the way, but they really do make you feel this way!)
Hmm. I left out the Red Light District for obvious reasons. No, actually you're not allowed to take photos there. haha. The unique thing about
them was that they wore
luminous lingerie which glittered under UV light. heh.
Some more pictures...
At the countryside near the
ulu hotel that is in the story below. Note the vast expanse of green, flat land with nothing on it for miles and miles...
A very cosy country bar/bistro, with great comfy lighting, a fruit machine, a dart board, guitars you can bring down to play, a pool table, and yes again, a very country atmosphere. Finally our respite after that crazy adventure (described in the story below)...
******************
There is something in my heart that if I don't share with everyone, I won't be able to sleep in peace.
This happened, and when it did, I was left without a single ounce of doubt that God answered my prayers. Directly. You know how when something just strikes you straight from Him, and you can't help but gasp in awe and amazement?
My friends and I wanted to avoid paying an atrocious 40 Euro per night on Easter Sunday in Amsterdam (when everyone in Europe travels), so we got this cheap hotel somewhere in the countryside. It was really way off in the countryside.
Anyway, firstly, the bus ride from the city took like 1.25 hours. Almost always at full highway throttle. Give you an idea of how ulu the place was. To makes things happier, the bus driver dropped us at the wrong stop (2 stops ahead), and it was pitch dark at night. Where there were no street lamps in the grass beyond the highway, you couldn't see ANYTHING. By the way, the transfer bus that was supposed to take us to the hotel wasn't in service at that time anymore. 10pm.
Secondly, there was no sign of civilization along this main road except for the occasional car that came whizzing past, or a small lighted house like 2 km ahead. Beside the road was like I said, total, black grassland.
And lightning came streaking across the sky every half a minute.
Each time the lightning flashed, I looked desperately around me to see if anywhere near us got hit. We were walking in the open, and there were trees around. Add to that our 20kg bagpacks bursting at the brim and saddling us down like ship anchors, and you have a wonderful night where you just feel so exuberantly happy. Not.
I was really worried. We had 2 girls under our care, and we were hopelessly lost. I was prepared to sleep at the bus stop or get fried by lightning or something. And I really mean that. After allowing a gazillion disastrous thoughts to dance around in my head, I decided to pray.
It was a simple prayer - just for the lightning to stop, for us to be safe. Not even to reach our hotel (I was that devoid of hope).
Well, the lightning didn't stop. I was very xian. And each time I tried to hitchhike, the cars ignored me. Why wouldn't God grant me this simple request? After trudging for another 20 min, I saw a gas station and my spirits lifted. For like 15 secs. Because the gas station was a drive-through and there were no signs of humanity around.
Then a small red car driven by a young lady (it was too dark and I was too tired to observe if she was hot or not. haha) pulled over to pump gas. I scuttled up to the driver and asked for directions. Maybe she was an angel sent by God, or maybe we looked so hopeless like little starving mice or something. She didn't just give directions, she gave us a lift all the way to the hotel!!
The car ride took 15minutes long. That long. If we were to walk that distance, it would have taken us another 1.5 hours.
It was then, that it hit me, so very hard - like a slegdgehammer banging onto my chest - that God had so graciously, miraculously NOT answered my prayer request, but gave me so much more than what I ever dream of or could ask for then. You have to realize, I was so despondent that I would never even think of a car giving us a lift. Especially after 10 failed attempts at hitchhiking. It was such a direct, striking realization - so personal and impactful - that deep inside me, I felt like trembling. Almost as if I saw the Red Sea parting, or something. Okay that's an exaggeration but, you get the idea.
But my friend didn't feel this at all, until I explained everything to her.
I realized this principle: God protects, is beside you, answers prayers & speaks to you very often. But you can know it only if you open your ears and eyes to Him, and are receptive to His loving nudges and care. I was fortunate enough to have asked Him for these very things not too long ago.
I hope this sharing blesses all those who read this, and gives you more zest to ask God to speak to you daily. It is really, really wonderful when He does so, and you realize it.
With Love
Andre
Although the Korean guy next to me looks like a retard (I'm sorry for being mean. Just truthful), he is really really nice. And gentle.
Inside their sanctuary.
Outside their sanctuary.
Closer-up of Koreans.
Their noticeboard.
The long tables of feasting! I'm certainly coming back here again! Muahaha.
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