Two Different Worlds, Part 2

Part 2. Afternoon
After the Frank house, I came outside and walked around for ten minutes in search of my bus. Luckily, I found another lady who was in my tour group and also couldn’t find it. Els had told us to wait outside for her or cross the street to the bus. But neither was there….

We decided to try another street down, and hope for the best. Thankfully, the bus was parked across THAT street, and they were all waving for us to get on. Els apologized and said they had to move the bus because the cops were on their tail about parking regulations. I’m just glad we had found the bus, I didn’t want to miss it!!!

Once all the guests were off the bus, I looked at all the vendors in the terminal. I was waiting for Neeko and Robert, who were on other tours that day, so we could go off together. Neeko arrived shortly after me and we got on the boat to find Allison, who is our camera lady. In the gangway, we picked up Bernardo (cruise staff and acting as activities manager for this cruise) and he joined our posse. We met up with Robert outside and headed into the city.

Since Bernardo had just gotten off work and I hadn’t eaten lunch yet, we decided to stop at one of the restaurants on the street. The other three said they would meet back there in an hour to pick us up. Well, poor boy had to eat Italian with me instead of dining in one of the popular meat houses because I don’t eat meat! LOL. But it’s ok, he ordered a steak anyways and I happily ate my macaroni and cheese. :D We ate outside, in the heart of the bustling city. After our delicious meal, we waited for the others but they never showed! (I later learned that they had forgotten which street we were on! That’s what happens when we are in new cities, it’s all unfamiliar territory! HA)

So Bernardo and I walked along the shops and restaurants, soaking in all the culture. There were a ton of sports fanatics running around and we learned there was a soccer (or “futbol”) tournament tonight, the two biggest rivals of Amsterdam. I wish we could have gone, but we didn’t want to chance missing the ship because we were fighting our way back through all the traffic. I hope one day I can return to Brazil and attend a soccer match, they are the kings of the game after all! (As Uly would LOVE to point out, but I still say America is NUMBER ONE ;)

Yes, it is true. There are girls in the windows calling gentlemen to them in the Red Light District. There are sex shops all over, and you can smell the “coffee houses” every which way you turn. However, the atmosphere of it all surprised me. To me, Las Vegas is trashy. But Amsterdam was not. It felt more like a 70’s free-minded spirit than a disgusting area. I think I realized this is a part of culture, and they are very open and willing with it. I was never offended, where as the people in the streets of the Vegas strip, handing out call girls’ cards, is difficult for me to accept.

I felt like I was in a completely different country than where I was that morning. I even talked to one lady, working in one of the stores, about how I thought people have three main views of Holland. I think they know the history of Anne and the holocaust. When they hear Holland, I believe they see windmills, cute little Dutch kids kissing with the wooden shoes on and tulips in the background. But when they hear Amsterdam, they think of the Red Light District, and all that that includes. I guess she agreed with me because when I mentioned the windmills and tulips she said “THANK YOU for thinking that way about Holland!”

After the long day in Amazing Amsterdam, I returned back to the Vision, showered and dressed for the night’s entertainment- The Beatles! Unfortunately, two of their players hadn’t made it on the ship so understudies were used. And it wasn’t as good as it normally is. But overall, I enjoyed my time in Holland and I can’t wait for when we return!!!!