Amsterdam!

On Valentines Day I left Prague at 4:45am to head to Amsterdam!  Brittany (my longest known friend) was meeting me there and we were going to be able to travel together for a bit before she started her internship in France (lucky kid!).  I ABSOLUTELY LOVED AMSTERDAM.  It was insanely beautiful and the people there were the kindest people I have ever come across in these traveling adventures.  Plus it was fun to see Brittany again after so many months.  

I LOVED all the bikes and deeply long to live in a bike town.  Its so practical and the bikes were hipster-chic.  The fashion was fabulous as well.. i had no idea they were one of the top fashion cities.  The Van Gogh museum was highlighting all the the night pieces...his best in my opinion.  Again, art filled my soul with goodness.  We also went into the place Ann Frank and her family hid for 4 years... did you know her book is the second most-sold book in the world (the first is the bible)?  I think she would be happy to know her life was so significant.  

We did a walking tour through the town and learned so much about the people and history there, thanks to a really passionate and interesting tour guide.  Then, at night we took the redlight district tour as well.  

The redlight district is basically being shut down and is expected to be completely gone by 2012 thanks to the democratic christians.  The idea of buying drugs and sex and it being legal and expected seems to be a subject most Americans find clearly wrong.  I must say I cannot agree.  The truth is sex and drugs are around whether its legal or not, and shutting it down completely will just make it darker and more dangerous, but not stop it (as the past has shown). Amsterdam has almost made drugs and sex safer.  I felt safe walking around the streets at night.  I didnt feel like i would be taken advantage of... people had a place to go for things like that and it would be with girls that chose to offer it. There are rules the girls follow and their clients.  

(I am not going to go into all my thoughts about this whole topic here, because its one sided and i dont know if anyone really cares... but if you want to know my in-depth thoughts id love to talk to you.  The point is, being closed minded, judgmental or naive seem to only lead to disrespect and further corruption.)

 Amsterdam bleeds tolerance and respect.  I left feeling affected as though I had learned a great life lesson.  I fully intend on returning and I would suggest it to anyone and everyone.