Amsterdam to Brussels to Paris

Alright. On the bus to Paris. In Brussels, Belgium. Took a bus from Amsterdam and took a break for four hours to have lunch and see Brussels city quick. Getting to our bus this morning was like a re-run of our sprinting in the airport for our plane to Amsterdam. We tried the metro and the metro security guy at the doors closed them as soon as we were in front of them. Like he watched us run and sprint to the doors and he was kinda waving us on but then nah. Bad karma for him because then we had to take a longer way to the bus station via metro or wait for another bus or try to get wifi for an uber. Keep in mind, this is all happening when our bus to Brussels is leaving in less than twenty minutes. We found a taxi. Best guy. Very helpful. We had 9 minutes by he time he started to drive. He sped and cut off the bus so they couldn't leave and we made it! So this time. I'm sitting in this bus to Paris with time to relax before moving because we are EARLY. Anyway Brussels was nice, some lunch, walked to the big plaza, saw the Christmas shops. Which, by the way, they celebrate Christmas for a while. They keep saying Merry Christmas and still shop and still have decorations up. Cassie said they might do it because of holiday is done on the 6th or 8th of January. I don't know.

Amsterdam on the other hand was cleaner than last time I saw it (on Kings Day). It was still dirty. Tons of drugs other than marijuana. We saw the red light district. My favorite part was the fact that we rented bikes (pretty pink btw) and rode then around the city. Saw Rembrandt park and ice skated on the pond. Had some hot cocoa. Saw Dam Square. Had some iced waffles. Fries. Mexican food for lunch. Went to the Bulldog, had a space cake and some other things. Got offered drugs. Stroopwafels in a vending machine at our hostel. Hostel was super nice besides the beds (hard as a rock) and the heat blasted at night. Hostel had a bar and some pretty hipster vibe with the lounge and art everywhere. Went to Primark because they have one on the Main Street too!! (Brussels too) This time I bought more than one clearance sweater. I got a hat and better gloves because riding bikes in this cold is real cold, like real real cold. I also found my favorite spotted tights that I had when I studied abroad. I grabbed two. And I got a few other "tiny" stuff. Bikes were perfect if I didn't mention that. Like we felt apart of the Dutch life even though the Dutch were swearing at us because our bike road driving was rough. We had little bells to ring to warm people were behind them or that we were going first. We got to ride a free 24/7 ferry from our hostel to the city which was cold but an experience. I found out that there is more than one "I AMsterdam" signs. I saw three including the original one in Rembrandt park. I had lots of Heineken. My first time in Amsterdam I found my love of Heineken. Before I never really had favorite beer. Got Girl Scout cookies and suckers that didn't work. Had someone roll a blunt for us, it was embarrassing so the Swiss guys did it for us. They were shocked to find out we didn't add tobacco in ours. Italian guys sat with us in the BullDog for two more. Oh. The first night a group of guys were following us, that was scary. Got in the first bar we saw. Met a guy our age from Minnesota there. Rob. It's also very cold here. It's like thirty degrees warmer than Milwaukee but still as cold. I should have brought a warmer coat. Had Flugel shots (what our group did in 2015). Oh also it's like a rule in the BullDog coffee shops that you cannot smoke tobacco but weed is allowed and encouraged. I still haven't found mini Cadbury eggs or the regular ones with caramel or creme inside.

Paris next. Third time for me. I want baguettes with camberet cheese and macaroons and the Eiffel Tower.