Cheesy Town September 12, 2006

Day two in Netherlands, I woke up since 5 am. as the sun was already up and I was up with the sun! Getting myself ready for the short trip to Alkmaar for the big day! It’s my friend, Yvonne’s wedding day!!! and you all know I was a maid of honour for this..
Leaving hostel around 7.30 pm (I guess I took too much time preparing!), walked to Centraal train station and caught the Intercity train to Alkmaar for 6,30 euros (one way) and the train departed for Alkmaar at 8.19 am., the ceremony will not happen until 4 pm. Why do I have to go there so early? No.. not because I was maid of honour..no.. It’s something else! It’s the CHEESE!!!

Every Friday during summer time in Alkmaar, there will be the famous cheese market! It’s all happening in one square (I don’t remember the name) and the fun part starts at 10.00 am. every Friday. Many tourists come to see this market… hmm.. for myself, it’s not really fun!!! But it’s interesting. You can buy the cheese from them too… but as I will have another 2 weeks to go, carrying some cheese around would not be a good idea!

I met a Thai woman who lives here with her husband, she is a friend of Yvonne and she was so kind to wake up so early to come to Alkmaar to be my guide! (she lives 30 minutes away by train), P Pannee waited for me at Alkmaar station and showed me around the town, it was her first time to see Cheese market too… so we both enjoyed it that morning. We had famous Dutch fries for brunch.. as we were so hungry, we ordered medium size and ended up throwing half of it away! It was really good… hot fries in cool weather as it was a little cold that day in Alkmaar, no sunshine, a little cloudy and windy! brrrr… for me!

P Pannee walked me to Yvonne’s house where I was supposed to help her in anything she needed. I was helping a little bit… and then when it’s time, we all moved to the old City Hall where the wedding ceremony took place. I wasn’t doing my maid of honour duty very well as I was doing a photographer’s job at the same time but I am glad, Yvonne and Mario loved all my photos from the wedding! Yay!

After wedding, it’s time for dinner!!! It was sooooo good!! I think it’s the best meal I had in Europe during this trip! It’s French… 4 courses… ahh… people at my table are really cool! International! One from Singapore, one from Brazil, one from Indonesia, me from Thailand and another 2 Dutch guys! Good food and non-stop conversation… I really had good time. Thank you so much Yvonne!

With food and wine…and more wine… more chatting… It’s time to go back. I was lucky, I didn’t have to take the train back to Amsterdam. There was a couple drove me back to my hostel as they live in Amsterdam too and not too far from my hostel!!! That night I came back to my hostel at 1 am. What a long happy day!!! (and I only spent 6,30 euro for the whole day!!!)

Chinese in Amsterdam… September 11, 2006

I know it’s been more than 2 months when I was in Amsterdam but I haven’t had a chance to tell you about my trip… well, you saw some photos but not heard stories from me right?
Now it’s time for me to sit back and start telling you what I really did there and what I experienced when I did backpacking alone around Amsterdam and Italy.. for 2 weeks!
Today I will start with Amsterdam…

*Schiphol Airport*

6th July 2006… my direct flight from Bangkok arrived on time at Schiphol Airport…with a little problem during my flight, I had a little fight with a crazy Chinese tour-guide woman about the seats as I was supposed to have all 4 seats for myself before she came in and told me to move away my feet as I was laying down sleeping!!! It’s not her seat!!! She let her client had 4 seats while she came and took 2 out of 4 from me!!! Bitch!!! She was trying to sit on my feet as I didn’t move my feet for her!!!
Anyways…after that flight, the immigration process was quick and no problem for me at all… I took the train to Amsterdam Centraal Station (4.10 euro, it’s 3,60 but as I didn’t have coin for Ticket vending machine, I gotta buy from staff booth and they charge 0,50 euro for service! *Damn!* … and then I took the Tram to my hostel. (I got the 15 strips for 6,70 euro and I didn’t know how to validate it first time I used it, so I didn’t spend any strip on my first trip to Hostel! Sorry! The staff at Hostel told me later how to do it.)

*Entrance to my hostel*

I arrived my hostel too early, as I was supposed to check in after 2 pm. and I was there around 10.00 am., so I gotta deposit my big bag in a locker that cost me 1 euros for 4 hours. Off…I’m free from huge and heavy bag, me and my small bag ready to explore Amsterdam.

When I was there, the weather was so nice..around 20C, I walked, walked and walked…first I planned to walk around hostel area, not to go too far as I was afraid I can’t find the way back before 2 pm! but I ended up walking all around Amsterdam town..well… I lost! but in that case I found many interesting things and places. I walked through tourists spots and non-tourist spots… and I also found the way back to my hostel around 1 pm! Good job! From now on, you can ask me about the street in Amsterdam… I know many of them! yes many! I’ve been there…done (walked) that! Yah!
I had a cold sandwich for lunch… it was ok.. but I had no choice, I was hungry and there was a sandwich shop in front of me. I walked back to my hostel and sat down writing postcards to friends and myself. After checking in and putting all my stuffs in my dorm room, I shared the room with other 15 girls, but I think the room was not full… I saw some blank beds.

*Upper view from my bench*

Again… Exploring Amsterdam on second round… this time I bought a map for 2,50 euros. I hope I will not get lost again! and I didn’t!! Whoopi!! Walk, walk, walk… and walk… Oh… I did take the Tram to Vondel Park as I was too tired…my feet and my legs were tired. Spending some times in the park reading my Lonely Planet book about Amsterdam, planning for next days then I took the Tram back to Centraal Station..
It’s time for dinner! I didn’t prepare to have western food and I didn’t want to have Thai food in Amsterdam! Thank God! I found a Chinese restaurant!!! Walked inside, smelled familiar food… Making quick decision! This is it! My first dinner in Amsterdam, I will have Chinese!

Really good taste… yummy grilled pork + steamed rice and iced tea… for 11,50 euros at Nam Kee restaurant… Really stuffed and happy! (They gave me too much change, so I went back to the restaurant and returned the extra euro to them)
With full energy again, I was ready to explore Red Light District! I walked pass it during daytime (when I got lost trying to find the way back to my hostel), there was nothing to see and I didn’t realize it’s Red Light Distract! But with my map, I found out that my hostel is not too far from this famous area and I could walk pass it and reach my hostel easily!
I was fun! I don’t know I should feel fun seeing women wearing sexy outfit in the small glass room, waiting for customers. But many of them were friendly… they even smiled to me, even they know I’m not their customer (obviously)!
I didn’t spend much time there… as I was so tired from walking around Amsterdam and the next day I had to get up early to catch the train to Alkmaar for my friend’s wedding. I decided to go back to sleep…. but the problem is…. I couldn’t sleep!!! There was light in Amsterdam until 11 pm!!! I am not used to that!! I can’t sleep when it’s not dark… Poor Jane… falling asleep around 11.30 pm. and had to wake up at 5 am as the sun was up again!! Argh!! At least I was not late for the train, actually… I was too early!!