day twelve: amsterdam

OK, same thing. Up late and breakfast in the studio. Remember, this is the slowed-down, relaxed portion of the trip. We have decided to make today Typical Tourist Day.

YAY! The Heineken Experience is open! This is great because the dumping snow has returned and we don't really want to walk around in it right now. 10 euros gets us a cheesy tour of the original brewery with lots of advertising, 3 beers each, and a free gift. The funny this is they don't give you the gift till the very end, after you have left the giftshop. In the shop we contemplated buying a couple of the trademark Heineken beer glasses but decided against it due to packing constraints. Turns out, our free gift is one free glass apiece. Guess we'll have to find a way.

From there, we grab a Canal Boat Tour. Very nice, especially since it is quite frigid outside, although, it did finally stop snowing. We see the seven bridges canal, quaint house-boats, Amsterdam harbor, several canal mansions, and a HUGE line outside the Anne Frank house. We can't help but laugh at the suckers who weren't smart enough to go Christmas Day, when there was no line.

Lunch is a quick, but messy, falafel and more fries with curry sauce at MAOZ Vegetarian. This is our second visit to this fast food chain since arriving. I wonder how I can get some franchise info. They got one in Philly...

A bit of shopping follows, but the cold soon chases us into a small bruine kroeg or brown cafe (cozy beer pub) on a side street for a couple small Brand biers. We can tell it is the owner behind the bar because there are photos of her sprinkled throughout the place on the walls. She was something of a looker (not that she isn't anymore) and a few of the images border on Glamour Shots. Most of the pubs here will offer only one beer on tap. Usually it is either Heineken or Amstel (owned by Heineken), we have come across a couple variations. When they pour the beer, it is always given a thick head and the excess is scraped off with a wet knife. Ahhhh, tradition.

We make the final push for home, and finally make it to the warm studio and decide to stay in for dinner. We have some salad, soup, toasted bread, and a bottle of Bordeaux that cost us only 3 euros (yet was still very tasty).

Nighty night.
Gavin

p.s. This is probably the last post from Amsterdam. I don't know if we will find access at our new place in London. We'll try if we can. If not, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!