Two Sheets of the Same Blanket

 Goteborg Centralstation

Bustime

Arriving into Amsterdam was a slight struggle, but so worth it.  From the heat of the South of France to the chillier rainy Sweden, through trains and airports, I was not feeling so fantastic and opped to just chug as much OJ as possible.  A friend who I had made at the Coachella Music Festival 4 years ago, from Oregon had moved to the Netherlands a year ago and was working on her MBA at Nyenrode Uni. Kristen and I managed to keep well enough in touch, and yet never able to meet back up in the US - so here we were now!  It was somewhat surreal I guess, but right away nothing but a good time.

We jumped onto the train to Amsterdam Central (£3.50/one way), stuffed my backpack into the 24hr lockers (£7) and met with her friends Tim and Yasin, two very outgoing guys in red pants (hehe), in the same program as her.  Tim led us to a nice hole in the wall Spanish rest La Cubanita- serving UNLIMITED tapas! Mmmm little dishes of bacon wrapped dates, or chicken, croquettes, potatoe wedges, melon and ham, etc for only £17 per person. While each tapa is roughly £4-£6, it was well worth it. As long as you finished it all, then you could order the next round.  We went through all the cards. After that, headed off for some drinks at a cafe called Cafe Cuba, very cute and cozy place (plus cute waiters), took a stroll through the Red Light District (not as outrageous as I thought it would be, but what do I know?), and just one more drink at The Grasshopper (playing plenty of 80s tunes, Kristen and I would break out into song much to Yasin's amusement... but it's Queen, you have to) before calling it a night (and catching up for a couple hours before bed).

The Grasshopper - 3 stories, coffeeshop on the bottom, then bar, then restaurant

My first Irish coffee courtesy of Yasin

The next day started around noon, hopped onto some bikes, and rode around campus before a small traditional Danish village to grab some pannekoeken, pancakes £7-£8! Kristen got apple and specks, and I got pineapple. This isn't some pile of pancake shinanigans; it was just one large one, but still just as filling as a plate of the usual buttermilk kind.  We dosed it in syrup and powdered sugar, got back on our bikes and made our way back to the train station for Amsterdam central (just 20 min).  

We began at Dam Square, and just simply wandered, and wandering for girls means, of course getting hypnotized and lurred into shops on shops on shops. Needless to say, we did some fabulous damage.  Besides all the shopping; which I won't bother you with, we grabbed some delicious fast(ish) food at FEBO, and Wok to Walk.  A typical french fry place with vending machines of croquettes (like a mozzarela stick... but without the mozzarela, and meat instead... a meat stick I guess...ah get your mind out of the gutter, keep it croquette) and burgers and blaaahh drool so good and still hot, and a fresh stirfryin asian place.  After eating to our content, we made our way throughout the city walking off our food and shopping shame, we decided museums and things like that would always be there, and I moreso wanted to just see as much as possible (I left for Paris the next day, yes life isn't fair)- the canals; the homes and the billions of beautiful bikes.  It was a pretty jammed day that I truly enjoyed.

croquette broodje

What a shitty bike ride home

After facing the reality of trying to pack the shopping damage I commited we hit the student bar under the castle. Or, technically, the Nonexistent Bar, seeing as it doesn't even show up on the floor plan. There were 3 guys behind the bar, and maybe 15 people max in this semi-medium space. Apparently the initiation for tenders is brutal and they go through hell, but the suitjacket and ties they get to wear is pureeetttyy baller-Hogwarts status. Best pay attention to some key rules though such as

1. Drink with your left hand only
2. If you are caught on your phone the bartender will toss it into the sink
3. If you are caught with your back to the bar, the bartender will pull you over

It was a mellow Tuesday night but still fun times like photocopying Kristen's boobs in the lab, and playin limbo with Yasin's legs.

Aww Yasin, Kristen, and Tim

Kristen ready for her business trip to London, and me... ready for business too I suppose

Oh, Netherlands, our time has been cut short, but you are truly beautiful and I dream of the day I frolic through your fields. Anyone in the Euro sports industry lookin for a top notch girl with her MBA look no further, hire Kristen so she can live in the Netherlands forever! And so I can come back for more than 2 days. It's been a pleasure doll, wishin you the best and lookin forward to the day our paths cross again.

KL