Day 20 - Amsterdam

I went to bed early last night and woke up at 5 am for no reason.  The bed above me creaked, and I thought it was strange that I never even met the person (guy? girl?) that was sleeping there.  I went back to sleep and got up at a normal time.  The only other person up was the guy in the top bunk.  We spent the morning trying to avoid each other, but it was impossible in the cramped room.  Finally, we introduced ourselves.  I asked what his plans were for the day.  “I’m going to the torture museum,” he told me.  “Oh,” I said, “I’m going to the van Gogh museum.”  Turns out his name was Vincent, named after Vincent van Gogh, so he changed his plans from torture to impressionist art.

We left the hostel together.  It rained.  It was a miserable wet walk to the museum, and we got disoriented more than once.  We finally arrived at the museum, paid an atrocious 14€, and looked at the exhibits and learned the sad story of van Gogh’s life.  I then met up with Sasha again, and we went to Pancake Corner for lunch.  “Pancake” is what the Dutch call crepes.

At night, Sasha took me to the Red Light District.  Just as she said we were about there, BAM – there was a woman.  And then another one.  And dozens more.  And they are actually framed by red lights, who knew?  Occasionally there are men opening doors to ask “How much?” or “How old?”  Must be tourists; the Dutch go once, perhaps with their friends or father, and don’t return.  I learned later that price is not per hour, but per 20-minutes session.